Agenda item

Michael Naughton, Head of Capital Programme Works Service, was in attendance for this item and presented the report to the Committee. Officers provided an overview of the broad remit of works delivered by the Council’s Capital Programme Works Service. Members were informed that there were a number of key ongoing and proposed projects in various stages covering the Council’s Education Estate, Corporate Buildings, Housing  and Community Buildings. These were outlined for the Committee; key projects included:

·       Grassy Meadow Court Supported Housing Scheme, Hayes

·       Park View Court Supported Housing Scheme, Yiewsley

·       A £3 million investment in an extensive refurbishment programme to renovate many of the Borough’s libraries

·       The Battle of Britain Bunker Exhibition and Visitors Centre

·       A housing development in Ditchfield Road, Yeading providing 10 new homes

·       A housing development on Acol Crescent, South Ruislip providing 33 new units

·       A large regeneration project in Hayes Town Centre providing more than 500 new homes on the Hayes Town Centre Estate and 220 on the Avondale Drive site

·       An extension and remodelling at the Uxbridge Mortuary; which posed a challenge in that the mortuary would remain operational throughout the refurbishment

·       A new Leisure Centre serving Yiewsley and West Drayton on Harmondsworth Road

·       The Cranford Park Heritage Project

·       Two smaller housing development programmes on Moorfield Road, Cowley and Nelson Road, Hillingdon

·       The refurbishment of the Asha Day Centre

·       School expansions and refurbishment projects at Grange Park Infant and Junior Schools, Hillside Infant School, Frithwood Primary School and Coteford Infant School

Officers went on to outline the future programme of works which included projects currently at the feasibility stage of development. The Committee commended officers for their work which formed a great asset to the Borough.

Officers noted that one of the biggest problems faced by the Capital Programme Works Service was the current volatility of the market, it was hard to obtain the appropriate labour and materials, the price of which had risen significantly in recent months. Further to this, where works from contractors had been agreed to take place at a certain price point, contractors were reporting back informing officers that, due to price increases, they were struggling to meet the parameters of the works under the previously agreed prices. Officers also noted that, in the past, they mostly sought to obtain single stage tenders with a fixed price, however the tenders coming back in recent months had been significantly higher than usual. To try and reduce the risk for suppliers, and to obtain a better price from tenderers, officers were looking at two stage tendering, which did come with a risk of the 2^nd stage tender coming back at a higher price.

Expanding on the libraries refurbishment works, the Committee were informed that much of the works included putting in additional desk space with better technological capacity as many library visitors, particularly younger people, visited the libraries with their own laptops looking to utilise library resources. Other works included refurbishment of flooring, the children’s areas, café facilities and the orientation of the library spaces. Members commented that the Council’s libraries programme was a source of pride for Hillingdon, particularly in terms of other boroughs.

With regard to the Uxbridge Mortuary works, Members queried how this would positively impact the work of the mortuary in addition to increasing capacity. The Committee were informed that the Uxbridge Mortuary works focussed primarily on modernisation of the mortuary, including a pressurised room for quarantine and bariatric post-mortems; it was noted that these works were planned before the Covid-19 pandemic. It was confirmed that the mortuary served Hillingdon and Ealing with the capital costs covered by Hillingdon, the running costs were shared between the two boroughs.

The Committee sought some clarifications on the Hayes Regeneration project to which officers confirmed that reaccommodating residents was an ongoing project, some residents had been re-homed in other areas and were happy to be permanently rehomed there, where some others had a right of return once the regeneration works were completed.

Members commented that the Yiewsley and West Drayton Leisure Centre would form an incredibly useful asset for the local community and visitors to the area; officers confirmed that building works had started and the project was on course for completion in the spring or summer of 2024. The Committee thanked the officer for the informative report and the important work carried out by the Capital Programme Works Service.

RESOLVED: That the Select Committee noted the report and the presentation from officers.