Decision details

To accept a grant of £4,079,000 offered by the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the refurbishment of King’s Gardens, Southport and enter into a Contract with the funders governing how the Council will deliver and manage the project; and to seek specific legal and financial approvals to enable the project to proceed at minimum risk

The Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Place which sought approval to formally accept a grant of £4,079,000 offered by the Trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Big Lottery Fund towards the refurbishment of King’s Gardens, Southport and enter into a Contract with the funders governing how the Council would deliver and manage the project.

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED:            That

(1)       the terms and conditions of the funders’ Contract relating to King’s Gardens, Southport as appended to the report be accepted and the Head of Corporate Legal Services be authorised to enter into Contracts accordingly;

(2)            approval be given to the commencement of the procurement and tender process for the selection of a suitable Main Contractor to undertake the works and the outcome of the tender process be reported at a future meeting of Cabinet;

(3)       it be noted that the existing Economic Regeneration and Tourism  and Landscape Services’ budgets for Management and Maintenance costs total £180,734 and the funding Contract requires the ongoing provision of this funding to ensure the gardens are adequately maintained upon completion;

(4)            approval be given to the ring-fencing of the existing Economic Regeneration and Tourism and Landscape Services King’s Gardens’ budgets referred to in (3) above and that at the end of subsequent financial years, any underspend be carried forward into the following financial year to fund cyclical maintenance;

(5)            approval be given to a maximum contribution of £50,000 towards the refurbishment of the Marine Lake Café, to be provided from the Property Intervention Fund;

(6)       the Strategic Director - Place and Head of Corporate Legal Services, be granted delegated authority to approve a new 30-year Lease and Agreement for the development between the Council and the current leaseholders of Marine Lake Café, King’s Gardens, Southport; and

(7)       the Strategic Director - Place be authorised to agree a programme management structure necessary to demonstrate the Council’s commitment to the successful delivery and long term management of the improved facility.