The Officer Executive Decisions meeting scheduled for Monday 20 April 2026 was set to consider proposals for external fire safety remedial works. The primary focus was on the appointment of specialist consultants to undertake surveys and associated works, and to prepare for the subsequent remediation phases.

External Fire Safety Remedial Works Specialist Consultants

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the appointment of specialist consultants to address external fire safety issues in Hackney's high- and mid-rise buildings. This initiative is a crucial step in ensuring compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022¹. The report pack indicated that the proposed contracts would enable Hackney to begin the necessary remediation works, which would define the scale of building works required and establish arrangements for certificated compliance.

The report pack recommended the award of two contracts:

• Frankham Risk Management Services Limited: A four-year contract valued at £7.8 million (excluding VAT) for specialist consultancy services, to be awarded via direct award through the Pretium Hyde Building & Fire Safety Framework, Lot 9D .
• Airey Miller Limited: A four-year contract also valued at £7.8 million (excluding VAT) for similar specialist consultancy services, to be awarded via direct award through the Pretium Hyde Building & Fire Safety Framework, Lot 6 .

These awards are intended to be funded entirely by Homes England², an agency of the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government, through the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS)³. This funding mechanism is a key driver for the procurement route, as the CSS mandates the use of pre-approved consultants. The report pack highlighted that failure to secure CSS approval could result in Hackney Council bearing the full cost of remediation works.

The report pack detailed that the scope of these contracts would cover the external envelope of the estate, including external walls, voids, and fenestration. The consultants would be responsible for preparing specifications and supporting the procurement and award of contracts for the remediation works, which will be the subject of a separate decision.

The report pack also outlined the reasons for the recommended direct award route, citing the urgency to meet grant deadlines and the mandatory requirement for CSS-approved consultants. Alternative options, such as in-house provision or undertaking an open tendering exercise, were considered and rejected due to a lack of specialist expertise within the council and the time constraints imposed by the grant funding deadlines. The report pack also stressed that not undertaking these works would leave the council in a non-legal state under various housing legislation.

The report pack indicated that the Building Safety Act 2022, which came into full force with significant reforms throughout 2024, establishes a stringent regulatory regime for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs)⁴. This legislation, alongside the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, mandates thorough external wall fire risk assessments and subsequent remedial works where deficiencies are identified.

The proposed contract awards were stated to align with Hackney Council's strategic priorities, including the Hackney Sustainable Community Strategy 2018-2028, the Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2018-2022, and the Housing Asset Management Strategy 2019-2027. The report pack also noted that leaseholders would not face financial impact from the primary remediation works, as these are fully funded by the Cladding Safety Scheme.