Decision details

The Director of Operational Delivery submitted an exempt report to consider the issue of forward funding for the Whitelands Farm Sports Ground to enable the delivery of the 3G artificial turf pitch and tennis courts to coincide with but separate to the main construction contract for phase 2 of the development.

Resolved

(1)          That the Director of Operational Delivery, in consultation with the Head of Law and Governance, the Chief Finance Officer and the Lead Member for Financial Management, be authorised to negotiate the delivery of the 3G pitch and tennis courts through a second independent building contract with the Whitelands Farm Sports Ground Phase 2 contractor.

(2)          That agreement be given to waive the general requirement to competitively procure works, goods and/or services contained in the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules to permit the direct award of the 3G pitch and tennis court works to the Whitelands Farm Sports Ground Phase 2 contractor for the reasons set out in the report (exempt annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book), subject to contract acceptability and demonstrable value for money.

(3)          That agreement be given to forward fund the relevant Section 106 funding to be used for this purpose.

Resolved

The Phase 2 pavilion and car parks works for the Whitelands Farm Sports Ground Project have recently commenced which, along with the forthcoming funds anticipated from the SW Bicester Phase 2 housing development, provide the construction access and funding opportunity to deliver the installation of the 3G pitch and the majority of the tennis courts works. This however will require the Council to forward fund the 3G pitch and tennis court costs potentially ahead of receiving the S106 funding from the SW Bicester Phase 2 housing development as well as negotiating acceptable terms for a separate contract with the Whitelands Farm Sports Ground Phase 2 contractor and waiving the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules for the reasons stated in this report to permit a direct award of the 3G pitch and tennis court works to the Phase 2 contractor without subjecting the new requirement to a competitive tender process.

Options

Option 1: Not to proceed with forward funding and to let the 3G pitch and tennis courts as separate and later contracts. This will incur additional site access and inflationary contract costs for later delivery.

Option 2: Proceed only with the 3G pitch and not the tennis courts. This will use only part of the available S106 funding and will incur additional site access and inflationary contract costs for later delivery.