Decision details
Purchase of Neighbourhoods Welfare Units
Decision Maker: Director Environment
Decision status: Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
During the Covid-19 pandemic to date, the
Council has successfully managed Covid-safe workplaces for
operational staff, following national legislation and
sector-specific guidance.
A recent review carried out by Property in consultation with Senior
Operations management identified a requirement to provide extra
canteen/breakout space for staff and site operatives at working
depots where 'social distancing' cannot be supported by existing
facilities, during the colder, wetter weather conditions to come in
the Autumn and Winter.
Existing breakout / kitchenettes do not allow for the number of
staff using them and it is recognised that under health, safety and
welfare duties, extra units need to provided at 6 key site
locations, which have been assessed for external space and
necessary services connections.
• Midland Road Depot, Bath
• Ashmead Road Depot, Keynsham
• Keynsham Recycling Centre
• Radstock Road Depot, Midsomer Norton
• RVP Nursery, Bath
• Cleansing Depot, Locksbrook Road, Bath
Decision:
To approve £183k for Neighbourhoods
Welfare Units to be funded from the Corporate Capital Contingency
budget on an urgency basis, to enable purchase and installation of
extra welfare units for frontline operational staff over the Winter
period 2020/21, required due to the Covid pandemic.
Reports were approved through the Recovery Board and the Capital
Strategy Group for this decision.
Alternative options considered:
A comparison with the hire of suitable units
was carried out and estimated to be higher cost on direct timescale
comparison basis. In addition, purchase allows greater flexible
both for uncertain of duration of pandemic and retention for future
depot projects.
Publication date: 05/10/2020
Date of decision: 01/10/2020