The Home Ownership Services from the Camden Council have sent the following letter to the leaseholders. To view the original document in a PDF format click here.

The London Borough of Camden
Home Ownership Services
Bidborough House
20 Mabledon Place
London
WC1H9BF

Date: 15th May 2009
Your Reference:
Our Reference: 09/003
Contact: 020 7974 ext 4452, 7100, 1854, 2813 or 3624

Dear Leaseholder(s),

Grounds Maintenance and Arboriculture (Tree) Contracts

Please find enclosed our first stage Notice of Intent to enter into a qualifying long-term agreement(s) for the provision of borough wide contract(s) for Grounds Maintenance and Arboriculture work (work to trees), for a period of seven years.

Will I need to pay for this work?

If you are currently contributing towards grounds maintenance work you will continue to do so in accordance with the terms of your lease. Leaseholders will only be asked to contribute towards arboriculture work if it is carried out at their block/estate.

Observation

The legislation states that Camden must give Leaseholders and their Recognised Tenants Associations 30 days to make written observations on this proposal. Please find enclosed an observation form for your convenience. You have until 17th June 2009 to make any written observations and/or to nominate a contractor to tender for this agreement.

What happens next?

Once this consultation has ended, and subject to the observations we receive, the council will invite tenders for this agreement(s). When the council has evaluated the tenders it receives, we will write to Leaseholders again with a second stage consultation notice that will list the tenders received and advise Leaseholders of the contractor(s) we propose to appoint for this agreement(s). Leaseholders will be given a further 30 days to make written observations towards the proposal.

Should you have any questions regarding this letter or its enclosures please do not hesitate to contact Camden on one of the telephone numbers above.

Yours sincerely

Regan Cossill

On behalf of Camden Council
capitalservices@camden. qov.uk

Enclosures:
o Statutory notice
o Observation form

STATUTORY NOTICE UNDER SECTION 151 SCHEDULE 1 OF THE COMMONHOLD AND LEASEHOLD REFORM ACT 2002 NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ENTER INTO A QUALIFYING LONG TERM AGREEMENT

To all Leaseholders of the London Borough of Camden that pay towards Grounds Maintenance, and/or Arboriculture works, and their Recognised Tenants’ Associations:

1. It is the intention of the London Borough of Camden to enter into a qualifying long-term agreement(s) in respect of which we are required to consult Leaseholders and their Recognised Tenants’ Associations.

2. The services to be provided under the agreement(s) are Grounds Maintenance and Arboriculture works. The contractor(s) will be required to maintain all aspects of Grounds Maintenance and Arboriculture as per the council’s specification (proposal).

The council is proposing to tender these works in three different packages:
1. Grounds Maintenance and Arboriculture works as one contract
2. Grounds Maintenance as a contract by itself and
3. Arboriculture Works as a contract by itself

If package 1 is cheaper than the combined value of packages 2 and 3, then our intention is to award the contract on this basis. If the combined value of packages 2 and 3 is cheaper than the value of package 1, then our intention is to award this work as two separate contracts.

The council is proposing to enter into this agreement(s) to ensure it has the necessary resources to carry out ground maintenance and arboriculture works. This work is necessary to ensure the grounds and trees are well kept.

3. You are invited to inspect our full proposals (relevant matters) for this agreement(s) on Monday 8th June 2009 at: The Camden Town Hall, Committee Room 1, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9BJ between the hours of 4pm and 8pm.

4. You are invited to make written observations and/or nominate a contractor for this work. Please find enclosed an observation form for your convenience. You have until Wednesday 17th June 2009 to make any written observations and/or to nominate a contractor to tender for this/these agreement(s). Please send your observations and/or the name and details of your nominated contractor to:

Regan Cossill
London Borough of Camden
Bidborough House
20 Mabledon Place
London
WC1H9BF

5. Camden estimates that the annual value of this agreement(s) to be £1,700,000.00 for Grounds Maintenance and £150,000.00 for Arboriculture work. This equates to a combined estimated value of £12,950,000.00 over a period of 7 years.

Signed:

Regan Cossill,
Acting Senior Capital Service Charge Officer
on behalf of Camden Council

15th May 2009