Agenda item

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

This report seeks approval for the award of a contract for the installation of Automatic Fire Detection (AFD) and associated works to converted scattered Victorian and Edwardian street dwellings.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal introduced this report which sought approval for the award of a contract for the installation of Automatic Fire Detection (AFD) and associated works to converted scattered Victorian and Edwardian street dwellings.

The Cabinet Member noted that the Street Property Victorian Houses that were converted into flats in the late 1960s and 1970s, would not meet current Building Regulation Standards or conform to The Regulatory (Fire Safety) Order. Guidance recommended that where full compartmentation cannot be assured these types of properties would be best served by the installation of an Automatic Fire Detection system. This system with the appropriate upgrade of the fire doors and means of escape route would allow early simultaneously evacuation of the building in case a fire breaks out in any flat.

The Cabinet Member closed by drawing Cabinet’s attention to the recommendations, including noting the full cost of the works. It was noted that the leaseholders would be charged for the works carried out.

In response to questions from Councillor das Neves and Barnes, the following information was provided:

• The Cabinet Member noted all wards in the borough were affected by the scattered Edwardian and Victorian dwellings.

• Regarding reference to the report stating Councillors had been consulted, Officers informed that they would check what involvement the Councillors had had in the process. The Cabinet Member added that the key decision had been listed on the Forward Plan for a significant period of time.

• Regarding the decision as to why the affected leaseholders in this report would be charged for the work carried out whilst those affected leaseholders at item 19 – ‘1-35 Headcorn Road and 51-92 Tenterden Road – Fire Safety Works’ were not being charged for those works carried out, was because the latter was to do with the structure of the whole building, which the Council had a responsibility to ensure was maintained. Where leaseholders had exercised their right to buy and purchased their Victorian or Edwardian property, there would have been an assessment carried out which would have made those leaseholders aware that they could be charged in the future for such works.

• Officers noted that at Headcorn and Tenterden, works had been carried out in the past where leaseholders had financially contributed towards those works. It was arguable that those works should have included work either to improve the compartmentation or fit the fire detection. It was also arguable that those works could have contributed to the problem.

Further to considering exempt information at item 28,

RESOLVED

1. Pursuant to the Council’s Contract Standing Order (CSO) 9.07.1 (d), to approve the award of contract to the successful tenderer (named in the exempt part of the report) for the installation of Automatic Fire Detection (AFD) and associated works, in the sum of £7,876,259.98.

2. To approve the issuing of a letter of intent for an amount of up to, but not exceeding, £787,625.99. This represents 10% of the contract sum.

3. To approve the total professional fees of £594,658, which represents 7.55% of the contract sum.

4. To note the total project cost of £8,470,918.

Reasons for decision

Homes for Haringey requires Cabinet approval to award the contract for installation of Automatic Fire Detection (AFD) and associated works to scattered Victorian and Edwardian street dwellings. This will enable the essential fire safety works to commence. This is following a tender process in conjunction with Haringey Council’s Procurement team via the London Construction Programme (LCP) framework and processes.

The tender process was carried out in accordance with the framework requirements that incorporate price and quality. The successful bidder scored highest in relation to these criteria.

Alternative options considered

For Homes for Haringey to either use third party industry frameworks or an OJEU compliant tender process to deliver the works. Homes for Haringey sought support and advice from Haringey’s Strategic Procurement team and determined the LCP (London Construction Programme) Major Works framework as being the optimum route to the market. This was due to the LCP framework being leasehold compliant, the speed of access to quality-checked contractors and companies that focus their resources in the local area.

The option of using Haringey Repairs Service (HRS) was considered. However this was discounted because of the urgency in delivering the scheme, the specialist nature of the works and they are currently delivering significant internal works programmes and as such could negatively impact on delivery in respect of the urgency of these works.

The option of not undertaking this work would leave Haringey Council open to legal challenge because the properties need to be improved to comply with current fire regulations.