This meeting considered a report that detailed a decision that was scheduled to be made by officers under delegated authority.

Bin Chute & Fire Shutter Door Replacement Programme

This report requested approval for a programme of works to replace bin chutes and fire shutter doors in 63 high rise residential buildings in Newham.

The report, which was prepared for Paul Kitson, the Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy, Housing & Culture¹, was scheduled to be considered by officers on the 2nd January 2025.

The report described how the council's Housing Building Safety Team had undertaken surveys of 88 bin chutes in 82 of the council's high rise residential buildings and identified a need to replace bin chutes and fire doors in 63 blocks. The report explained that the surveys had been undertaken by Hardall International Limited, that they had assessed each bin chute, hopper and chute room and given them a risk rating of either Pass or Fail, and that 63 of the blocks they surveyed had received a Fail risk rating.

The report explained that the works would cost an estimated £740,000 and that £679,000 of this would be funded from borrowing and reserves and £61,000 would be funded by leaseholder contributions. The report explained that leaseholder contributions had been calculated on a per-block basis.

The report recommended that:

the proposed contract for works for the bin chute hopper and fire shutter door replacement programme, estimated at approximately £740,000, be procured by way of restricted tender using Constructionline, the Council’s select list of pre-qualified contractors for construction works procurements.

The report stated that:

Due to the nature of the works and limited organisations within such a niche market, the Council has identified only four organisations that meet the criteria for the delivery of such a project.

It went on to explain that an expression of interest exercise had already been completed and that each of the four organisations had expressed interest in tendering for the works.

The report claimed that the programme of works would help to deliver the council's priority of Homes for our Residents and would help it to achieve its outcome measure of increasing resident satisfaction with the quality of their homes.

The report explained that:

Leaseholder consultation is required under Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended). Observations made by leaseholders in response to consultation must be taken into account in the process leading to any award of contract.