Decision details

‘that authority be delegated to the Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration to award the library works multi-disciplinary consultancy contract at an estimated value of £800k;

That the works at Southborough Library proceed to tender at an estimated value of £490k;

That authority be delegated to the Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration to award the works contract for Southborough Library, given how close the estimated value is to the £500k threshold, as long as the winning tender is affordable within the Operational Property Review budget; and,

That the Council’s Executive be recommended to:

·  Agree to proceed to tender for the works contract for Beckenham Library at an estimated value of £1.4m;

·  Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Renewal, Recreation and Housing to award the works contract for Beckenham Library at an estimated value of £1.4m, as long as the winning tender is affordable within the Operational Property Review library programme budget;

·  Note the information on works to Crofton Roman Villa and the request as set out in Paragraph 3.19 of Report HPR2023/050 to utilise the Operational Property Review budget for this site as match-funding towards bids for grants to improve the information on site and improve visitor experience; and,

·  Delegate authority to the Director of Corporate Services to enter into and manage legal matters relating to these works to allow them to progress.

The library estate is in poor repair and the Operational Property Review process allocated a budget of £11.016M (including share of OPR consultancy costs budget) to the library works programme to bring the buildings up to a good standard.  Councillors have indicated that they wish the library works programme to be undertaken as swiftly as practical as some sites have experienced temporary closures due to building issues over the past year, impacting community access.  An up-to-date condition survey is underway for Crofton Roman Villa, after which a multi-disciplinary consultancy team will be appointed to prepare a works schedule with appropriate approvals to be sought once Officers are ready to proceed with any works.  It is proposed to use the existing budget for the Crofton Roman Villa site as match-funding to apply for grants as a possible means of enhancing the facilities and visitor experience at no additional cost to the Local Authority.