Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Kotsonis – personal

Councillor Radford – other Council business

None.

Last meeting held on 15 October 2024 (for confirmation)

The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2024 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services

Ken France, Head of Fleet and Depot Operations, and Andrew Smith, Assistant Fleet Manager, presented the report and stated the following:

a.  members of the Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire Transport Group Consortium have a statutory duty under section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as they are deemed to be a ‘waste collection authority’, to collect household waste;

b.  the service is delivered internally by the members of the group and the proposal to retain the Single Source Supply Contract model currently in place for the supply of Refuse vehicles will deliver the required levels of Contract Management, After Sales Service and Maintenance Support across the group. This support will enable members of the consortium to deliver the required statutory services.

Resolved to

(1)  authorise undertaking a procurement process for the necessary framework agreement(s);

(2)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services to enter into:

(a)  the initial Refuse Vehicle Supply Framework Agreement;

(b)  any call-off contracts under the terms of the Framework Agreement for Nottingham City Council fleet requirements and maintenance.

Reasons for recommendations

c.  To enable the Nottingham City Council Fleet Services team and the afore mentioned Consortium members to be able to access the Refuse Collection Vehicle market to enable the members ongoing Vehicle Replacement Programme requirements to be delivered as required.

d.  The Fleet Services Team and members of the Consortium wish to retain the Single Source Supply Contract model currently in place for the supply of Refuse vehicles as this is shown to deliver the required levels of Contract Management, After Sales Service and Maintenance Support across the group. This support enables all members of the consortium can deliver the required statutory services.

e.  A common base specification is created which ensures collective learning from across the consortium is shared to deliver better outcomes.

f.  Ensure all vehicle purchases are going through a compliant procurement mechanism with a specification created with the consortium in mind.

g.  Using a Contracted supplier enables prices to be fixed for 12-month periods within the proposed contract lifespan of 4 years which helps with the budgeting process when creating future replacement plans. A three month-notice period is mandated for the evidenced based price increases to be proposed within the contract period.

h.  Under the terms of the Contract, there is no commitment to spend or to place a minimum number of orders.

i.  The vehicle types within the Tender specification will include both Diesel and Alternative fuel chassis. The Tender will include the option to purchase Food Waste Collection and Kerbside recycling bodied vehicles as well as the standard and any specialist Refuse Collection vehicles in any body configuration as required by the contracting authorities within the Consortium.

Other options considered

j.  Extend the current contract – this option is not available as it would not comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

k.  Undertake ad-hoc tenders at the point of demand – this option was rejected to avoid any duplication of work across the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

Report of Corporate Director for Growth and City Development

Councillor Hayes, Executive Member for Housing and Planning, introduced the report.

Anthony Dixon, Head of Supported Housing, presented the report and stated the following:

a.  the report requests agreement for the re-procurement of dispersed care alarm equipment and associated peripherals for a term of 2+1+1 years, with an anticipated total contract value of £1.4m;

b.  the equipment is installed by Nottingham on Call in the homes of vulnerable citizens and in independent living accommodation and enables these citizens to continue to live independently, reducing the need for more intensive provision and adult social care spend.

Resolved to

(1)  approve commencement of procurement activities to tender a contract for the supply of dispersed care alarm equipment, for a period of 2+1+1 years at an estimated contractual value of up to £1.4m;

(2)  delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Housing to award and sign the contract.

Reasons for recommendations

c.  The current contract for provision of dispersed care alarm equipment expires January 2025. A new contract is required to enable Nottingham on Call to continue to purchase this equipment.

d.  A compliant tender process is considered the best mechanism for securing a supplier of dispersed alarm equipment given the anticipated value and duration of award. This will be undertaken with Compliant Purchasing support.

e.  It is recommended that the Strategic Director of Housing be given delegated authority to award to expedite the inception of the new contract.

Other options considered

f.  Using a third-party framework contract. This was considered but there is not a framework which specialises in dispersed alarm equipment, or which has a sufficient choice of providers. Undertaking our own procurement process enables the Council to tailor the specification to our own requirements.

g.  Partnering with another authority. There is not an obvious choice of local authority to partner with for a joint procurement. Nottinghamshire County Council would have been an option, but they are tendering for a fully managed service as opposed to a supplier of equipment.

h.  Varying the contract length. The award of a 2+1+1 contract strikes a balance between fixing the price of the equipment provided for reasonable timeframe aiding business planning and providing the opportunity to take a different course of action following contract review. In particular, two extension periods allow for consideration of technological advancement and whether more effective technological solution have been developed and made available.

Report of Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services

Councillor Jenkins, Executive Member for Communities, Waste and Equalities, introduced the report.

Beth Hanna, Migration Operations Manager, presented the report and stated the following:

a.  Nottingham City has been an Asylum Dispersal Area since 2002, although were not allocated any government funding for this until 2021-2022 (received retrospectively in 2022).

b.  The asylum dispersal process provides accommodation and support via a Home Office-contracted provider (currently SERCO, previously G4S) while individual asylum claims are assessed.

c.  In 2022, participation in asylum dispersal became mandatory for all Local Authorities areas in England, Scotland and Wales to allow for movement from hotels to less expensive and more suitable dispersed accommodation.

d.  The following grants (totalling £1,458,000) have been received by the Council and require retrospective approval to accept (the government allocate this funding retrospectively):

Grant 4 - £171,500

Grant 5 - £12,000

Grant 6 - £1,099,500

Grant 7 - £175,000

e.  The funding received so far has been used to support existing and current services for people seeking asylum, and the allocation of this resource is key to service delivery within the Council and Voluntary Community Sector as the funding will support and help alleviate additional pressures placed on these services, which currently already have a high demand and limited capacity.

f.  The funding will be used to support the delivery of vital services to this vulnerable cohort and adequately help resource services who have been delivering and developing quality provision previously without this additional funding.

Resolved to

(1)  authorise acceptance and drawdown of relevant grant monies (in part retrospectively) from the Government Asylum Dispersal Fund between 2023-2028 (5 years);

(2)  grant delegated authority to the Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services to:

(a)  approve the outcome of any funding agreements and Voluntary Community Sector grant programmes set up to meet the needs of people seeking asylum, in line with Council processes;

(b)  spend on other required services within the Council and externally with the voluntary and Community sector and other services, subject to compliance with Home Office Funding Instructions and Nottingham City Council’s constitutional requirements;

(c)  extend staff contracts as required, subject to available funding at the time, associated with this project to deliver, manage and develop the service and improve governance, contractual and compliance arrangements, responding to need and changing trends.

Reasons for recommendations

g.  The Secretary of State for the Home Office has agreed to provide the Council a grant as a contribution to supporting Asylum Seeker Dispersal. This funding is ringfenced but can be used by Local Authorities on how best they see fit to support Asylum Seekers and ease specific local pressures on already overstretched services. Payment will, however, be subject to the conditions of the grant agreement.

h.  It should be noted that Central Government funding instructions are frequently changing in parameters and time scales and are often issued after implementation has begun.

i.  The Asylum Dispersal Fund contributes along with other Government funding (such as Refugee Resettlement and Homes for Ukraine Scheme) to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

Report of Corporate Director for Growth and City Development

Kim Smith, Leasehold Manager, presented the report and stated the following:

a.  Nottingham City Council (NCC) Housing Services need to procure a new contract for  Building Insurance as the current contract is due to expire on 31 March 2025.

b.  NCC are, under the terms of a lease agreement, responsible for arranging Building Insurance cover for Residential Leasehold flats citywide as Residential Lease Agreements contain an explicit clause that make it mandatory for the council to provide Building Insurance.

c.  The Leaseholder agrees to pay a contribution to the landlord costs under the terms of the lease for providing Building Insurance, and the council pay the premium in advance and recharge Leaseholders within their annual Service Charge Accounts.

Resolved to

(1)  approve tendering for Leasehold Building Insurance for residential leasehold flats held on a long lease, on a 3+1+1-year contract at a total cost of up to £1.5m;

(2)  delegate authority to the Insurance and Risk Manager to place insurance cover with the insurer that provides best value on conclusion of the tender process.

Reasons for recommendations

d.  There is a legal requirement to tender for the leasehold building insurance policy.  It is the intention of the Leasehold Manager, Kim Smith, and Insurance Risk Manager, Jackie Handley, to enter a contract for Leasehold Building Insurance for a period of 5 years on a 3+1+1 contract.

e.  NCC Housing Services Leasehold and Insurance Risk Department need to procure for a new contract for a Building Insurance as the current contract is due to expire on 31 March 2025. NCC are, under the terms of a lease agreement, responsible for arranging Building Insurance cover for Residential Leasehold flats citywide. NCC Residential Lease Agreements contain an explicit clause that make it mandatory for NCC to provide Building Insurance.

f.  The Leaseholder agrees to pay a contribution to the landlord costs under the terms of the lease for providing Building Insurance.

g.  NCC pay the premium in advance and recharge Leaseholders within their annual Service Charge Accounts.

h.  A full procurement exercise is required to ensure NCC are legally compliant, to evidence that best value has been achieved for leaseholders and to ensure we are able to recover the insurance premium from Leaseholders as per the lease agreement.

i.  NCC are required to satisfy the Leasehold Section 20 Consultation Requirements in accordance with Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and The Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations 2003.

j.  Due to the value of the overall contract public advertisement is required and a 60 day consultation period with its leaseholders. We therefore need to commence the procurement exercise in November to ensure there is sufficient time for consultation, the tender and placing of the insurance policy.

k.  To estimate the total contract value, an assumed inflation rate of 5% has been applied to the sums insured in 2024-2025, This was £115,105,160.35.

l.  It is also assumed that we are honoured the same rates for the duration of the contract, and it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

Report of Corporate Director of Growth and City Development

Councillor Hayes, Executive Member for Housing and Planning, introduced the report.

Alison Brown, Director of Property (Housing), presented the report and stated the following;

a.  The report seeks approval to implement a revised handheld power tools supply maintenance and management solution for Housing property services. The solution will be provided by an external supplier and managed through internal resources. The scope of the proposal is based on feedback from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), current regulatory requirements, and an analysis of existing arrangements. The aim of a revised approach is to enhance operational efficiency, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and deliver best value for money.

b.  Nottingham City Council (NCC) housing property services currently faces challenges with its hand-held power tool provision, maintenance and management system, which include inefficiencies, high costs, and compliance risks. We were working with non-standardised tools, which were provided directly by the workforce, leading to inconsistencies in approach to quality of handheld power tools purchased, frequency of maintenance and safety concerns, particularly regarding Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome and dust suppression. Our existing approach is not fit for purpose and an interim solution was put in place following a visit from the health and safety executive is not sustainable long term.

c.  Included within our revised approach is a proposal to enter into a contract with external tools supplier specialists for the provision, maintenance and management of handheld power tools. This would provide a range of benefits including access to improve technical capacity and expertise available to the Housing property service and wider NCC colleagues on tools areas including to mitigate expose to vibration and dust.

d.  The proposed specification within the contract will demonstrate that NCC as an employer has robust controls in place that meet responsibilities under the health and Safety at Work act 1974. Specifically, the control of vibration at work regulations 2005 and the control of substances hazardous to health regulations 2001 control of dust. Addressing this issue is a key part of the action plan created in response to the HSE Notice of Contravention dated 27 February 2024. The HSE described the contraventions as material. Having appropriate and robust controls in place will protect our workforce and residents from exposure to dust and vibration and reduce the likelihood of financial claims being made against us for failing against our obligations under Health and Safety regulations.

e.  Implementing a standardised, digitally enhanced handheld power tools solution will significantly enhance NCC’s operational efficiency, safety compliance, and cost-effectiveness. The investment in this solution aligns with NCC’s strategic objectives of improving service delivery and ensuring the well-being of its workforce.

f.  To fully support the implementation of the proposed changes in a timely manner, we will use additional funding of approximately £529,000 over the proposed contract term from HRA reserves.

g.  Implementing a new approach to the provision, maintenance and management of power tools will generate non-cashable efficiency savings of an estimated £638,000 in year 1 of full implementation.

Resolved to

(1)  approve  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

Report of Corporate Director for Growth and City Development

Councillor Hayes, Executive Member for Housing and Planning, introduced the report.

Tony Sowter, Technical Innovation Manager, presented the report and stated the following;

a.  The existing works scheduler NEC console, used to allocate jobs for customers and assign trade colleagues to jobs, is not fit for purpose and needs replacing as soon as possible with an alternative works order management solution.

b.  The NEC scheduler (console) was implemented in October 2023 as part of a wider NEC enterprise project initiated by Nottingham City Homes. The objective being to reduce the number of IT systems used to manage and deliver the Housing property service.

c.  All of the intended property services work streams have not yet been migrated to NEC scheduler due to ongoing system and user issues that have emerged since go live, meaning we are still operating the Property service across multiple IT platforms. This continues to create issues for our customer service centre, other housing staff and customers, particularly on visibility of data, clear audit trails on what actions are being taken by who and when, and difficulties with agility of resources.

d.  The NEC works scheduler is underdeveloped, not fully dynamic, its configurability does not support our operating delivery model and, at times, is unstable, resulting in having to use paper-based run sheet schedules as a business continuity fall back.

e.  The NEC scheduler lacks automation, and we are using additional staffing resource to plan customer appointments, schedule trade colleagues to jobs and move works through different stages of the repairs journey process. We are unable to retrieve reliable and accurate performance data and works orders do not consistently close down after works are completed, meaning we are not confidently able to articulate what the repairs service actual performance is like.

f.  Due to system issues, we are trying to manage the performance of a service based on 25,000 properties, and an annual works order volume of 170,000 across all workstreams, on an excel spreadsheet which is both inefficient and ineffective. The majority of these issues were not evident in the project testing phase due to us not at the time operating on the latest version of NEC to test on. We were four versions behind due to our historical approach to implementing upgrades. NEC as a company despite lots of words of assurance have not provided us as a key housing client with the speed and level of support required to address the issues identified resulting in a loss of confidence in the partnership.

g.  This combination of factors is having a significantly negative impact on the Property service we are delivering including the levels of customer perception which has dipped since we went live with the NEC scheduler. The wellbeing of the team is being affected with increased refence being made to our internal IT systems as a reason for absence due to work related stress. Our existing arrangement is not sustainable, and we need to do something at speed to enable the wider transformation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.