Purpose

The Washingborough Property Flood Resilience Pilot Project is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes which is managed by the Environment Agency. The programmes will drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and adaptation to a changing climate.

Project Groundwater Greater Lincolnshire (PGGL) intends to fund a community pilot PFR grant initiative. The survey phase of the project is currently underway and was approved in a previous decision report. This decision report relates specifically to the installation phase

Through the application process, approximately 21 properties have been identified and assessed as eligible to participate in the project. These properties are currently undergoing surveys and may be entitled to a grant of up to £13,900 (exclusive of VAT) per property, towards the installation of PFR measures.

The Council has undertaken a procurement process through the Environment Agency Flood Resilience Framework 2024, which provides a nationally consistent and compliant approach to managing flood risk. Under this framework, we will be calling off works from Lot 2: Detailed Design and Construction. Lot 2 is structured into six regions, each with a designated primary and reserve partner. For our requirements, we will be calling off under the Midlands region, where the primary partner, Whitehouse Limited, will deliver the contract.

Under the terms of the framework, unless specific criteria are met, contracts must be awarded to the designated primary partner. This requirement provides assurance that the appointed supplier has already undergone a rigorous, competitive selection process to secure their position on the framework. This process evaluated technical capability, quality standards, and commercial competitiveness.

Awarding the contract to Whitehouse Limited brings significant commercial benefits. Their concept demonstrates a strong commitment to efficiency by maximising economies of scale, undertaking multiple installations within a single working day wherever possible. This approach reduces mobilisation costs, optimises resource allocation, and ensures best value for public funds. Costs will be closely monitored through monthly progress meetings, providing transparency and robust financial control throughout the contract.

Whitehouse Limited already have a proven track record with the Council, successfully installing Property Flood Resilience (PFR) measures under the Defra PFR Repair Grant Schemes for Storm Babet and Storm Henk. Their work has consistently met high standards, aligning with the National PFR Code of Practice, the EA National PFR Framework, and the Council’s specific requirements. This established relationship brings added commercial benefits: reduced onboarding time, seamless communication, and confidence in timely, high-quality delivery.

The maximum contract value for this call-off is £291,900 and will be funded by the DEFRA grant. It will be under an NEC4 Engineering and Construction Short Contract.

Decision

To award a 7-month contract to Whitehouse Limited for the provision of PFR installations for approximately 21 properties in Washingborough, Lincolnshire as part of the Washingborough Property Flood Resilience (PFR) Pilot Project.

Alternative options considered

• Do Nothing- This not considered a viable option. The funding is allocated to individual properties as part of PGGL’s objective to explore alternative approaches for delivering and sustaining PFR schemes, with a particular focus on improving resilience to all sources of flooding, especially groundwater flooding. A PFR Pilot Project in Washingborough has already been announced locally and communicated to all eligible residents by the Council. Failure to install PFR measures at the identified properties could result in the government withdrawing access to funding. As flood mitigation is a high priority for the Council, losing central government funding would demonstrate that we are not fully utilising available financial resources to strengthen Lincolnshire’s flood resilience.
• Conduct an RFQ– This is not considered a viable option as a suitable framework is already available. Running an RFQ would require additional time and resources, which, given the recent flooding in the county, could leave homeowners vulnerable to further impacts.