Agenda item

Councillor Lesley Kelly, the Cabinet Member for Housing, introduced the report.

The report before Cabinet sought approval for the proposals relating to the procurement and delivery of the HRA Capital Programme. The current delivery strategy had previously been agreed and operated by Homes in Havering. With the re-integration of the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) a decision was required from members on the strategy to be adopted for the duration of the decent homes backlog funding.

The report addressed proposals to enable the delivery of the confirmed Decent Homes Backlog Funding of £38,581,000 and other work streams within the HRA capital programme for 2013/14 and 2014/15.

Reasons for the decision:

·         To have members approval on the procurement options for the various work streams.

·         To comply with the statutory and legal requirements associated with the delivery of works in the capital programme. The legal requirement for section 20 consultations has a time implication in project preparation and the approval of the strategy allows for the correct schedule of consultation to be identified and implemented.

·         To ensure compliance with procurement rules of the European Union.

·         To create greater opportunity for local construction companies to participate in the delivery of the Council’s HRA Capital Programme.

Other options considered:

a)    Continue with the existing delivery strategy adopted by Homes in Havering – this was REJECTED because the Home in Havering (HiH) strategy had not been considered by Cabinet and as such the strategy had no status as Council policy. Also the HiH strategy included a significant proportion of the HRA Capital Programme being delivered via the partnership agreement with Morrison Facilities Services. This contract was being re-procured as it was due to expire in July 2013. The new repairs and maintenance contract would not include any facility for investment works to be carried out; therefore a new approach was required.

Cabinet APPROVED the Delivery Strategy for the delivery of work steams within the HRA Capital Programme as set in Appendix one of the Cabinet report.