Agenda item

Attached for consideration as part of the Call-in on this item, is the Part 2 report signed by the Leader of the Council on the 5 September 2018.

The report should be read in conjunction with the report attached at Appendix 1 to the Call-In report on the Part 1 agenda.

(This document contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended).

Response to the reasons for Call-In.

Please see the Part 1 agenda.

The Committee received the information provided on the call-in report: Meridian Water Station – Public Realm Construction which had been included in part 2 section of the agenda

NOTED

1.    The information was considered in conjunction with the report on the part 1 agenda.

2.    Councillor Smith set out the reasons for calling in the decision:

·         Concern regarding the specification given that virtually no information about the scope of the works was provided in the report.

·         No assurances were provided in the report that the negotiated works contract proposed by Volker Fitzpatrick is value for money. Clarification regarding costs was therefore sought.

·         With regards to Terms of Risk, further clarification was required regarding any levying of damages and how high these might be.

3.    The response of Councillor Caliskan, Leader of the Council. She highlighted the following:

·         Clarification had been sought in relation to costs/figures in the report and these had been verified.

·         Although she did accept the concerns regarding risks/delays, this would have been the case whatever the procurement process. She also added that conversations about penalties are speculative.

4.    Other issues highlighted by officers in support of the decision included;

·         Further information and clarification on the procurement process and programme of works.

·         Enfield are being supported by an external cost consultant, in monitoring and verifying the scope and cost of the works.

·         Further information was provided, and discussions took place regarding the obligation on Enfield Council to provide certain public realm interfaces in order for Network Rail to Commission and bring the station into service.

·         A budget has been identified for the essential works to be carried out to enable the station to open. Following this there will be a further package to deliver lighting, trees and landscaping, all which will add to the regeneration of the area.

·         The appointment taken forward will be a two-part contract which is pretty normal in construction engineering.

·         The performance of Network Rail is being monitored on a daily basis and to date the project is on time and on budget.

·         Councillor Laban felt that a review by Scrutiny was warranted to look at how the process could have been better. She asked that this be included on the O&SC Work Programme.

·         Councillor Caliskan felt that the detailed response given by Officers had already answered how the problems have been addressed and what the process will entail going forward.

5.    The summing up by Councillor Smith: any failed procurement is of concern and needs to be investigated. The whole process of procuring this contractor has been far too slow and should not have taken this long to get to this stage. He asked that O&SC agree to a further report coming forward in May 2019 to look at whether the priorities have been achieved.

The Leader, Councillor Caliskan felt that it was a misrepresentation to say that the procurement process had failed when there had been a robust and compliant process but no tenders.

She also reminded Members that regular updates on Meridian Water and the procurement process are a standard Part 2 Agenda item at Cabinet and therefore suggested that all Members read these reports.

Following the discussion and noting all the comments made the Committee and Councillor Smith agreed to allow the original decision to be confirmed without the need to vote

AGREED to confirm the decisions in the report.