Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Neighbourhoods and Development enclosed.

Decision made (unanimously):

That Cabinet agrees to:

1.    Grant permission to spend the allocated capital budget of £732,732 for the Refurbishment of Hurst Grange Coach House and the associated project activities; and

2.    To award the contract for the building works to Bidder 8 in Table 1, Appendix 1 of the report.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Assets presented a report of the Director of Neighbourhoods and Development which brought back before members the Hurst Grange Coach House refurbishment and improvement project, following an open tender process to seek permission to spend the allocated capital budget and to award the contract to the Preferred Bidder identified by the procurement process. 

Councillor P Smith made reference to Page 105 of the report, Table 2 - Building Works Contingency, which he would expect to form part of the overall bid. The Director of Neighbourhoods and Development explained that it was a requirement of the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the contingency to be separated and that she would provide him with detailed information following the meeting.

Decision made (unanimously):

That Cabinet agrees to:

1.    Grant permission to spend the allocated capital budget of £732,732 for the Refurbishment of Hurst Grange Coach House and the associated project activities; and

2.    Award the contract for the building works to Bidder 8 in Table 1, Appendix 1 of the report.

Reasons for decision

The Hurst Grange Coach House project has been progressing over a number of years and was considered at Full Council in July 2020 where the go ahead was given for the acceptance of the grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and to progress an open tender process to identify a preferred bidder.  Now the tender process has been carried out formal approval was required to spend the allocated capital budget and award the contract to allow improvement works to begin. 

Alternative options considered and rejected

A range of options were considered for the future of the building and a preferred way forward was chosen and developed following consultation.  Options of ‘do nothing’, residential conversion, commercial use and were rejected at an early stage of the process as a result of consultation feedback. 

There has always been the option of not taking the Coach House refurbishment and Heritage Fund application forward.  However, at every stage through Cabinet reports or delegated decisions, it was agreed to continue the project and associated Lottery bidding process until this point whereby the project can be delivered if given final approval.