Agenda item

Report HPR2023/044

The report outlined an in-principle strategy for the procurement of a contractor to deliver major works at the Walnuts and West Wickham Leisure Centres, subject to the decision being taken to proceed, with a view to reducing the timeframe for the overall delivery of the project including potentially enabling a formal Contract Award decision to be sought within the planned October 2023 report.

In response to a question from a Member, the Regeneration Project Manager explained that the recommended Option 1: Appointing a Delivery Partner under a Development Agreement via the UK Leisure Framework would enable the appointment of the delivery partner and principle works contractor to be expedited.  This would help ensure the major works programme was delivered at pace, addressing existing material damage and maintenance backlogs identified at both sites.  Alliance Leisure Limited was the single supplier available through the UK Leisure Framework and due diligence work had confirmed its track record as a leading specialist in successfully delivering new, rebuilt and refurbished leisure developments across the UK.  The Head of Regeneration advised that as well as working with the delivery partner, the Local Authority would also work directly with contractors to ensure successful completion of the project.

A Member underlined the importance of public consultation regarding the proposals for the refurbished leisure facilities and the Regeneration Project Manager was pleased to advise that an extensive six-week public consultation had been undertaken with users of both sites as well as local residents.  The consultation had comprised of an extensive survey with 43 questions and had generated approximately 6000 survey responses.  These were currently being analysed and would be presented to future meetings of the Renewal, Recreation and Housing PDS Committee and the Council’s Executive to inform scrutiny and decision-making processes in relation to the Major Works Programme.  Another Member raised the existing lease arrangements for the leisure centres and queried the plans for securing an operator once they had been refurbished.  The Head of Regeneration confirmed that whilst the Local Authority was the freeholder of the two leisure centres, these were currently occupied and operated by Mytime Active on long-term commercial lease arrangements for which a break clause was in place.  Before the works commenced, the Local Authority would look to address the question of the future operator for the leisure centres.  This might include a Service Level Agreement, but as a minimum, a commercial rent would be sought that would generate income for the Local Authority.

A Member and Ward Councillor for Orpington welcomed the proposals and thanked Officers for their work in progressing the Leisure Centre Major Works Programme.

RESOLVED: That the Council’s Executive be recommended to:

·  Note the intent to seek formal decision by October 2023 on proceeding with the Walnuts and West Wickham Leisure Centre project, including scope of works and agreed budget;

·  Approve the in-principle procurement strategy set out in Option 1 (Paragraph 3.10 of Report HPR2023/044) for the delivery of the Walnuts and West Wickham Leisure Centre project by utilising a compliant framework to appoint a suitable delivery partner to deliver the project, including required works; and,

·  Note that any formal award of contract arising from the in-principle procurement strategy will still be subject to decision by the Council’s Executive and will not proceed except alongside, or subsequent to, the primary decision to proceed with the project.