The Corporate Director, Inclusive Economy, Housing & Culture approved the award of a contract for stock condition surveys. This decision is subject to a call-in period.

Contract Award for Stock Condition Surveys

The Corporate Director, Inclusive Economy, Housing & Culture, Paul Kitson, approved the direct award of a contract to Bellrock Advisory LLP for the delivery of Phase 2 of the Council's Stock Condition Survey Programme. This programme will involve up to 6,000 internal and external surveys for rented stock, and up to 2,000 communal and block surveys, along with associated Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) assessments. The total value of the contract is up to £980,000.

This decision is crucial for the Council to comply with building safety obligations under the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Decent Homes Standard. It also supports the Council's Voluntary Undertaking given to the Regulator of Social Housing in April 2026, following a C4 grading issued in October 2024 which identified serious failings in housing management. The surveys will provide essential asset intelligence for future investment planning, including decarbonisation objectives, and contribute to meeting the Housing Improvement Plan milestone of 70% survey completion by October 2026.

Bellrock Advisory LLP was chosen for the direct award due to their successful delivery of Phase 1 of the programme, their demonstrated operational capability, mobilisation readiness, and understanding of Newham's housing stock. While Bellrock is ranked sixth on the South Eastern Consortium (SEC) Consultancy Framework, the procurement assessment concluded they offered the strongest overall value-for-money proposition when considering operational readiness, mobilisation timescales, data compatibility, existing programme knowledge, and delivery risk. Alternative options, such as an open market procurement or a mini-competition, were rejected due to the potential for significant delays, which would impact the Council's ability to meet its commitments under the Voluntary Undertaking.

The programme is funded from the 2025/26 to 2029/30 Investment Stock-Assets budget, which is part of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme. The HRA Capital Programme is funded through contributions from leaseholders, HRA reserves, and HRA borrowing. The decision was made under the Mayoral Scheme of Delegation to Officers, specifically to approve new expenditure and to make procurement decisions in accordance with the Council's Contract Procedure Rules and Standing Orders. The decision is subject to a call-in period, meaning it cannot be implemented until the sixth working day following its publication, allowing members to request a review.