Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member considered the exempt information.

The Cabinet Member for Early Years, Children, and Families considered the report which sought approval for an award of contract to carry out enhancement, compliance and condition works at Alexandra Park Library, pursuant to contract standing order 16.02. The report also sought, pursuant to Contract Standing Order (CSO) 16.02, to approve the issuance of a letter of intent.

The Cabinet Member noted the importance of ensuring that the library was designed and developed appropriately to encourage people to come to the library and to use it. The Major Projects Delivery Manager acknowledged this comment and noted that the works were designed to revitalise the library, which included a new stock of books.

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED

1.    Pursuant to Contract Standing Order 16.02, to approve an award to Contractor A (identified in the exempt part of the report) of up to £644,655.00.

2.    To approve a client construction contingency of 10% that equates to £64,466.00, which will be strictly managed under change control governance arrangements.

3.    To approve other sundry costs such as: PM fees, design fees, QS fees, statutory costs, contingencies, and sundry other costs amounting to £334,928.

4.    To approve the issuance of a letter of intent for up to 10% of the contract value totalling £64,466.00.

Reasons for decision

In 2019, the Council allocated capital funds for major improvements to the Council owned libraries. The Council has committed funds from the Capital Programme for the Library IT and Building Upgrade works, and following completion of Stroud Green and Harringay, and Coombes Croft Libraries, currently the available budget is £1.91m. The aim of this programme is to improve the environment for customers and staff. Coombes Croft Library was completed in 2020 and Stroud Green and Harringay Library in November 2021. Alexandra Park Library is the next library in the Enhancement Programme sequence and will be followed by Highgate Library, Muswell Hill Library and Wood Green Library. Marcus Garvey and Hornsey Libraries were the subject of a separate refurbishment programme budgets and have been completed.

The objectives of the Library IT and Buildings Upgrade Programme are as follows:

·         Revitalising internal space by reorganizing how the space is utilised and to upgrade finishes.

·         Redecoration in the main library areas.

·         Interior redesign of the library space to modernize and better facilitate library floor walking and self- service technology.

·         Enhanced lighting.

·         New furniture.

·         New stock and books.

·         New wayfinding signage.

·         IT upgrades including new hardware, RFID self-service kiosks, and improved Wi-Fi.

In early 2020, it was discovered that in addition to the aesthetic enhancements to be undertaken in the Library IT and Building Upgrade Programme, significant compliance and condition works were also required to all of the branch libraries. Following a gap analysis and review, the scope of the compliance and condition works at Alexandra Park Library has been agreed with Corporate Landlord, and to avoid unnecessary disruption to library customers and staff, the agreed scope of those works is now incorporated into the IT and Buildings Upgrade scheme. The works  ...  view the full minutes text for item 163