Councillor Sarah Williams, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning (Deputy Leader), approved a significant contract for borough-wide kitchen and bathroom modernisation works. This decision is a key step in the council's commitment to ensuring all its housing stock meets the Decent Homes Standard by 2028.

Borough-Wide Kitchen and Bathroom Modernisation

Councillor Sarah Williams approved the award of a Measured Term Contract (MTC) to Contractor 'D' for the renewal of kitchens, bathrooms, and associated works in approximately 300 council dwellings across the borough. The contract, valued at a maximum of £4.8 million over two years, with an option to extend for a further year, aims to bring the council's housing stock up to the Decent Homes Standard by 2028. This standard is a regulatory requirement for social housing landlords, intended to improve tenants' health and reduce inequalities.

The decision also included approval for a letter of intent to Contractor 'D' for up to £480,000, representing 10% of the contract sum, and the allocation of £443,302 for professional fees related to design and contract administration. These works are funded from the Major Works Capital Programme budget.

The procurement process involved a tendering exercise via the Adam Procure Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) under the Minor Work Category, with the evaluation criteria weighted at 60% for price, 30% for quality, and 10% for social value. Contractor 'D' achieved the highest overall score of 86.59%.

The modernisation programme is a crucial part of the council's Housing Asset Management Strategy 2023-2028, which aims to ensure all council homes meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2028. This initiative also aligns with the council's commitment to improving housing quality and resident well-being, as outlined in the Borough Plan Outcome 3. The works will address properties identified as needing modernisation due to age, inadequate space, or layout, and will also help reduce the burden on the repairs maintenance and servicing costs.

Alternative options considered included using the London Construction Programme Major Works framework, but the DPS was deemed to offer greater competition and faster access to pre-approved contractors. The option of not undertaking the work was rejected as it would prevent the council from meeting its strategic objectives and could lead to increased repair costs and resident dissatisfaction.

Consultation with residents has been undertaken through newsletters, and dedicated Resident Liaison Officers will be provided by both the contractor and the council throughout the contract duration. The works will be carried out internally, so no conservation area conditions are applicable, and no leaseholder properties are included in this project. The council has a Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010, and the contractor will be required to adhere to this duty, with measures in place to monitor their performance.

The decision to proceed with these modernisation works supports the council's broader objectives, including achieving compliance with Building Safety and Compliance regulatory requirements and contributing to Haringey's ambition to become a Net Zero carbon borough by 2041 through improved energy efficiency. The Housing Asset Management Strategy itself was updated in December 2023 to reflect new regulatory frameworks, including the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023, and to address issues such as damp and mould.