Issue - meetings

Purpose of the report

To approve the award of contracts to Foster Property Maintenance Ltd. and Gratton Construction Ltd. for the provision of void property repair work to Council owned social housing stock.

Decision

Cabinet approves the award of contracts to Foster Property Maintenance Ltd. and Gratton Construction Ltd. for the provision of void property repair work to the Council’s social housing.  The annual contract value will be up to £2m, split between the two contractors, for a period of 3 years with the option to extend for a further 1 year plus 1 year.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have chosen to appoint one contractor, but this would not have created additional capacity for void property repair works to be undertaken and would not support the Council in achieving a void turnaround time of 60 days (target date of 2026/2027). Consequently, this action was discounted.

Reasons for the decision

The contract awards had followed compliant procurement processes. They would enable the council to deliver safe and sustainable housing.

Foster Property Maintenance Ltd. currently provided void repair work to the Council; the contract with Gratton Construction Ltd. was new. Included within the contracts was kitchen, bathroom and electrical repair work. The percentage of properties returned to the Council as a ‘major void’ requiring repair works had increased in recent years.

The Council had received 18 tender submissions for this work, which was initially reduced to 13. Following an evaluation process a moderation meeting was held with Welland Procurement. Foster Property Maintenance Ltd. ranked first out of the competing tenderers.

Void contractors would operate across the whole of the District rather than being divided into certain areas of South Kesteven, such as ‘north’ and ‘south’.