Decision details

To award the contract for the update of the Wards Corner CPO EqIA 2017 to Ottaway Strategic Management at a cost of £9,460 excluding VAT.

In 2012 AECOM undertook an EqIA on behalf of the Council as part of their consideration of a planning application submitted by Grainger in respect of the Wards Corner development proposals. In 2015, AECOM undertook a review of the 2012 EqIA to support the case for the Council’s use of Compulsory Purchase powers. Immediately prior to the CPO Public Inquiry in July 2017 AECOM undertook a further review of their 2015 EqIA.

The Secretary of State confirmed the Wards Corner CPO in January 2019. This decision has been challenged and is now the subject of a Statutory Review which is to be heard by the High Court on 8th and 9th October 2019.

In order to ensure that the Council continue to fulfil its equality duties in relation to using CPO powers the Council require a further review of the 2017 EqIA. This will also provide a renewed consideration of potential equality impacts, both negative and positive, associated with the Wards Corner development and the current stage of the CPO process, as well as recommending any action to be taken to mitigate any adverse equality impacts.

Ottaway Strategic Management (OSM) have been approached to provide a proposal to undertake the 2017 EqIA update. OSM have a strong record in undertaking EqIA’s including in relation to CPO’s. OSM have confirmed that they have the resources available to complete the EqIA update by the end of September 2019. On this basis it is considered that OSM are well placed in all respects to undertake this commission.

Due to the specialist nature of the commission and timescales approaching a wider field of consultants was not considered.