Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Cheryl Barnard as Vice-Chair of  this Committee for this municipal year (May 2021 to April 2022)

Councillor Sally Longford – on leave

Councillor Cheryl Barnard – personal reasons

Councillor Adele Williams declared an Other Registerable Interest in agenda item 6 because she is a member of Thomas Bow City Asphalt’s Board of Directors. She left the meeting prior to discussion and voting on this item.

Minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2021, for confirmation

The Committee/ Board confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2021 as a correct record.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Heritage

Councillor Linda Woodings introduced the report detailing the recommissioning of supported accommodation for teenage parents, providing a valuable service that provides support for pregnant teenagers and teenage parents who are unable to secure safe, suitable, permanent accommodation.

Resolved to

(1)  approve the expenditure associated with procuring a new supported homeless teenage parent accommodation service for five years, with the option of extending for two further one year periods (5+1+1). The maximum contract value (based on seven years) is £1,619,807, with an annual value of £231,401;

(2)  delegate authority to the Director of Commissioning and Procurement to approve the outcomes of the teenage parent accommodation tender and award the contract to secure best value for Nottingham’s citizens.

Reasons for decision:

·  The current provider’s contract for this service is due to expire on 31st October 2021. Without securing a new contract, there will be no specialist provision for some of Nottingham’s most vulnerable parents and their children.

·  The provision was subject to a large review in 2015/2016 which lead to a change in the service model. The success of this model means that there will be no major change to the service model in the proposed procurement process as it is believed that it delivers good practice and provides good value for money.

·  Nottingham City, through numerous interventions, has managed to reduce the number of pregnant teenagers and in turn, teenage parents, and has managed to improve outcomes for teenage parents. Some of these interventions include the Family Nurse Partnership, continuation of access to contraception through a range of generic services (GP, pharmacy, schools and colleges), and through an investment into statutory sexual health provision. Despite this, the number of teenagers becoming pregnant and giving birth during their adolescence is much higher than the national average. Due to the complexities that are associated with teenage parenthood, there is an ongoing need for specialist housing for teenage parents to prevent homelessness.

·  As there is a requirement for the service to be within Nottingham City, and the housing needs of the service users are very specific, seeking suitable premises is potentially challenging for a new provider. For this reason, a longer contract length is proposed to reduce the potential challenges for new providers in securing premises for short periods of time.

·  The service has, within its current contract, avoided any voids in the units meaning that the need is at least meeting the provision available.

Other options considered in making recommendations::

·  Do nothing and let the service provision decease. This is not a viable option because there is a clear need for this service in the city to continue to provide an appropriate means of meeting Council’s statutory homelessness duties and to help teenage parents to continue to care for their children.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Cleansing Services

Councillor Adele Williams declared an Other Registerable Interest in this item because she is a member of Thomas Bow City Asphalt’s Board of Directors. She left the meeting prior to discussion and voting on this item.

Chris Keane, Head of Highway Services, introduced the report which on the award of a contract to carry out essential planned road maintenance, specialist road-surfacing works on the Broadmarch scheme, and delvery of the Green Lane highway scheme.

Resolved to approve dispensation (in accordance with Financial Regulation 3.29) from the need to conduct a tender process in accordance with Contract Procedure Rule 4.1.2, to award a contract to Thomas Bow Limited to carry out planned maintenance and highway construction works around Nottingham with a total estimated value of £1.65m.

Reasons for recommendations:

·  Thomas Bow currently delivers works under a number of contracts awarded by NCC that have been tested competitively in the market, and pricing will be subject to the scrutiny of the Council's professional team, including its competent Engineers. This includes both works completed for Highways and the Major Programmes Team.

·  Ensuring value for money (VfM) is a key part to delivering these works.

·  Given the tight timescales for this published programme and delays resulting from COVID, letting a contract through a ‘mini competition’ would jeopardise this year’s programme for construction works and the available allocated road space.

·  By direct awarding to Thomas Bow the City would de-risk through single programme delivery and would reduce officer time and minimise scheme costs.

·  Working with TB to deliver these works would give the following benefits:

o  Established early contractor involvement (ECI) streamlining project delivery for NCC.

o  Programme delivery approach on all schemes will greatly assist NCC with managing the highway network in 2021/22, minimising disruption, together with reducing administration costs.

o  A developed flexible and responsive delivery structure to accommodate short term changes to programmes. Established service delivery for NCC and positive working relationship with NCC and clients - local knowledge on road infrastructure and planning works for NCC.

o  Established positive collaboration between the Highways Service and Thomas Bow on the Broadmarsh Roadspace/Public Realm Schemes.

o  Supports delivering environmentally sustainable solutions for delivering highways maintenance and construction across Nottingham City & reducing carbon emissions.

o  Reduced whole life carbon cost of the asset by utilising local contractor provision

o  Strong links to our corporate value and objectives.

o  Keeping the pound in Nottingham.

·  Using an NEC 3 target cost approach, will enable Highway Services to ensure value for money in the coordination and planning of these essential highway works which will be delivered as an annual programme of works. The alternative, appointing under individual projects will not achieve the benefits in terms of better coordination on available road space, right timing of works, minimisation of costs in terms of; road notices/charges and uplifts.

·  By engaging Thomas Bow in a Target Cost Contract, Highway Services would ensure value for money as detailed below; a target cost contract is a type of cost reimbursable contract under  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To agree to meet on the following Tuesdays at 10am for the 2021/22 municipal year:

2021

13 July

14 September

12 October

9 November

14 December

2022

11 January

15 February

15 March

12 April

The Committee agreed to meet at 10am on the following Tuesdays:

2021

13 July

14 September

12 October

9 November

14 December

2022

11 January

15 February

15 March

12 April