Decision details

Cabinet Member approval sought.

1.        That Appendix A of the report be exempt from disclosure as it involves the disclosure of information as prescribed by paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule12a to the Local Government Act 1972, (as amended), in that they contain information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority).

2.        That the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration formally agreed the preferred way forward as set out in the Full Business Case, namely;

·       A Joint development, with affordable housing provided at Ashbridge and Ashmill, and private housing at Cosway.

·       The direct development of all three sites by the council

·       The appointment of Geoffrey Osborne Ltd (Osborne) as Main Contractor to deliver the construction works at the 3 sites.

3.        That the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration, in support of 2 above, formally agreed to:-

·       Authorise the drawdown of additional centrally held contingency as referred to in the Financial Implications in Appendix A.

·       Authorise to spend the balance of the capital funds required to deliver the project as referred to in the Financial Implications in Appendix A.

·       Approve the execution of the Building Contract between the Council and Osborne as Main Contractor to deliver the construction works at the three sites as referred to in the Legal Implications in Appendix A.

4.        That the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration noted the mitigation referred to in Appendix A to reduce the HRA borrowing, which is subject to further investigation and delegated authority to the Executive Director for Growth Planning and Housing in respect of any future decision in connection with this matter.

Reasons for Decision

1.              The Council is satisfied that the redevelopment will contribute towards meeting the City for All objectives, in particular “City of Opportunity”

2.              Specifically, this development will contribute 28 new affordable homes towards the council’s target of 1,850 by 2023.

3.              Furthermore, the proposed landscaping improvements at Ashbridge St will help to deliver the City for All target of Healthier and Greener City.

4.              A linked planning application was submitted in December 2017 and subsequently approved in March 2019

5.              The Full Business Case represents the final business case stage in the project and reconfirms that project remains the most suitable option for the Council to deliver.

6.              The Full Business Case has shown that there is still a strong strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management case for the project to progress to the delivery phase.

7.              Having previously recommended the approval of Osborne for the pre-construction services agreement in October 2018 following an OJEU compliant tender process, the Gate Review Panel also recommended in July 2020 the award of the main construction works contract to Osborne, subject to Cabinet Member approval

8.              Osborne have now completed the detailed design and a rigorous open book tendering exercise has been undertaken and overseen by the Council’s appointed Cost Consultant (Currie and Brown). Currie and Brown have confirmed that the Contract Sum for the main works represents reasonable value for money.