Agenda item

[Report of the Director  of Housing, Regeneration and  Planning. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal.]

The report will set out the variation of an existing contract between the Council and Engie Regeneration Ltd for fire stopping works and will seek approval for  additional costs related to the contract, associated consultancy fees and  waiver of resulting leasehold service charges.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal introduced this report which requested approval for variations to the Fire Risk Assessment Package 8 (Fire safety works) which was approved under delegated authority by the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning in line with the December 2017 framework approval of individual call off projects.

The Cabinet Member reported that the works were being carried out in line with the Borough Plan as it sets out housing as a priority and particularly to ensure safety in housing of all tenures across the borough. This variation was in response to changes in guidance and advice concerned with the safety of Residents in relation to Fire Safety.

The Cabinet Member further noted that the AMP for FRA Package 8 was approved by Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning in May 2018, and works began in October 2018. In November 2018 the MHCLG announced its investigation into fire door testing due to notification from the Metropolitan Police that the Manse Masterdors fitted at Grenfell did not pass the 30 minute fire test, Homes for Haringey immediately placed replacement of all doors on hold pending the investigation. In July 2019 the MHCLG issued its final set of test results indicating that all solid timber doors had fully passed. As part of Homes for Haringey’s ongoing commitment to resident safety, contractors were asked to provide the additional cost for installing the solid timber fire doors.

The Cabinet Member informed that there were some errors contained in the report. For clarity, these required minuting and noting:

·         1.3 ‘May’ on the first line should read July.

·         6.4 – the timeline has been reviewed and should read:

o   May 2018 – MHCLG announce that Manse Master Door’s batch numbers SG11 and SG34 had failed the half hour fire test.

o   June 2018 – HfH review all fire doors installed and identify Manse Masterdoors at the Sandlings.

o   July 2018 – FRA Package 8 approved by the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning under delegated authority.

o   July 2018 – FRA Package 8 varied under the framework to include Noel Park and the Sandlings Manse Masterdoors replacements.

o   October 2018 – started on site to complete full design and carry out the work.

o   November 2018 – MHCLG announce investigation into fire door testing programme due to general concerns over testing of fire doors.

o   November 2018 – FRA Package 8 varied under the framework to include replacement of intake cupboard and riser doors.

The remainder of the timeline was an accurate reflection.

In response to questions from Councillor Morris, the following information was provided:

• Regarding the timescale for delivering the work, Officers informed that delivery of the replacement Manse Masterdoors was expected at the end of October. It was expected that the installation would take four to five weeks.
• The Cabinet Member noted the Council was looking into recovering costs of the defective doors from the manufacturers. It was expected that the issue of the defective doors would affect a number of local authorities and it was likely the recovering of costs might take time.
• Officers noted the increase in cost was not solely down to the Manse Masterdoors. The total contract building costs was comprised of Manse Masterdoors not in the original contract, fire stopping work on the Sandlings, intake cupboard doors, and riser panels that were being renewed.
• Officers informed there was a proposal in the report that leaseholders who had doors replaced in 2012 were not recharged for doors the Council was proposing to install. It was noted that the Council was looking, along with other local authorities and housing associations, at a potential legal recourse against manufacturers to get recompense for the defective doors that were installed.

RESOLVED

1. To approve the variation of the (FRA) Package 8 Works contract with Engie Regeneration Ltd to add additional building contract cost of £570,501 for the fire protection works, specifically Fire Doors.

2. To approve the consequential additional consultancy fees of £46,222 as set out in paragraph 6.14 within this report.

3. To approve the waiving of leasehold charges of £134,333 where replacement of the Manse Masterdoors installed in 2012 is undertaken.

Reasons for decision

Authority to enter into the contract with the contractor was obtained under officer delegated authority approval from the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning on 13^th July 2018. However, following the Grenfell Tower fire it was established that the front doors installed in the block at The Sandlings were Manse Masterdoors which failed to provide the fire protection that they were designed to achieve. It was established by Homes for Haringey (HFH) that some of the doors installed at The Sandlings were manufactured by the same company that supplied the composite fire doors that failed at Grenfell Tower and that Manse Masterdoors had been installed in 2012. It was further established that some fire stopping work was required to service risers to meet current regulations.

Once it was identified that Manse materdoors were installed at the Sandlings FRA package 8 was varied under the framework to include Noel Park Ward and the work required at the Sandlings so that replacement work could start as soon as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government fire door testing process was complete.

Now that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) fire door testing process is complete and HFH have been able to identify a suitable replacement that meets the test requirements, these doors need to be replaced as soon as possible. Officers have now obtained advice and guidance to replace the doors with solid timber fire doors which following testing regimes have been deemed compliant. Accordingly, this report recommends approval of:

1)    The additional cost between the planned installation of composite doors on the original projects and the cost of installing solid timber doors.

2)    The replacement of the Manse Masterdoors on the Sandlings that were not part of the original project scope.

3)    The introduction of additional fire stopping works identified through surveys.

These works will ensure that the doors will now comply with current Fire Protection regulations.

Alternative options considered

The option of doing this work as a separate contract was considered, but rejected as the time taken in the tendering process would leave residents vulnerable for an unacceptable period of time. It has been established that the doors to be replaced do not comply with current standards. The Council, as landlord, must comply with current Fire and Building Regulations.