You are here: Home: Education and learning: Schools: Services for schools: Traded services

Traded services

Building Consultancy

1. What is the purpose of this document?
   1. This document is intended for the person responsible for building management and in particular statutory servicing within a school or education related environment.
   2. The sections within the document aim to explain the risks involved to any individual responsible for procuring building works and illustrate a scheme developed by the Design and Maintenance section of Building Consultancy at Calderdale Council to reduce these risks. The document is set out as follows:
      • Introduction
      • Service standards
      • Scope of service
      • Appendix A - pricing mechanism
      • Appendix B - frequently asked questions
      • Appendix C - service items
      • Appendix D - Form of Agreement
2. Introduction
   1. Any person responsible for arranging repair/maintenance work is liable for ensuring all works comply with all legislation, including Health and Safety and good practice standards.  This duty is in addition to the responsibilities of any contractor undertaking the work.  They are also liable for checking and ensuring contractors undertaking the work are competent to complete the works.
   2. Furthermore, routine inspection and testing is mandatory for most items of electrical and mechanical services plant and equipment.  The liability for these inspections and testing regimes again falls upon the person responsible for maintenance and repair.
   3. In extreme cases, individuals may be held responsible for injury or death caused by such work.
   4. With legislation and standards constantly changing, it may prove difficult for an individual to keep up to date with current requirements and to maintain the necessary standard of knowledge required.
   5. The Building Consultancy Team at Calderdale Council recognises this problem in relation to schools in particular, where the individual responsible for 'day-to-day' works will often be engaged upon other duties within the school environment.
   6. For this reason, the Service Level Agreement (SLA) has been set up to assist schools with their legal duties in respect of servicing, inspection and building works in general.  The SLA will also ensure that the Council's contract procedure rules are fully complied with.
   7. The scheme offers advice and backup for meeting mandatory inspection criteria and will offer advice regarding programming of other works that may be required to be undertaken.
   8. The SLA for 2008/09 is the result of extensive consultation, including a questionnaire sent to all schools in October 2006.
   9. Aspects that arose from the consultation focused on:
      • a fairer method of charging;
      • dedicated building surveyors, mechanical and electrical technicians;
      • periodic visits;
      • financial reporting;
      • work monitoring;
      • quality management of the service provided.
   10. These aspects have been fully considered in this year's SLA and form the basis of a complete revision.
   11. It is important that the scheme is a success for each customer and, with this in mind, feedback will be sought by an independent member of Design and Maintenance in order that any comments can be made in confidence by each client.  This will enable positive feedback into the operation of the scheme and allow ongoing development in order to provide a client reactive service.
   12. Each participating member of the scheme will be visited each year by an independent representative of Design and Maintenance to ensure that any feedback is obtained confidentially and outside the day-to-day relationships between the schools and their appointed surveyors/technicians.
3. Who are the service providers?
   1. The Building Consultancy team delivering this SLA is headed by David Higgott.
   2. David can be contacted for further information as follows:
      • Name
      • David Higgott, Team Leader - Maintenance
      • Address
      • Building Consultancy
        Westgate House
        Westgate
        Halifax HX1 1PS
      • E-mail
      • design.maintenance@calderdale.gov.uk
      • Telephone
      • 01422 392050
      • Fax
      • 01422 392059.
4. Service Standards
   1. All core and traded services have agreed to the following principles to ensure that the customer receives a consistently high level of service. This service will:
      • set standards;
      • be open and provide full information;
      • consult and involve;
      • encourage access and the promotion of choice;
      • treat all fairly;
      • put things right when they go wrong;
      • use resources effectively;
      • innovate and improve;
      • work with other providers;
      • provide user satisfaction.
   2. The following paragraphs explain our service standards and what we are doing to improve them.
      1. Quality awards
         The Building Consultancy Team recognises the benefits of consistent improvement in the quality of its service delivery and in 2005 attained registration with BSI for operating a Quality Management System in compliance with the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2000.
      2. Education expertise
         The Building Consultancy Team has a wealth of experience of working within the education field. Several of the team's professional staff have previous backgrounds within other local education authorities.
      3. Qualified staff
         Continuing Professional Development is considered of paramount importance within the Building Consultancy Team, several members of the team hold degrees in their relevant disciplines and the team is actively working to ensure all staff attain membership of a relevant professional body. Through the Council's Performance Appraisal Scheme (PAS), individual training needs for all staff have been established for the coming year in line with the Council's Corporate Priorities, and a structured training plan is in place to ensure all staff receive training relevant to the needs of the service.  It is a policy to ensure all posts are filled by fully qualified, permanent personnel (currently 87 per cent).
      4. Secure identification, CRB checks
         We recognise that security is an important and sensitive issue within schools and all staff within the Building Consultant Team carry with them an identification card showing a photograph of the individual together with confirmation of the individual's name, directorate and service area and a telephone number in order to seek verification of the details displayed. In addition, CRB disclosure screening prior to appointment is an option that the Consultancy considers in appropriate cases.
      5. Responsiveness
         We appreciate that a prompt response is important to customers and to this end the Building Consultancy Team is committed wherever possible to the following response times:
         • telephone: within five rings
         • e-mail to Building Consultancy: five working days
         • fax: two working days
         • letter: ten working days
      6. Courtesy
         You can expect us to be courteous and helpful at all times. When you write to us, telephone us, or visit our offices, the person you are in contact with will tell you his or her name and, where appropriate, telephone number.
      7. Properly equipped
         The Building Consultancy Team has a range of specialist equipment in order to effectively carry out survey and investigation work. Glass testing equipment, for example, to accurately determine the type of glass fitted, on your behalf, crucial in compliance with part 'N' of the Building Regulations, and CO gas analysing equipment for analysing flue gas emissions. In addition, project management software is utilised to deal more proactively with the increasing workload of the team.
      8. Meets all statutory requirements
         Constantly changing and increasing amounts of legislation affect the ways in which we carry out our duties, with this in mind we work in close partnership with the Council's Health and Safety Advisers and also the Health and Safety Executive to ensure continuous improvements in the field of health and safety. We consider health and safety during construction works to be of paramount importance to the school, its occupants, visitors and contractors. Our aim is to ensure relevant legislation is strictly complied with in all cases as failure can lead to serious consequences. To facilitate this, the Building Consultancy Team has developed a computerised, quality approved process to ensure full compliance of all works arranged by the team. With regard to statutory servicing and maintenance requirements, we ensure that all service items, detailed in appendix C and that are present within the school, comply with the appropriate legislation.
      9. Programming
         Traditionally, works for schools are undertaken primarily during school holidays, in particular the summer break.  Increasingly, this has presented problems in terms of contractor availability and sufficient time to undertake the longer programmes.  In addition, the high demand for contractors during these periods has been reflected in tender prices that are quite often higher than would normally be expected.  Careful planning and co-ordination of works that take into consideration relevant health and safety issues may often enable works to be undertaken during term time, with the resultant advantages in both cost and lead-in time necessary.  Use of portable boilers also enable lengthy re-boilering schemes to be carried out at any time of the year.  In advising schools, Building Consultancy will endeavour to ensure best value and convenience in terms of programming.
      10. Fully insured
          The Building Consultancy Team carries public liability insurance and professional indemnity.
5. Scope of Service - Covered within the base charge for the SLA
   
   Officer visits
   1. At the start of the SLA, dedicated surveyors/technicians will be allocated to the school.  The school will receive a joint visit by their appointed:
      • building surveyor;
      • mechanical technician;
      • electrical technician.
   2. This visit will cover such issues as the following:
      • discussion and preliminary advice regarding the schools asset management plan;
      • maintenance issues;
      • proposed schemes for building works, mechanical and electrical upgrade/alterations;
      • walk round as necessary to assess the building and associated mechanical and electrical services.
      1. Following the above, the officers will return by request for a second visit to discuss their proposals and advice in respect of requirements arising out of their initial visit.
      2. Subsequent to these initial visits, one of the above officers will call, by your request and by appointment, to discuss your ongoing maintenance requirements and any other aspects that you may choose regarding the building.  These visits will be approximately one hour and will be charged on an hourly rate.  The school is free to arrange these visits to suit their own requirements subject to the availability of the appropriate officer.

   Mandatory servicing and testing

   1. A list of all equipment and systems requiring mandatory servicing and testing will be established and records kept regarding when this work should be undertaken.
   2. The school's appointed technicians will request an order number and cost-code from the school and following receipt, will arrange with a qualified contractor for this work to be undertaken.
   3. Further, they will ensure that this work is undertaken in a timely fashion, check all documentation that arises and ensure that a copy is retained by the school.
   4. Any further requirements that arise out of the mandatory servicing and testing will be explained to you and will, following the receipt of your further order number and cost code, be arranged with a qualified contractor. Any further documentation that arises will be dealt with as above.

   Out-of-hours emergency call-out

   1. An out-of-hours emergency call-out service will be provided covering all trades.  This will ensure the response of a competent contractor to attend emergencies outside of normal working hours.
   2. The contractor will complete a permanent repair if this can be easily and quickly done and the required materials are carried, otherwise a temporary repair will be undertaken to ensure the building is safe and secure.  You must provide Building Consultancy with an order number and cost-code to cover the emergency call-out the following working day.
   3. The service is available after 5.00 pm and before 8.00 am Monday to Friday inclusive and at any time outside of Building Consultancy's normal working hours.

   Insurance works

   1. Insurance claims will be processed on your behalf for an administrative charge of 10 per cent of the cost of the insurance invoice.  It should be noted that the works themselves will be paid for as part of the insurance claim.  For larger insurance schemes in excess of £10,000, fees will be recovered as part of the insurance claim.

   Approved list of contractors

   1. The service includes for the formulation and maintenance of a register of competent contractors approved by the Council.  All contractors approved by the Council have been rigorously vetted in accordance with CHAS, a nationally recognised health and safety evaluation process.  Using the approved list also ensures that all contractors employed on your behalf, carry appropriate insurances and relevant income tax certification.  Note this excludes out-of-hours emergency call-outs.

   Regulations compliance/Council contract procedure rules

   1. Any advice and guidance offered will have regard to the legal obligations and duties of the school's administrators.

   Covered within the 10 per cent fee based on invoice value

   Repairs helpdesk/ordering of repairs

   1. Building Consultancy is developing a dedicated repairs helpdesk to assist in streamlining response to reactive repair requests and to provide a first and consistent point of contact for all your enquiries.  It is anticipated that his will be on-stream for the start of the new school year in September 2008.
   2. In the interim, all your repair requests will be received via Building Consultancy's technical administration team who will either arrange for an appropriate contractor to attend to the repair, or will involve the appropriate surveyor/technician as required to arrange the repair.
   3. Initial estimates for the work provided by Building Consultancy will be indicative only, based upon the responsive information provided by the school at the time of the enquiry/request for work.

   Work monitoring

   1. Work undertaken on your behalf by contractors will be monitored in respect of quality and contractor performance.  This will, where appropriate, include surveyor visits in addition to those mentioned previously.

   Invoice processing

   1. Invoices will be checked for content, charges will be verified and disputed items resolved prior to endorsing invoices for certification and payment by you.  Any queries following your receipt of invoice will be dealt with immediately.

   Regulations compliance/Council contract procedure rules

   1. Where work is procured, Building Consultancy will ensure compliance by the contractor and the school's administrators in relation to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 (or Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 when introduced) and any other relevant legislation applicable, by way of risk assessments, method statements and resolving any issues arising therefrom.  All procurement will comply with the Council's contract procedure rules.

   Not covered within the 10 per cent fee based on invoice value

   • Budget estimates/feasibilities and procurement for works other than reactive repairs, servicing and testing.
   • Officer visits at the school's request in excess of those identified as included within the base charge or 10 per cent invoice fee.
   • Asbestos management.
   • Structural engineering or use of other consultants.
   • Cost of planning applications, building regulation approval.
   • Charges associated with statutory undertakers, eg gas, electricity, water, telecom providers.
   • Planning supervision under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994, or CDM co-ordinator under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.
   1. For schools signed up to the SLA for 2008/09, Building Consultancy is able to quote for these and any other services on a job-by-job basis, having regard for the nature of the work.
   2. Following your agreement these charges will be confirmed.
   3. For project work the Client Brief (your requirements); Building Consultancy's services; the services of other parties (eg structural engineer, gas board); fees chargeable by Building Consultancy and, if applicable, other parties; cost of planning or other applications; specific exclusions to the brief; and funding source/s will be confirmed on a Project Registration Form to be signed by yourself prior to the commencement of any work.
   4. Thereafter changes to the brief will be monitored under Building Consultancy's change control process that will identify if applicable, any resultant changes to the cost and/or duration of the project.
      NOTE: Building Consultancy holds no budgets for schools.  An order number and finance code must therefore be provided by the school prior to any order being raised.

   back to top

   Appendix A - Pricing mechanism

   Schools are banded according to a combination of the gross internal floor area and pupil capacity of the school.

   The price bands are as follows:

   • Category 1 - £1260
   • Category 2 - £1890
   • Category 3 - £2520
   • Category 4 - £3675
   • Category 5 - £4725

   All prices are exclusive of VAT.

   The above costs represent the base charge for the SLA scheme.

   In addition to the above, Building Consultancy will charge a fee amounting to 10 per cent of the value of invoices raised in respect of any work ordered on the school's behalf.

   Invoices for works for which a separate fee has been quoted will not be subject to the previously quoted standard 10 per cent fee based on invoice value.

   back to top

   Appendix B - Frequently asked questions

   How long will a contract for this service last?

   Any agreement will last for a period of twelve calendar months and will commence on 1 April 2008 until 31 March 2009.

   Can the contract for this service be changed?

   The service consists of one base offer and this therefore cannot be changed.  Additional services are at the discretion of the school and are charged for on an as-needed basis.

   What do the suppliers expect of me as a customer?

   For the duration of any Service Level Agreement, you, the customer, undertake to:

   • place written orders with the Building Consultancy Team for the services identified as being required by you;
   • pay accounts for the Building Consultancy Team's services in accordance with the charges set out in Appendix A within thirty consecutive days from receipt of such invoices.
   • pay contractors' accounts for works, or query the account in writing, stating valid reasons why payment is being withheld, within fifteen days of the date of the red certification box on each invoice.  Failure on your part to comply with this requirement will result in any additional charges from the contractor in respect of late payment being passed on to you, limited only to the extent of such failure.

   How can I be sure of a high-quality service?

   We aim to provide a high-quality support service and continually monitor our performance and that of contractors employed on your behalf.  We recognise that prompt service delivery and accurate costs are important to the affective management of your school, and these issues are monitored as specific performance indicators.  At present 95 per cent of all repairs are completed satisfactorily within their particular target dates, and 78 per cent of all repairs are completed within the 5 per cent tolerance of their estimated budget.

   All services will be delivered in line with the Building Consultancy Team's Customer Care Charter as set out below:

   • The customer will receive immediate contact with the team at all times within normal working hours as set out in any Service Level Agreement.
   • The customer will receive a courteous and professional response at all times from staff within the team.
   • The customer will receive a prompt response from the team when requesting a meeting, commensurate with the nature and urgency of the request.
   • The customer is entitled to their security and any other internal policies or procedures being adhered to by staff from the team whilst on their premises.
   • The customer will receive effective and professional advice at all times from the team.
   • The customer will receive a prompt written or e-mail acknowledgment in response to written communications with the team.
   • The customer will be kept fully informed of progress in relation to works arranged on behalf by the team.
   • The customer will receive a good standard of workmanship from the contractors arranged on their behalf by the team.
   • The customer will receive fair and reasonable treatment from the team in relation to any disputes that may arise from the provision of services in line with the procedures set out in any Service Level Agreement.

   Who do I contact if things go wrong?

   The Building Consultancy Team will make every effort on your behalf to ensure that things do not go wrong.  However, the team cannot be held liable for failure to perform its obligations under the terms of any agreement if such failure results from circumstances that are beyond its reasonable control, including industrial action.

   The Team Leader - Maintenance has overall responsibility for administering the services contained within any agreement offered under this service specification.  However, you may discuss the agreement with any member of the team having regard to the nature of your query.

   If the issue cannot be resolved, you may wish to invoke the Council's complaints procedure.

   How will I be charged?

   Building Consultancy will invoice you for the banded fee charge at the start of the Service Level Agreement in April.

   Twice a year, in October and the following April, you will be sent a statement detailing work undertaken and invoiced by the contractor in the previous six months.  From this statement the 10 per cent fee will be calculated and invoiced to you.  Fees on contractors' interim payments will be charged on completion of the works.

   To assist you in managing your works programme a further statement will be sent out showing work ordered and awaiting payment.  Please note that payments may continue to be made outside the annual period of the SLA due to the time delay in contractors invoicing for work and the resulting period required to verify and process invoices.

   All invoices are exclusive of VAT.

   back to top

   Appendix C - Building Consultancy service items (if required)

   • Solid fuel fired plant.
   • Oil fuel fired plant.
   • Gas fired plant (excluding kitchen appliances as these are covered under a separate SLA).
   • Thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs).
   • Fan convectors.
   • Water hygiene risk assessments.
   • Ductwork cleaning.
   • Local exhaust ventilation.
   • Annual inspection (entertainment purpose) - mechanical.
   • Fire alarm.
   • Emergency lighting.
   • Lighting protection.
   • Lift inspections.
   • Annual periodic inspection (entertainment purpose) - electrical.
   • Five yearly periodic inspection.

   Additional legislative items not identified on the list above, where required, would be subject to an additional charge.

   back to top

   Appendix D - Form of agreement

   Appendix D - Form of Agreement [PDF file 28KB]|

back to top