Agenda, decisions and minutes

To agree the Council’s procedure rules for remote meetings.

RESOLVED –

THAT the guidance on remote meetings be agreed.

RESOLVED –

THAT the guidance on remote meetings be agreed.

There were no declarations.

There were no declarations.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Cabinet Member to announce the following: “In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for at least six months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available on upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to being filmed and to the use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes. If you are addressing the Committee your contribution will be recorded and broadcast.”

Any other announcements

Broadcast of the meeting

The Cabinet Member announced that, in addition to the rights by law that the public and press had to record the meeting, the meeting was being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and could be viewed on the website for at

least six months after the meeting.  After that time, webcasts were archived and could be made available on upon request.  Those that had asked to address the meeting were deemed to be consenting to being filmed and to the use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Cabinet Member announced that, in addition to the rights by law that the public and press had to record the meeting, the meeting was being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and could be viewed on the website for at

least six months after the meeting.  After that time, webcasts were archived and could be made available on upon request.  Those that had asked to address the meeting were deemed to be consenting to being filmed and to the use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes.

A deputation was received from Hasan Shah in relation to Item 6 on the agenda.

A deputation was received from Hasan Shah in relation to Item 6 on the agenda.  The cabinet Member then asked questions, and Mr Shah responded.

There was no notification.

There was no notification.

Report of the Director of Property Management

Following on from the Cabinet decision on 13 May 2020 not to enter into contract with Wates Property Services Ltd to carry out the major works, this report sets out the proposed procurement strategy for the major works project at the Chalcots Estate.  The proposed strategy reflects:

1.    The Council’s requirements based on previous work and experience gained,

2.    Insight into the current industry trends, and

3.    A market engagement study, where views and feedback have been sought from contractors, through a number of engagement activities throughout the summer and during October 2020.

The report is coming to the Cabinet Member because the Leader resolved at the Cabinet meeting on 13 May 2020 that the new procurement strategy for the major works at the Chalcots Estate be approved by the Cabinet Member for Better Homes.

RESOLVED –

THAT the procurement strategy for the major works at the Chalcots Estate, as set out at paragraph 2.5.1 of the report, be approved so that the procurement process can commence.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Property Management.

In response to the points raised by the deputation, the Project Director remarked that officers had attended Tenants’ and Residents’ Association meetings and meetings of the Chalcots Working Group, and there had also been 16 webinars over 6 months which had been attended by a total of 170 people.  In relation to the 3 cladding samples on Bray, one had stained and this was one of the samples that would not be used.  On roof repairs, updates were given via a monthly newsletter and in the webinars.  Next week’s newsletter would detail the timetable for roof and wall repairs.

In response to questions from the Cabinet Member, officers made the following comments:-

·         Potential contractors had been engaged in two ways: via an information notice in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU); and via reaching out directly to contractors from 3 frameworks.  12 contractors had been engaged with in total and between 7 and 9 were interested in tendering for the work.

·         Once a contractor was appointed, there would be room for improvement on the completion target, depending on factors such as how the contractor proposed to access the works and whether the contractor already had a supply chain lined up. 

·         With regards to the Blashford works, the intention was to undertake these in tandem with the works on the other blocks, and to use the same governance structures in order to ensure adherence to the timetable.

·         Much of the detailed design work had already been done by Wates, but this needed to be reviewed and validated.

·         The legal advice was to only go to market once all the tender documentation was complete.

·         A programme of engagement through the TRAs would follow shortly and would involves focus groups and a survey to identify what a good contractor looked like.  Resident wellbeing would be key and a resident procurement panel could have an instrumental advisory role throughout the procurement for the project.  A further resident panel would then be involved in the delivery of the project.

·         It would be imperative that the successful contractor had the right attitude and worked to streamline access to residents’ homes, to come up with a programme that made sense for each home and to minimise visits as much as possible.

·         The 60:40 quality:price split was in part about the quality of the work but also about quality of life for residents.

The Cabinet Member expressed the view that it was important to improve upon the indicative completion date given in the report if at all possible.

In response to concerns expressed by Councillor Adams, a ward councillor, officers remarked that the engagement process would go live as soon as possible after the Cabinet Member had made a decision on the report, and on the 19^th November there would be a dedicated resident engagement webinar, and the design team would immediately begin work on the next level of detailed design.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

There was no urgent business.

There was no urgent business.