The Officer Key Decision meeting scheduled for Tuesday 7th January 2025 was set to discuss the contract award for capital works at Donald Hunter House. This decision has been delegated to a relevant officer, and details are available in the published documents.

Donald Hunter House Capital Works Contract Award

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the approval of a contract for capital works at Donald Hunter House. This decision is considered an Officer Key Decision due to its estimated value and delegation from the Cabinet. In November 2023, the Cabinet had agreed to a tender exercise for these works, which are necessary to ensure the building meets regulatory requirements, including those set out in the Building Safety Act 2022. The acquisition of Donald Hunter House was approved in January 2022 to provide an alternative to costly nightly paid accommodation, with the transaction completing in January 2023. The building comprises 80 residential units and two commercial units, including Forest Gate Library.

The report indicated that a tender process had been completed, and a successful contractor, Equans Ltd, had been identified. The recommendation was for the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources, to agree to award the contract to Equans Ltd for the sum of £1,487,863. These works are scheduled to commence in March 2025.

The proposed refurbishment works include:

• Roof works
• Window repairs
• Renewal of fire doors and internal fire stopping
• Renewal of floor covering
• Structural repairs to the stairway
• Repairs to mechanical and electrical installations

These works are intended to address compliance deficiencies, improve the overall building, and provide better accommodation for residents and users of the commercial units. However, the report noted that these are not intended as a full refurbishment due to potential future redevelopment plans for the site, which are currently being explored.

The report highlighted that the capital works at Donald Hunter House align with the council's policy to deliver genuinely high-quality and affordable homes for Newham.

Alternative options considered and rejected included Do Nothing, which was not recommended as the works are essential for health and safety standards, and undertaking the works in-house, which was deemed impractical for specialised tasks.

The financial implications indicate that the cost of the works is within the approved funding envelope for the acquisition of Donald Hunter House and will be funded from the existing capital budget. Financial risks, such as cost overruns and project delays, are to be mitigated through the use of an external costing consultancy firm and the vetting of contractors via Constructionline. The report also acknowledged the risk of the project scope expanding due to the Building Safety Act, with additional budget available to accommodate any further required works.

Legally, the council has the power to award such contracts under section 111 of the Local Government Act 1972 and its general power of competence under section 1 of the Localism Act 2011. The contract value is below the threshold stipulated in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, but it must comply with the Council's Contract Standing Orders.

The report also addressed equalities implications, stating that officers will ensure the contractor incorporates relevant equality arrangements during the refurbishment. The decision-making process involved consultation with Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Resources.

It was noted that Officer Key Decisions cannot be implemented until the sixth working day following the date of publication to allow members to consider calling in the decision.