Agenda item

The Major Projects Delivery Manager introduced the report. The rationale for the report was outlined.

Officers outlined the reasoning for the proposed budget uplift of £498,689. It was additionally noted that work was expected, following approval of the uplift, to be completed by end-July 2025.

Officers noted that they were disappointed that the uplift was required, as it was expected that the project would have been completed in February 2025.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, and Deputy Leader of the Council:

1.    Approved an increase of funding for the project of £498,689 from £5,918,805 to £6,417,494.

2.    Approved a variation of the construction works contract to Kind Diamond Consortium (KDC) up to £461,640, varying the contract value from £1,904,529 to £2,366,169, pursuant to contract standing orders 18.03.3, 2.01(d), and 0.08.

3.    Approved a client contingency of £44,485.

Reasons for Decision

As approved by the Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care, and Wellbeing via a Cabinet Member signing on the 6th of June 2024, the Council had entered a JCT Standard Building Contract without Quantities 2016 (SBC/XQ 2016) with Kind Diamond Consortium to complete works at Canning Crescent with a start date of 4th July 2024 and completion on 15th January 2025.

An extension of time had been granted on the 29th of January 2025, reflecting additional fire compartmentalisation works that were required during the initial stages of the work, with a revised completion date of 21st February 2025. Following failure to hand over the building by this date, a non-completion certificate had been issued on the 25th of February 2025.

The handover that had been expected to be achieved on the 21st of February 2025 was not possible due to several items, notably:

·         Upon commissioning of the Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), completed on the 14th of February 2025, it had been found that the flow rate of the pumps serving the hot water and heating was below the designed parameters of the system, which in cold weather could have led to the heating temperatures not reaching required levels. This had been identified as a design fault, and three new pumps had been ordered, which were due to be replaced in May 2025.

·         Issues had also been identified with the fire dampers across the scheme (fitted by a previous contractor), which provided the integrity of the fire compartments where pipes entered floors and walls in protected corridors. This had only been established by the design team on Monday, 25th February 2025. Due to the requirement to maintain warranties, there was now a requirement to replace all dampers across the building.

The Client had also requested additional works to the building, including providing hand driers and hot and cold ZIP taps, which had not formed part of the contract but were included within the scope of works forming this approval.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing – The refurbishment works at Canning Crescent remained incomplete. A decision not to support this award of construction contract would have resulted in the Council’s failure to meet the original project objective which was to create a new Adult Mental Health facility with respite units, recovery college and cafe for use by Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey (BEH) Mental Health NHS Trust.

Consideration had been made in respect of ending the contract with KDC and appointing an alternative contractor although this would have impacted on warranties and created issues with on-going liability integral in the JCT contract entered into.

In-house – There was currently no resource within the Council that had the capacity, specialist expertise or qualifications to deliver this service.