The Head of Housing and Property Services submitted a report to the City Executive Board (attached) which details proposals to increase the project budget and reconfirm delegated authority to the Executive Director for Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the Heads of Finance and Law and Governance, to be able to appoint and award the contract to the preferred principal contractor.

The relevant minute (22) of the City Executive Board meeting on 12 June is attached later in this agenda. Confidential papers for this item were made available to members with that agenda.

The City Executive Board recommends that Council approve an additional budgetary provision within the HRA Capital Programme of £1.750m, funded as detailed at paragraph 19, so that the revised total project budget envelope for the Tower Block Refurbishment Scheme is £20.108m.

Council had before it a report setting out proposals to increase the project budget for the Tower Block Refurbishment Scheme and the recommendations of the City Executive Board meeting on 12 June.

Councillor Seamons, Councillor Turner and the Chief Executive answered questions about the need for the additional provision.

Council resolved to approve an additional budgetary provision within the HRA Capital Programme of £1.750m, funded as detailed at paragraph 19 of the report, so that the revised total project budget envelope for the Tower Block Refurbishment Scheme is £20.108m.

The Head of Housing and Property Services has submitted a report which details proposals to increase the project budget and reconfirm delegated authority to the Executive Director for Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the Heads of Finance and Law and Governance, to be able to appoint and award the contract to the preferred principal contractor.

Officer Recommendations: That the City Executive Board

1.    Recommends that full Council approve an additional budgetary provision within the HRA Capital Programme of £1.750m, funded as  detailed at paragraph 19, so that the revised total project budget envelope for the Tower Block Refurbishment Scheme is £20.108m:

2.    Reconfirms the authority delegated to the Executive Director - City Regeneration, in consultation with the s151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer, to appoint and award the contract to the preferred principal contractor in accordance with the competitive tender process undertaken.

The Head of Housing and Property Services submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) which detailed proposals to increase the project budget and reconfirm delegated authority to the Executive Director for Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the Heads of Finance and Law and Governance, to be able to appoint and award the contract to the preferred principal contractor.

Cllr Seamons, Executive Board Member for Housing presented the report.  He stressed that although it was regrettable that the cost of the project had increased it was important to note that this was a very exciting community project with high levels of resident engagement which would deliver very positive benefits. 

Cllr Fooks addressed the Board on this item.

In response to a question around the use of £700,000 Section 106 affordable homes contribution to finance the tower blocks additional expenditure the Head of Finance advised that:

The Council held in excess of £700,000 Section 106 contributions that were required to be used for the financing of affordable homes, which it had not currently allocated to fund capital expenditure. These monies could be used to fund the New Build Programme currently included in the HRA Business Plan and HRA revenue resources currently used to fund the New Build Programme could be switched to fund the tower block expenditure.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.    RECOMMEND that full Council approve an additional budgetary provision within the HRA Capital Programme of £1.750m, funded as detailed at paragraph 19, so that the revised total project budget envelope for the Tower Block Refurbishment Scheme is £20.108m:

2.    RECONFIRM the authority delegated to the Executive Director, previously City Regeneration now Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the s151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer, to appoint and award the contract to the preferred principal contractor in accordance with the competitive tender process undertaken.

Appendix 1, Appendix A and Appendix 2 are exempt from publication by virtue of Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 for the following reasons:

Appendix 1, Appendix A and Appendix 2 – commercial affairs of the Council.

The Board received and noted the contents of the confidential appendices to the report at minute 22.

The Head of Housing and Property has submitted a report which requests approval to commence a tender process and for the Executive Director of Regeneration and Housing to be able to appoint and award the contract for the refurbishment of the city tower blocks and to recommend to Council a revised budget to cover the agreed scope of works.

This report was presented to the City Executive Board on 3^rd July 2014. An extract from the minutes of this meeting is also attached.

Council is asked to approve the inclusion of an additional budget within the HRA Capital Programme of £1.743m funded by a combination of leaseholder contributions (for their element of the scheme), or as a last resort prudential borrowing together with appropriate revenue funding of a maximum of approximately £104kper annum in capital financing costs.

The Head of Housing and Property submitted a report and an extract from the minutes of the City Executive Board held on 3^rd July 2014 (previously circulated, now appended).  The report detailed a request for approval to commence a tender process and for the Executive Director of Regeneration and Housing to be able to appoint and award the contract for the refurbishment of the city tower blocks and to recommend a revised budget to cover the agreed scope of works.

Councillor Seamons moved the report.

Council agreed to approve the inclusion of an additional budget within the HRA Capital Programme of £1.743m funded by a combination of leaseholder contributions (for their element of the scheme), or as a last resort prudential borrowing together with appropriate revenue funding of a maximum of approximately £104k per annum in capital financing costs.

See pages 79 to 92 in the main agenda.

The Head of Housing and Property has submitted a report which requests approval to commence a tender process and for the Executive Director of Regeneration and Housing to be able to appoint and award the contract for the refurbishment of the City tower blocks and to recommend to Council a revised budget to cover the agreed scope of works.

Officer Recommendations: That the City Executive Board:

1.    Approve the commencement of the tender process and delegate to the Executive Director of Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Monitoring Officer, the authority to award the contract to the preferred contractor within the budget envelope for the refurbishment of the City tower blocks, following a competitive tender process.

2.    Approve the scope of works as detailed in Appendix 1 to be included  in the project. This will leave a revised total project cost of £18.358m.This revised total represents an increase of  £1.743m over the current approved budget of £16.615m,

3.    Recommend to Council the inclusion of an additional budget within the HRA Capital Programme of £1.743m funded by a combination of leaseholder contributions (for their element of the scheme), or as a last resort prudential borrowing together with appropriate revenue funding of  a maximum of approximately  £104kper annum in capital financing costs 

The Head of Housing and Property submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) which sought approval to commence a tender process and for the Executive Director of Regeneration and Housing to be able to appoint and award the contract for the refurbishment of the City tower blocks and to recommend to Council a revised budget to cover the agreed scope of works.

Cllr Seamons, Executive Board Member for Housing and Estate Regeneration presented the report. The refurbishment programme will take 3 year and will start in June 2015.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.    Approve the commencement of the tender process and delegate to the Executive Director of Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Monitoring Officer, the authority to award the contract to the preferred contractor within the budget envelope for the refurbishment of the City tower blocks, following a competitive tender process.

2.    Approve the scope of works as detailed in Appendix 1 to be included in the project. This will leave a revised total project cost of £18.358m.This revised total represents an increase of £1.743m over the current approved budget of £16.615m,

3.    Recommend to Council the inclusion of an additional budget within the HRA Capital Programme of £1.743m funded by a combination of leaseholder contributions (for their element of the scheme), or as a last resort prudential borrowing together with appropriate revenue funding of a maximum of approximately £104kper annum in capital financing costs