Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director of Culture, Strategy and Communities. To be presented by the Cabinet Member for Placemaking & Local Economy

Declarations of interest for this item:

 

None

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Cabinet:

 

1.    Approved the commencement of procurement exercises for the following contract and Framework in accordance with CSO 2.01(b) and CSO 7.01 (commencement of procurement of contracts valued at £500k or above and the setting up of a Framework):

a.    Contract for the acquisition of Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment (FF&E) for the Civic Centre at a value not exceeding the amount stated in the exempt portion of the report.

b.    Framework to procure Catering Operators from which the Council can select a café operator concession for the Civic Centre and other council owned assets when opportunities arise for a period of 4 years.

 

2.    Noted that several other FF&E items will fall below the statutory procurement thresholds and will be procured ensuring best value.

3.    Note the overall cost for all client fit out items will be within the agreed budget as contained in the 12 November 2024 Cabinet Report titled: Civic Centre Development Project, Construction Main Contract Award.

 

Reasons for decision

 

To achieve the completion of client fit out of the Civic Centre and enable effective occupation of the building in 2027. The Council would need to procure the following:

 

a)       Acquiring Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment (FF&E)

b) Additional FF&E items below procurement threshold

c) A catering concession for the cafe in the Welcome space

 

Following Practical Completion of the building, the Council will be responsible for installing the necessary FF&E within a 12-week period to ensure the Civic Centre is ready for occupation.

 

 The scope of FF&E is extensive and will include, but is not limited to:

 

·       Workstations

·       Chairs

·       Desks

·       Furniture for meeting rooms

·       Committee rooms

·       Council Chamber

·       Storage

·       Lockers

·       Specialist areas such as the reception, nursing room

·       IT containment, for example, non-electrical ‘peripheral’ items like cable tidies, trays, and monitor arms.

 

Mindful of the Council's financial challenges and the need to secure best value for the taxpayer, the Civic Centre project has sought to re-use furniture and other items wherever possible and suitable, rather than seeking to purchase all new items. This approach aligns with the Cabinet Member Signing decision dated 3 August 2022, titled ‘Award of Contract for Alexandra House and 48 Station Road Furniture Purchasing’.

 

The programme is also seeking to accommodate several key items from design developed during RIBA stage 3+ as these are considered desirable but have no budget allocation, as detailed in section 4.1b. Despite these constraints, the objective remains to deliver a fully functional fit out within the available budget and supporting the Council’s ambition to provide flexible working and meeting spaces for all staff. This will help foster cross-service collaboration and maximise the utility of the Civic Centre as a shared workspace.

 

While officers have worked diligently to maximise re-use opportunities, it is recognised that the Civic Centre is a flagship Grade II Listed building and a source of civic pride. As such, certain areas will require new furniture to reflect the building’s significance and support its continued civic and public use for generations to come. These areas include the Council Chamber, Committee Rooms, Welcome space, Reception and spaces where existing furniture is unavailable or unsuitable. These and other areas are identified for hiring for events to generate income, and the choice and quality of furniture will be an important consideration in this respect.

 

An additional consideration is the nature of the listed building, which has a smaller floorplate than the purpose-built Annexe. This physical constraint means that someexisting desks and other furniture cannot be accommodated within the Civic Centre, making reuse of desks impractical.

 

The Grade II Listed Council Chamber will require a combination of standard and bespoke furniture, which may necessitate engagement with a specialist manufacturer. As a result, the procurement of FF&E may be split into three separate Lots to accommodate the special requirements. Should the budget assessment for the Council Chamber fall within procurement thresholds, officers may proceed via a Delegated Authority Approval (DAA).

 

To ensure value for money and operational efficiency, a single set of high-specification chairs will be procured to serve both the Council Chamber and Committee Rooms. These chairs will be relocated between spaces as required, supporting better furniture utilisation, streamlined storage, and simplified maintenance.

 

In addition, officers will explore opportunities to acquire surplus furniture from other organisations at minimal cost. This would enable further budget flexibility and allow resources to be redirected to unfunded areas of the client fit out.

Officers will adopt a range of procurement approaches for the remaining items, broadly categorised as follows:

·       Utilisation of existing contracts and frameworks where appropriate

·       Procurement via Delegated Authority Approval (DAA)

·       Engagement of community and staff groups to support delivery and ownership.

 

Utilisation of existing contracts and frameworks where appropriate

Where an existing contract or framework is available and appropriate, we will seek to utilise it. If this is not feasible or successful, procurement will proceed under a Delegated Authority Approval process.

 

DAA – *Internal plants*

The office areas in the Civic Centre are intended to have significant amount of internal planting to promote biophilia that seeks to connect people with nature within the building enhancing staff wellbeing and support neurodiversity.  Procurement of the internal planting as a feature will be managed through Delegated Authority. Consideration will be given to engaging staff volunteer groups to take ownership of its maintenance, promoting a sense of stewardship and encouraging participation in the building’s upkeep. This approach supports health and wellbeing and contributes to managing ongoing revenue implications/costs associated with the provision of planting.

 

Engagement of community and staff groups

The Council is committed to involving the community in bringing the Civic Centre to life, (through the ENLIVEN project). Haringey benefits from a vibrant and diverse creative community, and we aim to harness and exploit this local talent by offering opportunities to showcase skills and promote artistic work.

 

There is potential within the building to curate art installations, and we propose to encourage participation from local artists. For the initial installations at the time of opening, a brief will be issued inviting proposals through a community competition for designated areas of the building. This initiative is proposed to continue on a rolling basis, perhaps every two years, potentially evolving into a regular programme.

 

Longer-term curations will be explored, with consideration given to aligning with wider cultural initiatives such as the London Borough of Culture, to ensure sustainability and continued community engagement.

 

As part of the Civic Centre initiative, the Council is taking opportunities to implement changes to a range of provisions, where feasible opportunities arise. One such opportunity is catering operators.

 

The Civic Centre includes a small Café concession within the Welcome space on the Ground Floor which will be accessible to staff and the public. Procuring this concession provides the opportunity to set up a new framework from which the Civic Centre and other facilities can procure catering operators.

 

From initial research, there are circa 16 concessions/caterers currently in operation in council owned assets across the borough, with the potential to expand this to around 35. The feasibility for each potential opportunity will be dealt with case by case.  The benefit of establishing the framework will allow a more streamlined and faster procurement when opportunities are identified and underpinned by a robust business case and proposal from a framework approved operator.

 

An early procurement process is recommended to appoint an operator for the Civic Centre, allowing them to actively contribute to the selection of appropriate kitchen equipment to suit their operations for the Welcome Café. The procurement strategy for the Civic Centre will prioritise opportunities for local suppliers, supporting the local economy and fostering community engagement and the potential for social value.

 

 

Alternative options considered

 

To support the delivery of the Civic Centre client fit out, three options have been considered. They are presented below. Option 3 is the preferred option.

 

Option 1: Do Nothing

         

This option is not viable. Without procurement and installation of the client fit-out items the Council will be unable to occupy the building. The Council has a statutory responsibility to undertake all procurement within legal requirements and council’s standing orders.

 

Option 2: Full Tender Process for All Items

 

While compliant, this approach presents significant risks:

 

·       Time and cost intensive, potentially delaying project delivery.

·       Excludes smaller or local suppliers, undermining social value objectives and local economic benefits.

·       Market disinterest in smaller or specialist items.

·       Resource intensive, requiring multiple tender processes.

·       High risk of not meeting the occupation timeline.

 

Option 3: Mixed Tendering Approach (Tenders and Request for Quotation RFQs) (Preferred Option)

 

This approach is proportionate and flexible, offering the following benefits:

 

·       Enables participation from smaller, suitable suppliers, including local businesses.

·       Encourages staff and community involvement, enhancing ownership and engagement.

·       Makes best use of Council resources, reducing unnecessary expenditure.

·       Allows for phased procurement and adaptability to changes in programme or priorities.

·       Maximises social value and supports fairer competition.

·       Potential to waive internal restrictions (e.g. two-year balance sheet requirement) where appropriate.

·       Supports legacy initiatives such as planting and community arts.

·       Allows for iterative procurement beyond occupation, prioritised to suit operational needs.