Issue - meetings

    Report by Executive Director Alistair Cunningham OBE.

Cllr Sturgis, Cabinet Member for Spatial Planning, Development Management and Property introduced a report to proceed with a commercial property development of the Good Energy offices, including construction and grant of a new lease. It was noted that Good Energy was a significant local employer and the council had worked with them for some years. The new building would be more energy efficient that existing buildings.

Resolved

a) To agree to construct an office building at Sadlers Mead, at Capital expenditure as set out in the Part 2 paper and subject to further due diligence being undertaken and conditional upon Good Energy signing an Agreement to Lease;

b) Agree a virement of capital, as set out in the Part 2 paper, from the 2020/21 commercial investment capital allocation;

c)To procure AHR and Max Fordham by way of direct award, due to their previous knowledge and work on the scheme which is permissible under the Council’s procurement rules;

d)To delegate the decision to award the AHR, Max Fordham and resulting construction contract for Sadlers Mead to Director for Housing and Commercial Development, in consultation with Leader of the Council / Cabinet Member for Finance and Director for Finance.

Reasons for decision:

To enable the Council to enter into a commercial opportunity development within the parameters set by Cabinet subject to further due diligence and signing an Agreement to Lease.