Issue - meetings

This report relates to the purchase of vehicles and plant to fulfil service delivery requirements.  Vehicle purchase as opposed to lease or rental will ensure best value for money, and also allows for vehicles to be fitted out to meet essential health and safety, and operational requirements.

The building maintenance service currently has fifteen vehicles on long term hire in order to meet the longer term demand resulting from the insourcing of services for;

·       Damp and Mould investigation and treatment

·       Water quality testing

·       Repairs and maintenance for the Poole area (previously Poole Housing Partnership)

·       Increased budget for kitchen and bathroom refurbishments

·       Requirement to meet EPC to C standard

The service has also expanded it’s disabled adaptations fitters in order to meet demand and delivery targets within Grant funded disabled adaptations work.

Additionally, the Construction Works Team currently have one hire vehicle for a bricklaying post that has now been filled.

The need for vans is based on the longer-term needs of BCP Homes, which are supported by budget provision within the HRA (20 vehicles) and the requirement for an extra vehicle for the Construction Works Team (CWT).

These purchased vans will replace the currently rented vehicles and also provide for additional posts necessary to fulfil service requirements. Each operative typically requires a van to satisfy the requirements of their role, including safe tool and materials transportation and storage, and out of hours response.

The Construction Works Team plant replacement strategy recommends the purchasing of a JCB 535/125 or equivalent Telehandler and 9 Tonne Excavator, partly funded by the sale of three existing, older items of plant that are nearing the end of their usable life.  There is a requirement to prudentially up to £46,000 to meet the funding shortfall.  This will be repaid over the next three years from income generated by the team through the work it delivers. This will ensure that the service avoids high rental costs, have the right specification plant for the works undertaken, can partly fund the new vehicles through resale of old plant and have reliable safe plant for future development.

The repayment of the prudential borrowing required for both areas will be fully funded by the service and included within its recharging rates to services and customers. Both the Building Maintenance and Construction Works Team operate on a full cost recovery basis.