Agenda item

The Director of Housing submits a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission for noting that provides an overview of the Technical Services Programme.

The Interim Director of Housing submitted a report for noting, that provided an overview of the Technical Services Programme. Phil Davison, Programme Manager, Housing Systems, presented the report.

It was reported that the second phase of the programme was given a total savings target of £7million per annum in savings through contract consolidation; streamlining services; having appropriate staffing levels, and budget consolidation.

In response to questions from the Chair and Members, the following information was given:

·         Transforming Depot Services – a map of the sites across the city which had been closed, how large they were, and what they were used for, would be provided to Members;

·         Stores Transformation Project – procurement of a managed service would combine two main elements; how the service was delivered, and expertise and general management of the services, for example, the purchase of materials at the most competitive price. Decisions over use of a suitable site for the procured Stores service would form a part of this procurement. Decisions over future use of existing sites would be made as clarity around the procurement was achieved. The meeting was informed that staff had undergone a redundancy exercise and staffing arrangements were currently being progressed. Reassurance was given that staff were being kept fully updated with regular communications and supported by Management;

·         Energy and Environment – there was a lot of work to be undertaken in this area. The Energy and Environment Team had just started a review so there was not much to report at the present time, although a £400k saving had been attached to the Technical Services Programme in that area.

·         With regards to site closures and disposals, an exercise to identify sites would be done to see if there was opportunity for development. The streamlining of the process for the disposal of sites would also be looked into, to reduce costs associated with security and maintenance.

·         Contracts with the external stores suppliers was discussed, and the programme manager confirmed the need for robust management arrangements to be in place along with appropriate review, challenge and break clauses associated to performance.

Councillor Alfonso requested further information on the 8 sites identified, what kind of storage of materials were proposed (e.g. stock and scanning, ‘B&Q’ type storage), and what type of contract would be negotiated. She also asked for further information on the figures contained in the report. The Programme Manager said the benefit of an external provider was the authority did not have to carry the cost of holding materials, and the external provider would manage stock, and liability / risk would lie with them. He added that with regard to moving depots, a paper had recently gone to the Programme Board, and costs of upgrading locations if they remained have been factored into the programme.

In response to a question from the Chair, the delivery of target savings of £7million per annum had been presented to the Finance Team and had been confirmed as achievable.

The Chair thanked officers for the report, and in summing up asked for more information on:

• A map of the location of depot sites;
• More information on energy and environment impact be provided to Members;
• Recommended a report be brought back to a future meeting of the Housing Scrutiny Commission on how the Programme was working, and that the item be added to the Commission’s Work Programme.

AGREED:

that:

1.    The report be noted;

2.    More information be provided in the form of maps of the locations of the different sites affected be circulated to the Scrutiny Commission;

3.    More information under the heading Energy & Environment impact be provided to the Scrutiny Commission;

4.    The Technical Services Programme be added to the work programme of the Scrutiny Commission, and an update report be brought to a future meeting.