(KEY DECISION)

Report No. 181/2016

(KEY DECISION)

Report No. 181/2016 was received from the Director of Places (Development and Economy).

The Portfolio Holder, Mr Foster, introduced the report, the purpose of which was to seek Cabinet approval for the release of up to £400k to relocate the Children’s Centre (Visions) from Catmose College to the Oakham Library site; to combine this project with Oakham Library essential maintenance works, to minimise duplication of construction costs and site disruption; to increase the funding identified for the library maintenance works from £220k (approved by Cabinet on the 21^st June 2016) to £280k, as a result of further detailed review of the site maintenance issues; and to give powers to the Director for Places (Development and Economy), the Portfolio Holder for Safeguarding Children and Young People and the Director for Resources to appoint the Lead Designer; and to select the procurement route, establish the award criteria and appoint the contractor who will deliver the combined project, so enabling the provision of additional school places at the earliest opportunity.

During the discussion the following points were raised:

i)                 That the Decisions reflected the funding streams for each project as stated in paragraph 7.1 of Report No. 181/2016.

ii)               The development would be determined at the Development Control and Licensing Committee.  Members of the public were already voicing concerns including parking on Bull Lane and parents crossing to the library.

iii)              Parking spaces be removed from future drawings as it was not intended to park on Bull Lane at this stage.

DECISIONS

1)    Cabinet APPROVED the proposal to combine the project ‘Oakham Library – Essential Works’ (previously approved by Cabinet on the 21^st June 2016) with this project – ‘Relocation of the Children’s Centre’.

2)    Cabinet APPROVED the release of up to £400k to support the relocation of the Children’s Centre from Catmose College to the Oakham Library site, and an additional £60k to deliver the library refurbishment works.

3)    Cabinet AUTHORISED the Director of Places (Development and Economy) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Places (Development and Economy), the Portfolio Holder for Safeguarding Children and Young People and the Director for Resources to progress Option 2 that enable the most advantageous elements of a combined project.

4)    Cabinet AUTHORISED the Director of Places (Development and Economy) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Places (Development and Economy), the Portfolio Holder for Safeguarding Children and Young People and the Director for Resources to select the procurement route, establish the award criteria and appoint the most advantageous supplier or suppliers dependent upon the procurement route selected for the combined project.

5)    Cabinet AUTHORISED the Director of Places (Development and Economy) to appoint the Lead Designer for the combined project, in order to expedite the urgent works required.

6)    Cabinet NOTED that funding for the relocation of the Children’s Centre project was from Basic Needs funding; and that funding for the Library project was included in the revised capital programme funded by the Oakham North agreement.

Reason for the decisions

1.     To allow the combined project to move forward and lead to the provision of additional teaching space at Catmose College, and Library and Children’s Centre facilities that ensure service delivery for the next 25 years.