Minutes:
Kevin Bowring, Investment Manager, presented a verbal update on the schedule of planned works for the current year 2022/23, as requested for members information by the Chair, covering the following main points:
· A 6-year onsite contract had been awarded to fit replacement windows.
· Installation of doors/windows:
Ø 357 front entrance doors had been installed to date.
Ø 304 front entrance doors were currently on order
Ø 112 windows had been installed.
Ø 324 windows were currently on order
· Expenditure of £1.5m was planned for door and window installation this year.
· Work by our heating contractors involved:
Ø Installation of 317 replacement boilers to date.
Ø A further 378 replacement boiler installations in progress.
· Under the annual electrical inspection programme, just under 2,000 properties had been tested this year and relevant works required as a result of these inspections were programmed for completion.
· A new contract had been procured for installation of communal/access doors and control systems, to be delivered in Feb/March 2023 at a cost of £400,000.
· Letting standards were being improved through work being carried out by housing staff and void relets.
· There were 15 procurement exercises currently underway.
· A new 5 year electrical services contract was due to be signed off tomorrow to install new electrics in flat blocks.
· Tenders for property improvements such as kitchen/bathroom upgrades had recently been re-tendered following a lack of take-up in the summer.
· Tenders were also out for landscaping boundaries, tarmac, hard standing works etc.
· A tender to procure timber doors was also underway.
Councillor Hewson, Chair, thanked the Investment Manager for this update and requested that a general breakdown of planned works be prepared for members of Housing Scrutiny Sub Committee ahead of each financial year. He referred to current expenditure against capital programme targets at under 20%, although he fully accepted the problems experienced with supply of materials and labour.
Mick Barber, Chair of Lincoln Tenants Panel asked whether it was possible for electrical safety inspections to be carried out annually across our whole stock of Council house properties in line with that of gas inspections.
Kevin Bowring, Investment Manager, advised that gas inspections must be carried out annually by statute. Electrical safety inspections were carried out over a 5 year programme; however, the outcome of the previous inspection was used to define any properties requiring a further inspection in advance of this timescale. The Housing Authority also had a responsibility to re-check properties each time they became void. He agreed to discuss this further at the Lincoln Tenants Panel meeting later that month.
Mick Barber congratulated officers on the work carried out by the gas contractor. He questioned the ratio of safety against quality and cost effectiveness with the number of smaller contracts being tendered in general.
Kevin Bowring, Investment Manager confirmed that post inspections were conducted on a percentage of works completed, to ensure the same quality of tradesmanship across different contracts.
Councillor Hewson suggested in setting a standard it would be beneficial for each job to be checked once completed.
Kevin Bowring, Investment Manager, highlighted that a lower volume of work was being carried out on site as stock condition was currently in a good state of repair. Following the 15 year anniversary of boiler and kitchen installations this may change in future years. The Housing Authority did not have the resources to check every job, however, if future sampling showed errors then the frequency of inspections would be increased.
Mike Asher, LTP Member, queried why the allocation of new door systems in council owned flats was not done in blocks, rather than at specific properties.
Kevin Bowring, Investment Manager, confirmed that the door replacement programme was based on age and condition. The introduction of our Compliance Team had resulted in an increase in referrals. Unfortunately, financial resources did not stretch to replacement of doors block by block.
RESOLVED that:
1. A schedule of planned works be presented to Housing Scrutiny Sub Committee members for information at the beginning of each financial year.
2. The content of the verbal update be noted with thanks.