Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Jasbir Jaspal.

No declarations of interests were made.

[To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.]

Resolved:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 27 July 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To approve the award of contracts for works, goods and services]

1.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Governance and Equalities, in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer, to approve the award for Webcasting and Associated Services System when the evaluation process is complete.

2.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for Arboricultural works when the evaluation process is complete.

3.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for Prouds Lane Open Space Improvements when the evaluation process is complete.

4.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Deputy Director of Assets, to approve the award of a contract for Asset Management System when the evaluation process is complete.

5.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of contracts for Rough Sleeper Services.  

Councillor Obaida Ahmed presented the report seeking delegated authority to Cabinet members in consultation with Directors to award contracts on the latest procurement activity.  The contracts were from the Governance and Equalities, City Environment and Climate Change, and City Assets and Housing portfolios. In line with the Council's commitment to the Wolverhampton Pound, the contacts presented an opportunity to support local suppliers to submit bids.

It was noted that the contracts in the City Environment and Climate Change portfolio would support the Council’s climate change priorities.

Resolved:

1.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Governance and Equalities, in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer, to approve the award for Webcasting and Associated Services System when the evaluation process is complete.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for Arboricultural works when the evaluation process is complete.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for Prouds Lane Open Space Improvements when the evaluation process is complete.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Deputy Director of Assets, to approve the award of a contract for Asset Management System when the evaluation process is complete.

5.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of contracts for Rough Sleeper Services. 

[To approve that the Council act as accountable body for Safer Streets Round Four funding and the establishment of supplementary revenue budgets]

1.     That the City of Wolverhampton Council act as Accountable Body for the Home Office Safer Streets Grant, as detailed in the report.

2.     That the establishment of a supplementary revenue budget totalling £356,667 fully funded by the Safer Streets grant allocation be approved. This includes an allocation of £207,437 from September 2022 – 31 March 2023 and £158,230 from 1 April 2023 – 30 September 2023.

3.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to utilise the Safer Streets Fund from the Home Office and to approve the award of grants for activity outlined within the report.

Councillor Ian Brookfield presented the report on a proposal to create supplementary budgets and to delegate authority for spend against Safer Streets Grant Funding of £356,667 awarded to the Council from the Home Office.  The key aims of the grant allocation was to increase feelings of safety relating to violence against women and girls (VAWG); reduce VAWG in public places, to include harassment and intimidation, rape, sexual assault and drink spiking; and to reduce anti-social behaviour. The funding would be utilised to complement mainstream activity of the Council and Safer Wolverhampton Partnership by upscaling existing activity (i.e. Safe Haven; Safety of Women at Night Training and Charter; Educational Workshops; Policing Initiatives; Community Guardian Scheme; and one additional P3 Navigator).

Resolved:

1.    That the City of Wolverhampton Council act as Accountable Body for the Home Office Safer Streets Grant, as detailed in the report.

2.    That the establishment of a supplementary revenue budget totalling £356,667 fully funded by the Safer Streets grant allocation be approved. This includes an allocation of £207,437 from September 2022 – 31 March 2023 and £158,230 from 1 April 2023 – 30 September 2023.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to utilise the Safer Streets Fund from the Home Office and to approve the award of grants for activity outlined within the report.

[To pass the following resolution:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information on the grounds shown below]

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Resolved:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The Chair reported that as stated previously the meeting was in confidential session as the information included in the report could, if released into the public domain, prejudice the financial position of the Council or its partners.  As such all present are under a legal duty of confidentiality and must not disclose any confidential information - to do so would not only be a breach of the Council's codes (for councillors and employees) but also a breach of the legal duty of confidentiality.

[To approve the award of contracts for works, goods and services]

1.      That the contract for Electric Vehicle Charge Point Installations be awarded to Gamma Energy Ltd of 1 The Minster Building, London, EC3R 7AG for a duration of 10 years from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2032 for a potential total contract value of up to £2,500,000 of which only £374,000 would immediately be committed. Any further draw-downs of work will be subject to securing additional government grant or private sector funding.

2.      That the contract for Domestic Energy Efficiency Retrofit be awarded to Sure-fire Management Services Ltd of Unit 1 Denbigh Industrial Estate, Denbigh Hall, Bletchley, MK3 7QT for a duration of five years from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2027 for a total contract value up to £10 million.

3.      That the contract for Support to Victims of Domestic Abuse within Safe Accommodation be awarded to The Haven Wolverhampton from 19 September 2022 to 31 March 2023, to the value of £402,012.

4.      That the exemptions to the Contract Procedure Rules approved by the Head of Procurement and Director of Finance from 1 to 30 June 2022 be noted.

Councillor Obaida Ahmed presented for approval the report on the award of contracts for works, goods and services.  The report also included, for information, exemptions to contract procedure rules approved by the Head of Procurement and Director of Finance from 1 to 31 June 2022.

Resolved:

1.    That the contract for Electric Vehicle Charge Point Installations be awarded to Gamma Energy Ltd of 1 The Minster Building, London, EC3R 7AG for a duration of 10 years from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2032 for a potential total contract value of up to £2,500,000 of which only £374,000 would immediately be committed. Any further draw-downs of work would be subject to securing additional government grant or private sector funding.

2.    That the contract for Domestic Energy Efficiency Retrofit be awarded to Sure-fire Management Services Ltd of Unit 1 Denbigh Industrial Estate, Denbigh Hall, Bletchley, MK3 7QT for a duration of five years from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2027 for a total contract value up to £10 million.

3.    That the contract for Support to Victims of Domestic Abuse within Safe Accommodation be awarded to The Haven Wolverhampton from 19 September 2022 to 31 March 2023, to the value of £402,012.

4.    That the exemptions to the Contract Procedure Rules approved by the Head of Procurement and Director of Finance from 1 to 30 June 2022 be noted.