Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 11 October 2017 be agreed as a correct record, with the addition of Councillor Alistair Bradley to the list of those present.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of interest received.

To consider the exclusion of the press and public for the following items of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

RESOLVED – that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of the remaining item of business on the grounds that it will involve the disclosure of exempt information under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider a report of the Director of Business, Development and Growth, following consideration at the Digital Office Park Steering Group on 8 November.

The recommendations of the Digital Office Park Steering Group will be reported at the meeting.

Cath Burns, Employment, Skills and Business Support Manager gave a short presentation on the key elements of the project to develop a Digital Office Park and wider Digital Health Village which had been agreed at full Council originally in September 2016; and more recently in September 2017, when authority to proceed with the design and delivery of the enabling works for the site was granted.

The project would provide a hub for bespoke digital office and start up accommodation for small to medium sized businesses with access to boardrooms and other central facilities, supported by a Centre Manager and Administrator and specialist digital Business Advisor. It would support 80 businesses and generate around 240 jobs.

The ownership of the wider site had recently changed and was now held by Primrose Holdings who would undertake the enabling works to create the access road required for the development of the Digital Office Park. The Council was in discussion with company about the future development of the Digital Health Village.

The report of the Director of Business, Development and Growth sought approval to the appointment of the main contractor for the development of the Digital Office Park following a very thorough procurement process required for a project of this scale receiving EU funding:

·         Compliance with the Council’s Contracts Procedure Rules, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the DCLG ESIF compliance guidance.

·         6 bids were received and 5 were evaluated as within the net construction cost limit indicated in the published information for the invitation to tender.

·         These went through a Stage 1 compliance evaluation and a Stage 2 price evaluation, and were assessed and moderated against the detailed non price criteria.

The successful tenderer was below the overall estimated construction cost, however it was acknowledged that there was likely to be some variation once further clarification was received on areas of omission. The company would start on site early in the new year.

Members discussed the procurement process and made comparisons with the Lancashire Regeneration Property Partnership framework as a procurement method.

RESOLVED –

1.    That the contract for the Main Contractor for the Digital Office Park be awarded to the bidder which achieved the highest scoring tender in the procurement process; Wilmott Dixon Construction Limited with a total contract value of £5,922,650 subject to the verification of self-certified information and confirmation of contract examples; and

2.    That completion of the contract documentation be authorised.