Agenda item - Western Way Development, Bury St Edmunds (Report No: CAB/WS/20/013)

Agenda item

Western Way Development, Bury St Edmunds (Report No: CAB/WS/20/013)

Report No:   CAB/WS/20/013

Portfolio Holder: Cllr Joanna Rayner          Lead Officer: Alex Wilson

 

Decision:

RESOLVED:

That:

 

1.       subject to resolution 2. below, the external assurance review for the Western Way Development carried out between November and December 2019 be deemed to be satisfactory in terms of progression of the project on the basis approved by Council on 19 September 2019;

 

2.       the action plan set out in Appendix 1 to Report No: CAB/WS/20/013 address the key findings of the review be approved and implemented;

 

3.       subject to resolution 2. above and the existing conditions approved by Council on 19 September 2019 being met, the Director be authorised to:

 

a.       adjust the final phase 1 scheme for a replacement leisure centre, the new public service hub and their supporting infrastructure in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and the Council’s Section 151 Officer so that it continues to meet the objectives set out in the Final Business Case; and

 

b.       commence procurement work for the parts of this phase 1 scheme in respect of which the necessary safeguards to the Council are in place; and

 

4.       subject to planning consent being secured, the final award of contract(s) prior to works starting on site be subject to approval by Cabinet.

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered this report, which contained recommendations for enabling the next stage of the proposed Western Way Development in Bury St Edmunds to progress.

 

Approval was given by Council in September 2019 of the final business case for the Western Way Development. Under the terms of that Council decision, Cabinet was now authorised to deliver the project described in the final business case, and seek external funding, without reference back to Council provided that it met certain tests and conditions, as set out in section 1.4 of the report.

 

Councillor Joanna Rayner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs, drew relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet, including that the project was developing in accordance with meeting those requirements, which included the undertaking of an independent external assurance review. This review was commissioned to Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), property and development specialists. A copy of its full report was attached as Exempt Appendix 2.

 

RLB had not identified any significant issues that would prevent progression of the project; however, there were some areas that they felt needed addressing and as such, RLB had provided a number of recommendations to be taken forward.  Appendix 1 attached to the report contained the full and verbatim recommendations received from RLB.  These were provided in the form of an action plan to ensure each recommendation was acted upon and monitored as suggested by RLB.  In addition, RLB’s main findings were briefly summarised in section 2.6 of the report.

 

Councillor Rayner emphasised that the review had been undertaken by a fully independent specialist. She and Cabinet felt reassured that no significant issues had been identified that would prevent the project from progressing and that it was broadly moving in the right direction.

 

Subject to addressing and monitoring the issues highlighted in the action plan, and subject to planning consent being secured and working effectively with partners, the Cabinet looked forward to this exciting and innovative second stage of the aspirational Public Service Village concept coming to fruition.

 

RESOLVED:

That:

 

1.       subject to resolution 2. below, the external assurance review for the Western Way Development carried out between November and December 2019 be deemed to be satisfactory in terms of progression of the project on the basis approved by Council on 19 September 2019;

 

2.       the action plan set out in Appendix 1 to Report No: CAB/WS/20/013 address the key findings of the review be approved and implemented;

 

3.       subject to resolution 2. above and the existing conditions approved by Council on 19 September 2019 being met, the Director be authorised to:

 

a.       adjust the final phase 1 scheme for a replacement leisure centre, the new public service hub and their supporting infrastructure in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and the Council’s Section 151 Officer so that it continues to meet the objectives set out in the Final Business Case; and

 

b.       commence procurement work for the parts of this phase 1 scheme in respect of which the necessary safeguards to the Council are in place; and

 

4.       subject to planning consent being secured, the final award of contract(s) prior to works starting on site be subject to approval by Cabinet.

Supporting documents:

 

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