Agenda item

With reference to article 3 of the minute of the Council Budget meeting of 11 February, 2010, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which detailed the estimated expenditure from the housing capital and housing revenue budgets. At the aforementioned meeting of Council, the sums set out in the housing capital and housing revenue expenditure budgets for 2010/11 and indicative sums for 2011 – 2013 had been approved by members. The report also provided information on the proposed way forward regarding the tendering and letting of the gas central heating replacement framework.

The report advised of the diverse range of works and services procured under the housing capital programme, and continued that in order for the budgets to be expended it was necessary for the Director of Housing and Environment to let tenders for the works and services covered by the various budget headings in a timely fashion. The report explained that tenders were received on a weekly basis and gaining approval for each individual tender would impact on the progress of budget expenditure by delaying acceptance of the preferred contractor. It was therefore proposed that all sums shown against the various headings under the housing capital and housing revenue expenditure budgets be regarded as estimated expenditure for the works and services required under these headings for the 2010/11 financial year.

In relation to the tendering and letting of the gas central heating replacement framework, the report advised that officers had been preparing for the appointment of contractors to participate in the Council’s multi supplier framework for the replacement of central heating systems within the Council’s housing stock. The report proposed that a contract in this regard be let for a period of up to three years, with the continuation of the contract at the end of each year at the discretion of the Council, which would enable the Council to review its budgetary commitments and the value of works it could afford annually under the contract. The report continued that the indicative value of this work, as set out within the housing capital expenditure budget, was £14.55 million over the next three years, which would require an EU Procurement process to be undertaken.

The report concluded that the Director and Head of Finance would continue to report each cycle on the budgetary position of the Service, and that these reports would detail any amendments to the budget amounts when appropriate.

Copies of the housing capital and housing revenue budgets were appended to the report, with headings where works or services required to be tendered marked with an asterisk.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to authorise the Director for Housing and Environment to carry out a European Procurement process to appoint one or more contractors for the gas central heating replacement framework;

(ii)        to approve the estimated expenditure from the housing capital and housing revenue expenditure budgets as appended to the report; and

(iii)       to authorise the Director of Housing and Environment to carry out the appropriate procedures to procure these works in consultation with the Convener or Vice Convener of this Committee.