Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the head of development and corporate landlord.

Cabinet considered the head of development and corporate landlord’s report which sought approval of the procurement process to appoint a main contractor, and to delegate authority to award the first stage Pre-construction Services Agreement, and award the design and build contract for Stage 2 to the most economically advantageous tenderer.

The Cabinet member for finance and property presented the report and began by responding to the question raised by Cllr James. He advised that had there been no challenge to the procurement or had funding been rolled over from year one to year two, as it has been in the past, the council would be in a very different position but provided assurance that a lessons learnt exercise would be carried out. He continued by stating the importance that officers focused on contract delivery and mitigating the risks which had been identified. The Cabinet member for finance and property committed to providing a written response to Councillor James.

The Cabinet member for finance and property highlighted the success in securing such a large grant for the proposed works. He outlined that the project would involve the installation of photovoltaic solar panels and air source heat pumps at both White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre and Wantage Leisure Centre and the installation of glazing and cladding at Wantage Leisure Centre. He outlined the risks to the project of failing to award the contract before the start of the next financial year and advised that the recommendations reflected the need to maximise year one funding due to the delays which had been experienced.

Cabinet agreed the securing of such a large grant was a huge success for the council and were pleased to see the recommendations aimed to maximise the funding in light of the delays. Cabinet sought clarification of the reference to £200,000 at paragraph 33 of the report. The Cabinet member for finance clarified this was an error and should read £20,000. Cabinet also requested that the resolution clarified the abbreviation of JCT as Joint Contracts Tribunal.

RESOLVED to:

(a)        approve the procurement process to appoint a main contractor in respect of the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre and Wantage Leisure Centre Salix Phase 3b decarbonisation projects following a two-stage procurement process;

(b)        authorise the head of development and corporate landlord, in consultation with the head of finance and the Cabinet member for finance and property, to award the first stage Pre-construction Services Agreement following the completion of satisfactory design to Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stage 4; and

(c)        authorise the head of finance, in consultation with the relevant head of service under the constitution, to tender and award the contract for stage 2 (a Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) design and build contract) to the most economically advantageous tenderer within up to a five per cent variation of the allocated budget approved by Council.