An Officer Key Decision meeting was scheduled to consider the award of a contract for capital works at Donald Hunter House. This decision was delegated to the Corporate Director of Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources.

Donald Hunter House Capital Works Contract Award

The meeting was scheduled to consider the approval of a contract award for capital works at Donald Hunter House, located in Forest Gate. In November 2023, Cabinet had approved a tender exercise for these works, with an estimated cost of £1.4 million. The scheme involves 80 residential units and two commercial units, including Forest Gate Library. The report indicated that a tender process had been completed, and a contractor, Equans Ltd, had been identified.

The report recommended that the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, agree to award the contract to Equans Ltd for the sum of £1,487,863. These works were scheduled to commence in March 2025. The capital works were intended to address deficiencies in compliance with regulations, such as those stemming from the Building Safety Act 2022, and to improve the building's overall condition and the quality of accommodation for residents and users of the commercial units. The report noted that these works were not a full refurbishment due to potential future redevelopment plans for the site.

The report outlined that the tendering process involved a mini-competition using Constructionline, with five bidders invited and two tenders received. The evaluation criteria were weighted at 70% for price and 30% for quality, aiming for the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). An external costing consultancy firm was engaged to analyse the bids and confirm that the selected contractor offered good value for money. The proposed contract would be based on the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) Intermediate Form of Contract 2011, with Newham amendments.

The capital works scheduled to be carried out include roof works, window repairs, renewal of fire doors and internal fire stopping, renewal of floor coverings, structural repairs to the stairway, and repairs to mechanical and electrical installations. These works were aligned with Pillar 7 of the council's priorities, which focuses on delivering high-quality and affordable homes.

The report also detailed that the cost of the contract would be funded from the existing approved capital budget for Donald Hunter House. Financial risks, such as cost overruns and project delays, were identified, with mitigation measures including the use of an external costing consultancy and vetting contractors through Constructionline. The report mentioned that additional budget is available within the Donald Hunter House capital budget to accommodate any further required works arising from the Building Safety Act.

The decision-making power for this matter was delegated to Conrad Hall, Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources. The report stated that the Council has the power to award such contracts under section 111 of the Local Government Act 1972 and the general power of competence in section 1 of the Localism Act 2011. The contract value was below the threshold stipulated in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, meaning it was not subject to the full regulations but had to comply with the Council's Contract Standing Orders.