Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Deputy Chief Executive. 

1.         To approve the use of the UK Leisure Procurement Framework to conduct development projects at Leisure centres.

2.         To approve that the decision for the scope of the works to be conducted be delegated to the Executive Member for Early Intervention and approved via the executive member decision process.

Councillor Beverly Murray, Executive Member for Early Intervention, presented the report of the Deputy Chief Executive which seeks approval to use an existing UK Leisure Framework (Access Agreement) to deliver any capital development projects that may need to be conducted imminently at Leisure centres.  It also seeks approval for the scope of development projects to be conducted to be delegated to the Executive Member for Early Intervention.

Following the report to General Purposes Committee in September 2020 the Council agreed to bring the management of the Leisure facilities in-house whilst the longer-term options are considered.

The preferred bidder had intended to use Alliance Leisure to develop and deliver capital development projects across the sites, utilising their experience and knowledge of leisure facilities development.

Alliance Leisure have developed a framework which has been approved to be used by Local Authorities and is compliant with OJEU regulations but this framework expires in 2021.

Members supported this and noted that improvements have already been made to the car park at All Seasons. 

Decision:

1.         To approve the use of the UK Leisure Procurement Framework to conduct development projects at Leisure centres.

2.         To approve that the decision for the scope of the works to be conducted be delegated to the Executive Member for Early Intervention and approved via the executive member decision process.

Reasons for recommendation(s):

Use of the framework will allow any works to the centres to be deployed in effective timescale whilst ensuring the process is compliant with OJEU procurement regulations.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

1.         Undertake the delivery of the projects in-house and commence a separate procurement process.  This was rejected as we do not have the expertise to deliver such projects and it would take a considerable amount of time to conduct the procurement exercise for a variety of services and suppliers.

2.         The ability to use the framework will expire in January 2021 therefore to delay submitting our intention to use the framework would mean that we would not be able to make use of this existing framework if we needed to commit to work before January 2021.