Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director for Housing, Regeneration and Planning.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation]

This report requests that Cabinet agree to enter into contract with the Multi-Disciplinary Design Team for the design and refurbishment (and extension) of the Council owned, Grade II listed Civic Centre.  In addition delegated authority is sought to the Assistant Director of Property and Capital Works to submit Planning and Listed Building applications during the design process.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation introduced the report which provided an update on the Civic Centre project following the decision in December 2020 by Cabinet to proceed with the project to repair and refurbish the listed Civic Centre to bring the building back into use.  Approval was also sought to proceed with design work on the refurbishment and to award a contract for RIBA stages 2-6 design work. 

The Assistant Director for Capital Projects & Property advised that the project would aim to meet this highest levels of sustainability in all areas, including the appointment of contractors. 

The Cabinet Member and officers responded to questions from Councillor Ogiehor:

-           This report was not making decisions on the future of other council buildings.  The other accommodation strategy would be reviewed and reported to Cabinet in a separate report.

-           A further report would be provided with costings once the design work had been carried out.

-           Initial feasibility work on the site had concluded that having a mix of housing and civic buildings was not the most efficient use of the site.

Further to considering exempt information it was,

RESOLVED that Cabinet

1.      Agree to proceed with the design work on the refurbishment of the Civic Centre, including the provision of an annex extension, based on the feasibility work completed since the December 2020 cabinet decision to explore this option.

2.         Note that a report will be brought to Cabinet in January 2022 for the following:

(i)        decision on whether to proceed with the Civic Centre, including an annex option, informed by the final full business case, once further design work outlined in recommendation 3.1 has been completed;

(ii)       approval to award a contract for preparatory works to the Civic Centre.   These works are independent of the above decision about whether to include an annex option, as they are required to deliver a refurbishment of the existing Civic Centre for the Council’s accommodation use and are in accordance with the decision taken by Cabinet in December 2020

3.      Approve the award of a contract to Hawkins Brown Ltd for the maximum sum of £3,110,999.89 for RIBA stages 2-6 design services for the Civic Centre refurbishment project and annex project, in accordance with contract standing order 9.07.1d.  Noting that should we not proceed with the annex option at any stage during the design development; then the project fees will be reduced accordingly.

4.      Approve issuing Hawkins Brown Ltd with a letter of intent prior to the formal contract execution. The letter of intent will represent ten per cent of the total contract value and will not exceed £311,099.99.

5.      Notes that the Hawkins Brown Ltd. contract sum will be reduced if Cabinet decide not to proceed with the annex building as part of the Civic Centre project. If Cabinet does not decide to proceed with the annex building the Hawkins Brown contract will be revised to be based on a percentage of the construction value of the existing refurbishment. 

Reasons  ...  view the full minutes text for item 634