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For the Head of Programme Management to waive
CSO 8.03 in accordance with CSO 10.01.1 (b) and 10.01.2 (d) (ii) to
award a contract to Orbis Protect for the value of £35,000 to
provide and install ‘Sitex’ security doors and screens
to certain void properties within the Love Lane Estate and
surrounding area.

Reasons for the decision

Orbis Protect provides the ‘Sitex’
security product which is a widely used solution to restrict
unwanted access to void properties, which includes metal screens
fixed over windows and doors.

A number of properties on the Love Lane Estate have been identified
as currently being squatted. Some void properties on the estate and
nearby have been broken into and had their copper piping
stolen.

Squatted properties usually bring with them issues such as
anti-social behaviour which can be intimidating for residents of
surrounding properties, making them feel unsafe and insecure. In
addition to this, the costs and time taken in evicting squatters
can be very high, causing a drain on the delivery of other
essential services.

It is likely that Sitex security would prevent this from happening
and can be used to secure these properties and any further voids
from having issues going forward. It is important to get Sitex
installed to stop the above issues occurring.

Alternative options considered

The Council could choose not to waive CSO
8.03, and instead seek quotations from three suppliers for the
contract. However, there is an urgency to secure the Sitex security
as soon as possible, due to risk of squatting of the void
properties and the significant costs that would be incurred as a
result.

The proposal outlined in this paper is seeks to provide a
short-to-medium term solution for the most urgent cases. In the
longer term this issue will need to be resolved through procuring a
longer-term contract, working alongside the Council’s Voids
team.

While there would normally be a contract in place between the
Council’s Voids team and the Sitex security provider, this is
not currently in place to be made available for properties on the
Love Lane Estate and surrounding areas, and as such this provision
can only be secured by a new contract.