Denbighshire County Council - Agenda item - COUNCIL HOUSE EXTERNAL ENVELOPING AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY FRAMEWORK AND MINI COMPETITION AWARD

To consider a report by Councillor Tony Thomas, Lead Member for Housing and Communities (copy enclosed) seeking Cabinet approval to award the recently tendered framework to six contractors and to tender the first two lots from the framework by way of mini competition.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approve –

(a) to award the framework contract to six contractors as detailed below who were successful in fulfilling the required criteria following a recent tender exercise -

· Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd

· Bell Decorating Group Limited

· Novus Property Solutions Limited

· ParkCity Multitrade Ltd

· Gareth Morris Construction Ltd

· Pave Aways Ltd

(b) to tender the first two lots of the framework via mini competition this financial year on a price only basis given that all contractors have met the required quality criteria giving an exemption to forgo the five-day call in period (Lot 1 only) to allow Lot 1 of the framework to be advertised immediately and reduce further contract mobilisation delays, and

(c) to delegate the decision to increase the contract values of Lot 1 and Lot 2 in the event of Welsh Government Optimised Retrofit Funding being successfully obtained and if the revised contract value exceeds £2m to the Head of Finance and Property in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets.

Councillor Tony Thomas presented the report seeking Cabinet approval to award the recently tendered external enveloping framework to six contractors and to tender the first two lots from the framework by way of mini competition.

Cabinet had approved the tendered framework in May 2021 in order to procure services required to deliver major external repairs to the Council’s housing stock and maintain the housing stock condition in line with the Welsh Housing Quality Standard. The four year planned capital progamme would deliver improvements and works would generally replicate the previous programme in terms of external enveloping with additional retrofit energy efficiency works where possible. Details of the proposal to deliver 2 lots during the current financial year were provided including combining planned maintenance improvements and retrofit works. Given the timing of grant funding confirmation, release and spending deadlines it was proposed to tender Lots 1 and 2 on the basis that the planned work contract could be let based on enveloping works only (anticipated value £1m each), with any retrofit funded works being added in subject to funding availability and deliverable spend profile which could take each project over the £2m threshold requiring Cabinet approval. Delegated authority was also sought to facilitate any increase in contract value over the £2m threshold.

Cabinet commended the improvement works undertaken to the housing stock over recent years and fully supported the planned improvement works going forward and expectation for further retrofit funding from Welsh Government to deliver energy efficient schemes for the benefit of residents. In response to questions the Lead Officer – Corporate Property and Housing Stock advised that –

· the request to waive the call-in procedure for decisions related to the tender for Lot 1 only in order to expedite that process given the timescales involved

· in the event of a block of flats with a mix of both private and council tenures it was the landlord’s responsibility to repair the external envelope and therefore works carried out for council tenants could also benefit private tenants

· the authority worked with Business Wales during the tender process and looked to work with all contractors who expressed an interest prior to the tender and feedback could be provided to unsuccessful tenderers on request

· procurement rules required tenders via the Sell2Wales procurement portal which was not a restricted procurement process for local companies

· in response to queries raised by Councillor Brian Jones regarding the reasoning behind the lack of local contractors put forward for the framework and the financial criteria set by Sell2Wales which might impact on the ability of local contractors to participate in the process, it was agreed that the Lead Officer look into those issues and report back directly to Councillor Jones thereon

· the criteria for refurbishment of the housing stock followed a condition survey and was based on a long term capital programme for external enveloping and internal works to ensure compliance with the Welsh Quality Housing Standard

· some dissatisfaction expressed by long term tenants could be due to the focus on voids work given the high lettable standard and emphasis on quality homes which was best delivered when properties became empty and it was difficult to undertake that level of work with a tenant in residence; internal works had also been delayed due to coronavirus restrictions but would resume shortly

· in response to issues raised directly with Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts regarding the lack of refurbishment work carried out for existing tenants in his ward he highlighted the need for better communication and it was agreed that a response be provided in the tenant newsletter giving a general indication of the refurbishment programmes and that a tailored response be provided to those tenants in the Ruthin area who had expressed specific concerns in that regard.