Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Inward Investment and Employment

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Inward Investment and Employment which provided details of the application submitted to the Coastal Communities Fund to support the delivery of a major capital project to renovate Southport Pier and construct new income generating facilities.  The outcome of the submission would be known in April 2017.

The report indicated that a procurement process needed to commence before April 2017, to enable the Council to be in a position to appoint a contractor to commence works as soon as funding had been confirmed.  This was to ensure that works that could be disruptive to the operation of the Pier can be completed before the busy summer trading season, and works over the beach can be completed as a single phase before inclement weather in winter 2017. This would be the most cost effective and least disruptive approach.

Decision Made: That

(1)       the proposed method of procurement and evaluation as set out within the report be approved:

(2)       the Head of Investment & Employment be authorised to accept the most advantageous bid received in each instance if a successful grant offer is received;

(3)       Subject to (2) above, the Head of Regulation and Compliance be authorised to enter into contracts with the successful contractors if a successful grant offer is received;

(4)       The scheme be included in the capital programmefor 2017/18 to be presented to Council on 2 March 2017 if the grant is approved;

(5)       the provision made within the existing pier contingency fund for works proposed of this nature, be noted; and

(6)       it be noted that the proposal was a Key Decision but had not been included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions. Consequently, the Leader of the Council and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Regeneration & Skills has been consulted under Rule 27 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution, to the decision being made by the Cabinet as a matter of urgency on the basis that it was impracticable to defer the decision until the commencement of the next Forward Plan because of the lead in time required if a grant offer is received.

Reasons for Decision:

Cabinet approval was required to comply with the Council’s procedure rules.  The recommendations would support the receipt of the most competitive tenders for the proposed works and permit the project to progress in accordance with identified programme requirements subject to a grant offer being received.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

All appropriate design and technical options had been considered during the scheme development and it was believed that the final proposals which have received planning and listed building consents represent the most appropriate solution.