COUNCIL tenants have helped choose two main contractors to take over all the maintenance work – worth around �2 million – St Albans District Council (SADC) carries out. The council recently put the work, which was previously handled by a variety of local

COUNCIL tenants have helped choose two main contractors to take over all the maintenance work - worth around �2 million - St Albans District Council (SADC) carries out.

The council recently put the work, which was previously handled by a variety of local contractors, out to tender. More than 100 contractors tendered for the work, from which 14 were short listed and interviewed.

The interview panel - made up of an equal number of tenants and members of staff - selected two contractors to deliver responsive repairs and adaptation works, namely Rok and Mulalley.

Rok's work will be concentrated in the north and middle of the district, while Mulalley will be working predominantly in the south.

A spokesperson for SADC said: "The employment of local labour was important in choosing contractors. Mulalley will be working with a local contractor to deliver the service and they have recently moved into premises in St Albans. Rok are looking to base their offices in St Albans and both contractors will be acquiring local labour through TUPE from our present contractors."

Work was previously shared between a number of contractors with Caulfields, Carters, Collards, B J Builders and BSG being the main ones. Carters will work with Mulalley and some work will still be shared with the other contractors, depending upon availability and areas of specialisation.

The contract is being let for an initial three-year period with the option to extend based on meeting performance criteria.