Agenda item

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST MADE FOR THIS ITEM:

None

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Planning and Deputy Leader:

1.    Pursuant to Council’s Contract Standing Order (CSO) 8.01 (use of Council Dynamic Purchasing System) and CSO 2.01(C) (Cabinet approved awards of contracts valued at £500,000 or more), approved the award of a contract to Tenderer A (for asbestos services including asbestos surveying, bulk sampling and air monitoring for the sum of £1,815,540.00, plus additional costs in relation to project-specific services for surveying, sampling and air monitoring, for a duration of up to four years from the commencement of the contract.

2.    Approved the delegation of expenditure of the additional sums in relation to project-specific work under the contract, identified through surveys, to the Assistant Director of Repairs & Compliance in consultation with the Head of Finance as set out in the exempt part of the report.

3.    Pursuant to Council’s CSO 16.04, approved the issue of a letter of intent to the preferred contractor. This was for an amount up to, but not exceeding, £181,554.00, representing 10% of the surveying contract sum. This enabled mobilisation of the contract to be completed while the contract particulars were finalised.

Reasons for decision

Haringey Council had an obligation to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all regulations that sit beneath it, such as The Control of Asbestos Regulation 2012. Due to these obligations, it was not possible to accommodate a break in the service provision for asbestos surveying and associated services. This was to ensure residents and other building users or visitors remained safe in relation to the existence and risks regarding asbestos.

It was therefore crucial that this contract was awarded to facilitate a seamless changeover between the old and new contracts by the end of December 2025.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing – This was not an option as it would have meant the Council was not able to deliver statutory services in accordance with current Health and Safety legislation.

Carry out the work through in-house resources – The Council was unable to deliver these works in-house due to a lack of suitably trained and certified operatives. There were not enough operatives, and the timescales required to recruit and train them would have resulted in the same outcome as set out above. Haringey Council did not carry out asbestos works in-house due to the insurance premiums associated with such works. Given the resourcing, necessary accreditations, training, consumables and general overheads involved in such a division, this was not seen as a viable option.

Use existing contracts or contractors – Current contracts had expired or reached extension limits. A new contract ensured compliance and up-to-date pricing.

The Assistant Director for Repairs & Compliance introduced the report. The rationale for the report was explained.

It was explained that the proposed contract included surveying services, bulk sampling and air monitoring and project specific services for up to four years. It was noted that there was an increased demand on undertaking surveys.

It was explained that funding for the contract was accounted for within the Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Planning and Deputy Leader:

1.    Pursuant to Council’s Contract Standing Order (CSO) 8.01 (use of Council Dynamic Purchasing System) and CSO 2.01(C) (Cabinet approved awards of contracts valued at £500,000 or more), approved the award of a contract to Tenderer A (for asbestos services including asbestos surveying, bulk sampling and air monitoring for the sum of £1,815,540.00, plus additional costs in relation to project-specific services for surveying, sampling and air monitoring, for a duration of up to four years from the commencement of the contract.

2.    Approved the delegation of expenditure of the additional sums in relation to project-specific work under the contract, identified through surveys, to the Assistant Director of Repairs & Compliance in consultation with the Head of Finance as set out in the exempt part of the report.

3.    Pursuant to Council’s CSO 16.04, approved the issue of a letter of intent to the preferred contractor. This was for an amount up to, but not exceeding, £181,554.00, representing 10% of the surveying contract sum. This enabled mobilisation of the contract to be completed while the contract particulars were finalised.

Reasons for decision

Haringey Council had an obligation to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all regulations that sit beneath it, such as The Control of Asbestos Regulation 2012. Due to these obligations, it was not possible to accommodate a break in the service provision for asbestos surveying and associated services. This was to ensure residents and other building users or visitors remained safe in relation to the existence and risks regarding asbestos.

It was therefore crucial that this contract was awarded to facilitate a seamless changeover between the old and new contracts by the end of December 2025.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing – This was not an option as it would have meant the Council was not able to deliver statutory services in accordance with current Health and Safety legislation.

Carry out the work through in-house resources – The Council was unable to deliver these works in-house due to a lack of suitably trained and certified operatives. There were not enough operatives, and the timescales required to recruit and train them would have resulted in the same outcome as set out above. Haringey Council did not carry out asbestos works in-house due to the insurance premiums associated with such works. Given the resourcing, necessary accreditations, training, consumables and general overheads involved in such a division, this was not seen as a viable option.

Use existing contracts or contractors – Current contracts had expired or reached extension limits. A new contract ensured compliance and up-to-date pricing.