Issue - meetings

This report seeks authority pursuant to the Council’s Contract Standing Orders 88 and 89 to invite tenders for a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the Procurement and Management of Temporary Accommodation in accordance with the Council’s Private Sector Accommodation Scheme (PSA). This procurement exercise is designed to provide a sufficient supply of temporary accommodation in the right places to adequately respond to the recent welfare changes and current overheated Housing Market in London.  The proposed DPS will commence in July 2015 for the duration of two years with an option to extend for up to two years.

(i)         that approval be given to the pre - tender considerations and the criteria to be used to evaluate tenders for a DPS for the Procurement and Management of Temporary Accommodation as set out in paragraph 3.7 of the report;

(ii)        that approval be given to the invite of expressions of interest, agreement of shortlists, the invite Tenders for a DPS for the Procurement and Management of Temporary Accommodation (TA) and their evaluation in accordance with the approved evaluation criteria referred to in (i) above;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to the Operational Director for Housing and Employment, as and when required, to appoint new service providers onto the DPS where they meet the selection criteria set out by the Council;

(iv)       that authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Growth to agree annual changes to the management fee.

Councillor McLennan (Lead Member, Housing and Regeneration) introduced the report from the Strategic Director, Regeneration and Growth which sought authority pursuant to the council’s Contract Standing Orders 88 and 89 to invite tenders for a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the Procurement and Management of Temporary Accommodation in accordance with the Council’s Private Sector Accommodation Scheme. The procurement exercise was designed to provide a sufficient supply of temporary accommodation in the right places to adequately respond to the recent welfare changes and current overheated Housing Market in London.  The proposed system would commence in July 2015 for the duration of two years with an option to extend for up to two years.

Councillor McLennan stressed the importance of increasing the stock of private housing so that people would not have to be re-housed outside the borough. She was pleased the tender would have two distinct lots to meet the council’s requirements for affordable cost effective and good quality temporary accommodation one inside the M25 that was within Brent’s geographical boundaries or as close as possible and Lot 2 Accommodation outside the M25 affordable to people in receipt of benefits, without increasing the costs to the Council Tax payer.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Butt, while welcoming the proposals, drew attention to the increasing gap between local housing association and market rents in the borough contributing to the collapse of the Housing Benefit rental market in the borough and Councillor Mashari expressed concern at the impact on young working people who could no longer afford to live in the borough.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that approval be given to the pre-tender considerations and the criteria to be used to evaluate tenders for a Direct Purchasing System for the Procurement and Management of Temporary Accommodation as set out in paragraph 3.7 of the report from the Strategic Director, Regeneration and Growth;

(ii)        that approval be given to the invite of expressions of interest, agreement of shortlists, the invite Tenders for a DPS for the Procurement and Management of Temporary Accommodation and their evaluation in accordance with the approved evaluation criteria referred to in (i) above;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to the Operational Director for Housing and Employment, as and when required, to appoint new service providers onto the DPS where they meet the selection criteria set out by the council;

(iv)       that authority be delegated to the Strategic Director, Regeneration and Growth to agree annual changes to the management fee.