Neighbourhood Regeneration, Housing & Estate Management Committee - 13/05/2024

At a MEETING of the NEIGHBOURHOOD REGENERATION, HOUSING AND ESTATE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE held remotely on 13th May, 2024.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost Bill CAMPBELL

 

Depute Lord Provost Kevin CORDELL

 

BAILIES

 

Will DAWSON

Willie SAWERS

Fraser MACPHERSON

Christina ROBERTS

Kevin KEENAN

Derek SCOTT

 

Helen WRIGHT

 

 

COUNCILLORS

 

John ALEXANDER

Steven ROME

George McIRVINE

Heather ANDERSON

Lynne SHORT

Charlie MALONE

Nadia EL-NAKLA

Roisin SMITH

Wendy SCULLIN

Mark FLYNN

Siobhan TOLLAND

Pete SHEARS

Stewart HUNTER

Georgia CRUICKSHANK

Daniel COLEMAN

Ken LYNN

Jax FINNEGAN

Michael CRICHTON

 

Dorothy McHUGH

 

 

Councillor Mark FLYNN, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 4th March, 2024 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

Councillor Finnegan declared an interest in Article III by virtue of residing in a location referred to and took no part in the proceedings and withdrew from the meeting during its consideration.

 

Councillor Shears declared an interest in Article V by virtue of living in one of the streets named in the report.

 

II HOUSING REPAIRS AND RELETS RECOVERY PLAN

 

There was submitted Report No 139-2024 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services seeking approval for the proposed approach to addressing the existing backlog in housing repairs and relets.

 

Thereafter, the Convener, seconded by Councillor Short moved that the Committee:-

 

(i) approves the proposals contained within the report; and

 

(ii) note the ongoing work to transform the repairs delivery service model.

 

As an amendment, Bailie Keenan, seconded by Councillor Cruickshank moved that the Committee:-

 

(i) notes the progress on addressing the existing backlog in housing repairs and relets and agrees the recommendations in this Report;

 

(ii) notes that the issue of the implication for Dundee City Council of LBTT and ADS has been resolved by the Scottish Government which introduced legislation to remove the requirement for Councils to pay this tax, with effect from the 1st April 2024; and also notes that Officers will in due course report on:-

 

(a) the forecast implications for Dundee City Council of the Scottish Governments proposals for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in 2024/2025 and future years, including the impact on grants for the Council to build new homes and the potential use of uncommitted balances to purchase homes on the open market and/or build new homes to reduce Dundee City Councils housing waiting list. As (City Governance Committee 19th February 2024 Item II).

 

(b) the extreme pressure on housing and homelessness services in Dundee means that Dundee City Council should now:-

 

(i) declare a Housing Emergency in Dundee;

 

(ii) remit Officers to bring forward at the earliest possible time a Housing Emergency Action Plan to address the Housing Emergency in Dundee; and

 

(iii) call on the Scottish Government to reverse its decision to cut the Affordable Housing Programme and make additional funding available to help the Council address the Housing Emergency.

 

On a division, there voted for the motion the Convener, Lord Provost Campbell, Depute Lord Provost Cordell, Bailies Dawson, Roberts and Sawers and Councillors Alexander, Anderson, El-Nakla, Hunter, Lynn, Rome, Short, Smith, and Tolland (15); and for the amendment - Bailies Keenan, Wright, Macpherson and Scott and Councillors Cruickshank, Finnegan, McHugh, McIrvine, Malone, Scullin, Shears, Coleman and Crichton (13) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

 

III SOURCING STRATEGY FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF WORKS TO INSTALL RETROFIT FABRIC UPGRADES INTHE LINLATHEN AREA

 

There was submitted Report No 128-2024 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services providing an update on the development of a sourcing strategy for the tender process to procure a Principal Contractor to install retrofit fabric upgrades including structural external wall insulation and seeking approval to commence a compliant tender process, leading to the award of a contract.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to approve the commencing of a procurement exercise in respect of the project described (based on the sourcing strategy summarised in this report);

 

(ii) that in compliance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 the Executive Directors of Neighbourhood Services and City Development utilise the mini competition process available through the Scotland Excel Framework for Energy Efficiency Contractors , Ref: 1320, Sublots 2.1: External Wall Insulation and Finishes; 2.9: Flat Roof Insulation, Repair and Replacement; 2.10: Cold Roof Insulation, Repair and Replacement: Pitched; 4.1: Solar PV; 4.2: Electric Battery Storage; and

 

(iii) to note that the outcome of the procurement process would be brought back to Committee in due course for the purpose of approving the contract award.

 

IV REINFORCED AERATED AUTOCLAVED CONCRETE (RAAC) IN HOMES IN DUNDEE

 

There was submitted Report No 129-2024 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services to provide information to the Committee on the existence of Reinforced Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (RAAC) in Council and ex-Council housing in Dundee, and the implications of this for the Council.

 

The Committee agreed to note the content of the report and approve the proposed actions of officers to continue dealing with the issues raised as detailed in Section 7 of the report.

 

V SOURCING STRATEGIES BY HEAD OF DESIGN AND PROPERTY

 

There was submitted Report No 131-2024 by the Executive Director of City Development presenting sourcing strategies and seeking approval to commence with the procurement exercise in respect of each project.

 

The Committee approved the commencement of a procurement exercise in respect of the projects described, based on the sourcing strategy detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

 

VI TENDERS RECEIVED BY HEAD OF DESIGN AND PROPERTY

 

There was submitted Report No 132-2024 by the Executive Director of City Development detailing tenders received and requesting a decision thereon:-

 

(a) INDIVIDUAL HOUSES 2024/2025 - HEATING, KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS

 

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Construction Services in the sum of 450,000.00, together with allowances of 40,000.00, giving a total expenditure of 490,000.

 

(b) INDIVIDUAL HOUSES 2024/2025 - WINDOW REPLACEMENT

 

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Construction Services in the sum of 305,000.00, together with allowances of 35,000.00, giving a total expenditure of 340,000.

 

(c) URGENT ROOFS 2024/2025 - ROOF REPLACEMENTS

 

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Construction Services in the sum of 465,000.00, together with allowances of 35,000.00, giving a total expenditure of 500,000.

 

(d) DISABLED ADAPTATIONS 2024/2025

 

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Construction Services in the sum of 745,000.00, together with allowances of 105,000.00, giving a total expenditure of 850,000.

 

(e) DRYBURGH ORLITS FLAT ROOFING REPLACEMENT PHASE 2

 

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Construction Services in the sum of 1,066,197.13, together with allowances of 223,881.81, giving a total expenditure of 1,290,098.94.

 

(f) CRAIGOWAN SHELTERED COMPLEX - LIGHTING UPGRADE

 

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Construction Services in the sum of 33,525.95, together with allowances of 7,572.85, giving a total expenditure of 41,098.80.

 

(g) DOUGLAS AND ANGUS 10TH AND 12TH SHELTERED FLATS HEATING UPGRADE

 

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Construction Services in the sum of 464,483.30, together with allowances of 95,493.16, giving a total expenditure of 559,976.46.

 

 

 

 

Mark FLYNN, Convener.