Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: For Determination

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: December 3, 2024

Purpose: Following a programme of fire risk assessments and fire door inspections, a programme of works has been identified to ensure residents’ safety within the Council’s housing-managed blocks.  The report will seek approval to undertake a procurement exercise to undertake the works.

Content: Decision   For the reasons set out in the report and its appendices Cabinet RESOLVED to Agree to:   i)  Note that the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) remedial works to the Council’s HRA residential stock as described in this report at 3.5-3.6 below be undertaken by way of a programme of works;   ii)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy, Housing & Culture in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing Landlord and Tenant Experience Improvements: ·  To commence and approve the procurement process for up to five contracts for the programme of FRA remedial works to the Council’s HRA residential stock up to a total cost envelope of £20m; ·  to award the contracts subject to their combined value not exceeding the budgetary envelope of £20m.   Furthermore, the Mayor and Cabinet noted:   iii)  That the Mayor has commissioned a lessons learnt exercise concerning the C4 judgement issued to Newham Council by the Regulator of Social Housing. A formal report will be presented to Cabinet in due course, and it will include a section on why it took the Council 4 years to implement the recommendations of the Fire Risk Assessment.     Alternatives Considered   a)  Do nothing - this is not an option for the Council; as a landlord and owner, the Council has a duty to ensure its buildings meet regulatory building and fire safety requirements. b)  Provision of works in-house – the size of the project means the Council does not have the appropriate resources required to undertake the project in-house. c)  Open-market procurement process – while this option has been considered, several of the suppliers in the market capable of undertaking the works have registered on more appropriately dedicated procurement platforms - and therefore this process would attract additional costs and time with no added benefits.