Decisions

Approve grant funding from the Thriving High Streets Fund.

That the Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Business agrees to the award of £109,449 of grant funding from the Thriving High Streets Fund. The projects recommended for award are set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

That the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education and Refugees approves an extension for a further year, to March 2024 for Groundwork London to provide mental wellbeing support to schools through the Nest at a cost of £212,000.

To approve a capital grant to 6 secondary schools £262k

Gateway 2 Contract Award Approval for the Victory Community Park Landscape Construction works contract

That the Strategic Director of Environment, Neighbourhoods and Growth approves:

1.  The award of the Victory Community Park landscape construction works contract to Blakedown Landscapes SE Ltd for a period of 22 weeks commencing 30 October 2023.

2.  The allocation of a client contingency to address the items identified in paragraph 40 of the report and delegates approval of expenditure of the contingency fund to the Director of Leisure.

Decision to purchase asset

Traffic Management Order for public realm and highways works

1.  That the proposed changes in two key areas along Camberwell Station Road be approved. These will support key objectives as set out in the GLA Good Growth Fund bid which are to:

·  to support active travel

·  improve air quality

·  support links to nearby centre and green spaces

·  promote local identity, history and culture through the public realm.

2.  That officers be instructed to proceed with the making of a permanent Traffic Management Order (“TMO”) to implement the proposals which fully support the council’s Streets for People aspirations, and will be subject to the necessary statutory procedures and minor changes resulting from the detailed design process. Outline design drawings of the proposal are contained in Appendix 1 of the report.

3.  That it be noted that a further report will be brought to the cabinet member should there be any unresolved objections to the proposed improvements at the end of the statutory period.

Representatives from tenant groups (Southwark Group of Tenants Organisation and Tenants Forum) and other tenant representatives were in attendance to give their comments in respect of the report.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the council’s plans to improve the council’s repairs service and the progress over the last 12 months be noted and welcomed.

2.  That the renewed focus on working closely with residents and Trades Unions to ensure the improved service meets the needs of all who depend upon it be noted.

3.  That responsibility be delegated to the strategic director for finance to identify adequate funding to support the improvements detailed in the report, in consultation with the cabinet member for homes, communities and finance.

4.  That an annual report on the council’s progress in delivering the repairs improvement plans be received by cabinet.

Dr.Miatta Fahnbulleh, chair of the Land Commission, was in attendance to present the report to cabinet.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the recommendations set out in Land for Good, the Report of the 2023 Southwark Land Commission be noted.

2.  That officers consider the recommendations set out the report and report back to cabinet in early 2024.

To note the forecast revenue outturn position

RESOLVED:

That the following be noted:

1.  The adverse variance forecast of £3.5m for the general fund in 2023-24.

2.  The key general fund variations and budget pressures:

(i)  Budgetary pressure of £2.4m in education, mainly driven by higher demand and cost pressures in home to school transport (paragraph 51 of the report)

(ii)  £1.6m pressure in environment, neighbourhoods and growth department, due mainly to significant increases in ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF) costs (paragraph 59 of the report)

(iii)  The continuing budget pressure in homelessness (paragraphs 36-40 of the report).

3.  The housing revenue account forecast for 2023-24 is a deficit of £13.8m (Table 2, paragraphs 19 -31 of the report).

4.  The ongoing inclement macro-economic environment, with inflation running at 7.9% in June 2023 and interest rates increased 14 times in row to 5.25%, the highest since 2008.

5.  The ring-fenced dedicated schools grant (DSG) is forecasting an unfavourable outturn of £0.6m which is mainly due to pressures within the high needs service (paragraphs 55-57 of the report).

That the following be approved:

6.  The interdepartmental budget movements that exceed £250k, as shown in Appendix A of the report (noting those under this threshold).

Approval of procurement strategy for repairs and maintenance provision of individual heating and water

RESOLVED:

1.  That the procurement strategy outlined in the report to undertake a tender procedure for the heating and water repairs, maintenance, refurbishment and replacement work contracts split into two lots with a total combined estimated maximum value of £187.92m be approved as follows:

·  Lot 1 – Individual Heating and Water Repairs and Maintenance:

o  Contract A - Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Walworth and Borough and Bankside at an estimated annual cost of £4.58m

o  Contract B – Camberwell, Dulwich, Peckham and Nunhead at an estimated annual cost of £4.78m.

each for a period of five years from April 2025 (at an estimated combined total cost £46.80m) with the option to extend up to a further three years (in increments at the council’s sole discretion subject to performance) making an estimated total contract value for both contracts of £74.88m.

·  Lot 2 - District Heating Maintenance, Refurbishment and Replacement:

o  Contract C - Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Walworth and Borough and Bankside at an estimated annual cost of £7.52m

o  Contract D – Camberwell, Dulwich, Peckham and Nunhead at an estimated annual cost of £6.61m.

each for a period of five years from 1 April 2025 (at an estimated combined total cost £70.65m) with the option to extend up to a further three years (in increments at the council’s sole discretion subject to performance) making an estimated total contract value for both contracts of £113.04m.

2.  That it be noted that the procurement strategy in this report will result in bidders being required to bid as backup to each other in their own lot on their tendered rates to ensure an efficient service delivery.

3.  That it be noted that no one contractor can win more than one contract in each lot, and that bidders will be required to choose (at the pre-selection stage) which of the two lots they wish to bid for, which ensures that there is sufficient contractor capacity to deliver works.

4.  That it be noted that the cabinet member for homes, communities and finance approved the publication of a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of the council’s intention to procure.

5.  That authority be delegated to the strategic director of housing to approve the gateway (GW) 3 report in for an extension to the existing contracts to align with the award of the new contracts when the procurement tender exercise is completed.

6.  That authority be delegated to the strategic director of housing, in consultation with the cabinet member for council homes, to approve the GW2 report for the four contracts A, B, C and D noted in recommendation 1 above for the reasons detailed in paragraph 48 of the report.

Approval of award of the main works contract for the demolition and construction works at Riverside Primary School

That the award for the main works contract for Riverside Primary School to Neilcott Construction Limited (Neilcott) for a contract sum of £5,305,055.59 for a period of 54 weeks commencing on 23 October 2023 be approved.

To approve the allocations of grants

That the Equalities grants allocations to the sixteen Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups and one LGBTQ+ group listed in Appendix 1 of the report be approved.  The total budget for the allocation is £400,000.

That the Cabinet Member approves the Southwark Skills Delivery Plan 2023-25.

To approve the the local lettings scheme for the new homes at Commercial Way.

That the Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development approves the local lettings scheme for the new homes at Commercial Way, London SE15, where 50% of the properties will be allocated to existing tenants within the local area.

To approve grant payments

1.  That the following payments from the resident involvement fund be approved:

2.  £114,000 grant funding to the Southwark Group of Tenant Management Organisations (SGTO). This comprises an amount of £57,000 for Quarter 1 (April-June 2023) and £57,000 for Quarter 2 (July-September 2023).

3.  The payment of £40,000 paid to 8 tenants and residents associations (TRAs) to set up the 2022 Christmas warm hubs. The hubs were set up to provide hot food during the winter months to support residents to cope with the rising cost of living, address the challenges of loneliness, improve the physical and mental well-being of residents.

4.  The Christmas small grants payment of £3,300 to 11 sheltered housing units which enabled residents to put on social events in December 2022 to foster good relationships between residents, promote community cohesion and improve the well-being of residents.

5.  The current GIG applications to the value of £66,054 from 13 TRAs, 1 TMO and 1 sheltered unit to provide a range of community cohesion, health and well-being activities over the 2023 summer months. These applications have been outstanding since February 2023.