Agenda item

[Report of the Director of Children's Services. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Early  Years, Children and Families]

The project is due to commence in summer 2021 and some of the work will be subject to Central Government funding (Salix). The works primarily involve improvements to the school's building services and flat roofs. The works need to be completed by 30.09.21 to avoid disruption to the school and qualify for payment of the Salix grant.

The Cabinet Member for Early Years, Children and Families introduced the report which sought approval for the award of a contract to Mulalley & Co to carry out Building Services Improvement and External Envelope Phase 1 works at Seven Sisters Primary School.  This was the beginning of an extensive capital programme within Haringey schools and included roof repairs, windows and Health & Safety of all buildings.  The scheme would be part funded by an allocation from the public sector decarbonisation programme, a government initiative sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and administered by Salix.

Clerk’s note:  The Cabinet Member introduced agenda items 15-18 together.  The questions from other Members relate to all four items and are detailed in minutes item 530.

Further to considering exempt information at item 29,

RESOLVED

1.         To approve a contract award to Mulalley and Company Ltd, up to a maximum value of £1,233,949.20.

2.         To approve a client construction contingency of 10% that equates to £112,177.20 which will be strictly managed under change control governance arrangements.

3.         To approve the issuance of a letter of intent for up to 10% of the contract value.

Reasons for decision

A major review of the condition and suitability of the Children’s Services estate has been undertaken, which has informed the Children’s Service’s asset management plan (CSAMP). This identified condition and suitability deficiencies in the primary, secondary, and wider Children’s Service estate that need addressing in the short, medium, and long-term. Seven Sisters Primary School is high priority for major works due to issues relating to health and safety or risk of school closure.

In 2018, an initial brief was given to undertake the most immediate (short term) health and safety, compliance, and resilience work. These findings included fire compartmentation, fire doors and heating resilience works and were subject to a separate award under delegated powers.

In 2019, a further commission was approved, to further investigate and address urgent works relating to the condition of building services (i.e., heating, electrics, and plumbing), external envelope (i.e., roofs, windows) and boundary security.

This condition project will bring a number of benefits to the school and the council, with the primary objective of providing improved educational environments for Children in line with Haringey’s borough plan. Along with improving educational outcomes, this project will significantly reduce the risk of a health and safety incident or school closure through condition failure such as mechanical failure or roof leaks. The project will also help the school reduce its energy demands and thus reduce carbon emissions through technologies and insulation including double glazing. This work also benefits the Council in reducing the reactive maintenance requirements at the school in future by economically fixing the root cause of the condition issues within a single project whilst avoiding additional temporary repairs costs.

The scheme has been granted an allocation of funding £0.633M from the public sector decarbonisation programme, a government initiative sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and administered by Salix (Salix works). The terms of the grant are that the relevant works need to be completed by the 30^th September 2021. If this date is missed, then there is a risk that the grant allocation will need to be repaid.

A works programme for Seven Sisters Primary School has been developed into 2 phases in order to achieve the criteria for external Salix grant funding; minimise disruption to the school by maximising access over the 2021 school summer holiday period; ensure resilience for heating and hot water and support a comprehensive phasing plan. This construction works award report requests a decision on the procurement of a contractor to undertake Phase 1 – Salix (replacement of ground floor windows and improvements to roof and loft insulation) and Building Services Improvement Works. All remaining works considered under Phase 2 will be the result of a further decision in, which is anticipated to be presented for a decision in September 2021. The Phase 2 construction works are currently estimated to cost £2.39m.

Alternative Options Considered

Do nothing – a decision not to support this award for a construction works contract will result in the failure to suitably maintain the Education estate by not undertaking essential condition improvements. This would increase the likelihood of reactive works, which will create greater disruption and cost to the Council and potentially result in the loss of education days. All of which would undoubtedly impact on the quality of teaching and learning.

Delaying tendering of the works until the Phase 2 works have been fully designed so that all works could be tendered in one package would add additional time to the programme. Not being able to award contracts and place orders at the earliest opportunity would severely increase the risk of not achieving the criteria for the completion of the ‘Salix’ works, and not allow us the opportunity to maximise the school summer holiday period, which would be required to successfully complete the building services improvement works in the most economical manner and with the least amount of disruption to the school.