The Officer Key Decision meeting scheduled for Monday 20 July 2026 was set to discuss essential fire safety remedial works at Queensland House. The report pack detailed the need for compartmentation surveys and immediate remedial actions to address urgent safety concerns.

Queensland House Compartmentation Surveys and Remedial Works

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the proposed award of a contract for compartmentation surveys and remedial works at Queensland House. This was deemed a key decision with an estimated total value over £500,000. The report indicated an urgent requirement to respond to notices from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and mitigate immediate life safety risks.

The report recommended the direct award of a contract to Greyline Group Ltd. for these works, valued at £830,320. This would involve conducting asbestos R&D surveys, compartmentation surveys, and undertaking any emergency remedial works identified. The approach was considered necessary and proportionate due to statutory obligations under the Building Safety Act 2022.

The report highlighted that the contract award was for retrospective approval due to the urgent need to commence surveys and emergency works. This was to avoid unacceptable risks to residents and regulatory non-compliance. The proposed works were intended to support the Council's commitment to providing safe social housing and align with Priority 5, 'Homes for Our Residents', aiming to increase resident satisfaction with the quality of their homes.

Alternative options, such as doing nothing, undertaking the works in-house, or addressing emergency works in a separate package, were considered and rejected due to the urgency and the need to meet deadlines imposed by the BSR.

Residents at Queensland House had been informally consulted, but formal leaseholder consultation under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 was not conducted due to the urgency. The Council intended to seek legal advice regarding dispensation under Section 20ZA of the same Act for the recovery of leaseholder charges.

The financial implications indicated that the total contract costs were included within the 2025/26 to 2029/30 Investment Stock-Assets budget, part of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme Budget. The report noted that the proposed borrowing, while within existing budgets, would add an estimated £86,000 per annum to the Council's HRA future revenue budget.

The report also detailed legal implications, stating that the proposed contract award supports the Council's discharge of its duties as landlord and Principal Accountable Person under the Building Safety Act 2022. The use of the Procure Public Ltd. Framework was deemed compliant with the Council's Contract Procedure Rules and the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

The report stated there were no equality and diversity implications arising from the proposals. Procurement implications included the need to complete a Contract Finder Notice for the award of the contract in line with the Public Procurement Regulations 2015.

The decision maker for this Officer Key Decision was Paul Kitson, Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy & Housing. The decision was scheduled to be implemented after the sixth working day following its publication, allowing members to call it in if necessary.

The report pack, titled Public reports pack 20th-Jul-2026 Officer Key Decision, and the Agenda frontsheet 20th-Jul-2026 Officer Key Decision were made available to attendees.