Decisions

To seek approval for essential spend in line with the Council’s Housing Transformation and Improvement Plan and in particular, additional interim project and analyst services and roles.

Decision made and reasons:

To engage consultants (ADL Highways and Traffic Engineering) to undertake consultations on the proposal to:

1.    To revoke the No Waiting ‘Mon-Fri 8.30am to 4.30pm’ (Single Yellow Line) restriction on Anchor Lane near to the junction with Heath Lane, and replace with the introduction of No Waiting at Any Time (Double Yellow Lines) restrictions, please see the map below:

2.    To introduce additional no waiting at any time (Double Yellow Lines) at the junction of Beechfield Road and Anchor Lane the request is to prevent parking close to or on the mini roundabout and to prevent inappropriate verge parking on Beechfield Road, please see the map below:

3.    To delegate the decision to undertake a statutory consultation and implement the restriction, if applicable, to the Head of Commercial Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Commercial Strategy & Delivery.

The reason for the decision is to deter inappropriate parking by parents at school drop off and pick up times and to prevent inappropriate and dangerous parking by residents parking on the grass verge adjacent to their residences on Beechfield Road

Having considered the duty imposed under section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, It appears to the local authority that it is necessary and expedient to make an Order in the interests of:

·         avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using the road or any other road or for preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising

·         facilitating the passage on the road or any other road of any class of traffic (including pedestrians)

To undertake consultations on the proposal to introduce waiting restrictions on Anchor Lane, Hemel Hempstead and on Beechfield Road, Hemel Hempstead and to delegate the decision to introduce the restrictions, if applicable, to the Head of Commercial Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Commercial Strategy & Delivery.

In 2021 the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) launched the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).  Wave 1 of the funding was designed to assist local authorities delivering retrofit measures to poor performing stock.  The Council, in partnership with industry experts Wates, submitted an SHDF application and successfully received £300,000 in funding to deliver retrofit works to four blocks of flats in Northend.

Wates are an industry expert in retrofitting energy measures and their experience was crucial in the successful funding bid.  They have delivered similar projects elsewhere in the country and tangible and deliverable projects was a key factor for BEIS when assessing bids.  We are in receipt of the funding, but the criteria we need to meet is extensive and Wates can satisfy this through their compliant PAS2035 registered supply chain.

As fuel bills continue to rise we need to be delivering projects that will help to prevent tenants falling in to fuel poverty.  This project will significantly improve the thermal efficiency of the buildings by introducing External Wall Insulation, double glazed windows and loft insulation; ventilation will also be installed to prevent overheating and promote air exchange.  In addition we are proposing to install Solar PV panels that will directly benefit our tenants by reducing their utility consumption. 

To make a direct contract award via the Fusion 21 framework agreement to Wates Group Ltd in order to commence and complete Energy Efficiency Works at four DBC owned properties situated at Northend. A condition of the BEIS award necessitates that the £300k funds received are spent by the end of this financial year, 31 March 2023