Councillor Lucia das Neves, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Wellbeing, met on Thursday 6th June 2024 to approve a contract for refurbishment works at Canning Crescent. The meeting also approved an increase to the project budget and the issuance of a letter of intent to the chosen contractor.

Canning Crescent Refurbishment

Councillor Lucia das Neves approved the award of a contract to Kind Diamond Consortium (KDC) for refurbishment works at Canning Crescent, located at 176 High Road, Wood Green, N22 8JT. The decision also included the approval of a client contingency and the issuance of a letter of intent to KDC.

The project aims to create a new Adult Mental Health facility, including respite units, a recovery college, and a cafe, for use by the Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey (BEH) Mental Health NHS Trust. This facility is intended to support Haringey residents living with mental health conditions that affect daily life. The completed works will also enable the relocation of the Clarendon Road Recovery College to Canning Crescent, freeing up the Clarendon Road site for adaptation into homelessness accommodation.

The decision to award the contract to KDC followed significant delays and issues with previous contractors. The original contractor, Cosmur Construction (London) Ltd, withdrew from the site due to delays and entered a Compulsory Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) in May 2023. Subsequently, a contract was to be awarded to Diamond Build Plc, but they entered voluntary liquidation in January 2024.

Following these setbacks, an options appraisal led to a preference for a direct award to KDC from the LCP Major Works Framework. Councillor das Neves sought clarification on the increased project budget, which rose from £4,259,000 to £5,918,805. It was explained that the cost from KDC was higher than the initial tender return, but this accounted for inflation and was still considered to be less than the RICS rate. An independent quantity surveyor confirmed that the tender submission represented value for money. Financial checks on KDC indicated they were financially stable and had been part of the Council's Major Works framework since 2019.

The projected completion date for the remaining works is December 2024, with a slight delay from the originally expected opening of late 2024 to January 2025. The refurbishment includes architectural installations, mechanical and electrical works, landscaping, and external building envelope improvements. The project is expected to contribute to the Council's Corporate Delivery Plan by supporting adults to live healthy and fulfilling lives and links to the Joint Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework. Additionally, the project will support the borough's carbon reduction ambitions through the installation of energy-efficient measures.

The decision was made under contract standing orders relating to urgent decisions allocated to a Cabinet Member and the award of contracts valued at £500,000 or more. The report detailing the decision can be found in the Public reports pack.