Decision details

For the Head of Programme Management to waive CSO 8.03 in accordance with CSO 10.01.1 (b) and 10.01.2 (d) (ii) to award a contract to Orbis Protect for the value of £35,000 to provide and install ‘Sitex’ security doors and screens to certain void properties within the Love Lane Estate and surrounding area.

Orbis Protect provides the ‘Sitex’ security product which is a widely used solution to restrict unwanted access to void properties, which includes metal screens fixed over windows and doors.

A number of properties on the Love Lane Estate have been identified as currently being squatted. Some void properties on the estate and nearby have been broken into and had their copper piping stolen.

Squatted properties usually bring with them issues such as anti-social behaviour which can be intimidating for residents of surrounding properties, making them feel unsafe and insecure. In addition to this, the costs and time taken in evicting squatters can be very high, causing a drain on the delivery of other essential services.

It is likely that Sitex security would prevent this from happening and can be used to secure these properties and any further voids from having issues going forward. It is important to get Sitex installed to stop the above issues occurring.

The Council could choose not to waive CSO 8.03, and instead seek quotations from three suppliers for the contract. However, there is an urgency to secure the Sitex security as soon as possible, due to risk of squatting of the void properties and the significant costs that would be incurred as a result.

The proposal outlined in this paper is seeks to provide a short-to-medium term solution for the most urgent cases. In the longer term this issue will need to be resolved through procuring a longer-term contract, working alongside the Council’s Voids team.

While there would normally be a contract in place between the Council’s Voids team and the Sitex security provider, this is not currently in place to be made available for properties on the Love Lane Estate and surrounding areas, and as such this provision can only be secured by a new contract.