Decisions

The Cabinet Member with the Local Services Portfolio introduced the report and plan of the Group Director of Services (both previously circulated) advising Members of an objection received to a proposal for waiting restrictions at Outram Street, as shown on the plan appended to the submitted report, and seeking a decision on whether to proceed with the proposal.

The submitted report stated that following the recent introduction of a contraflow cycle way on Duke Street and the introduction of revised waiting restrictions in the area, the southern end of Outram Street was left unrestricted; the absence of restrictions on parking in this location was interfering with the operation of the cycle route; and as a result, officers developed a proposal to regulate the parking and consulted on a proposal for waiting restrictions, a disabled bay and a limited waiting bay to prevent obstructive parking and improve road safety.  A business owner on Duke Street made an objection to the proposed waiting restrictions, and the reasons for their objection was that the location of the disabled bay was not appropriate and that there were restrictions on both sides of the southern end of Outram Street.

Particular reference was made to the duty of the Council to maintain the flow of traffic and the provision of parking should only be considered if it was safe to do so and it did not interfere with the right of passage along it.  The Council, acting in its capacity as the Highway Authority, also had a duty of care to ensure the safety of the travelling public and a duty under the Traffic Management Act 2004 to maintain the expeditious movement of traffic.

RESOLVED - That the objection be set aside and officers be authorised to proceed with the proposal to introduce ‘No waiting at any time’ and ‘No waiting 9.00am – 5.00pm’ restrictions, a Disabled Bay and Limited Waiting Bay, as shown on the plan appended to the submitted report.

REASON - To improve the road safety and preserving or improving the amenities of the area through which the road runs.

To update Members on the delivery of phase 3 mechanical and electrical (M&E) installation, the successful outcome of a bid to the swimming pool support fund and a range of invest to save proposals at the Dolphin Centre.

The Cabinet Member with the Health and Housing Portfolio introduced the report of the Group Director of Services (previously circulated) updating Members on the delivery of the Phase 3 Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) installation and requesting that consideration be given to the release of funding, following a successful bid to the Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF), for photovoltaic panels and a new combined heating and power unit.

The submitted report provided an update on the Dolphin Centre and the works being undertaken; stated that the Government announced the SPSF in June 2023,which was in two phases; the Council were successful in a bid to the Capital phase of the fund in February 2024; and that the funding would provide a new combined heating power unit and photovoltaic panels, which would improve the carbon footprint of the building and reduce operational costs.

It was reported the works identified in the bid had been incorporated into the Phase 3 M&E works which allowed a single tender to be issued in order to secure economies of scale and a more effective delivery programme.  The Phase 3 works included space heating and ventilation across a number of areas in the building; the building management system (control system); air handling systems; emergency lighting; and replacing existing lights with LED fittings to improve energy efficiency.

In presenting the report the Cabinet Member with the Health and Housing Portfolio thanked all those staff involved in submitting the bid and securing the funding from Sports England.

A Member welcomed the funding and investment in the building and the improvements that would be made in its sustainability.

RESOLVED - That the £526K of capital funding, be released, from the successful bid to the Swimming Pool Support Fund.

REASON - To enable the installation of photovoltaic panels and a new combined heating and power unit at the Dolphin Centre as part of the Phase 3 Mechanical and Electrical works.

The Cabinet Member with the Resources Portfolio introduced the report of the Group Director of Operations (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the Annual Procurement Plan (also previously circulated) including the assessment of contracts that are considered to be strategic or non-strategic; updating Members on the outcomes of procurement(s) previously designated as Strategic; and the decisions taken by the Procurement Board to waive the Contract Procedure Rules.

The submitted report stated that any contract award decision with a value below £100,000 was delegated to officers; in accordance with the Contract Procedure Rules, the Annual Procurement Plan was produced listing details of all existing and new contracts that were valued at £100,000 and above, which required a tender process; for those contracts designated as strategic, the final contract award would be approved by the Procurement Board and reported to this Cabinet; for those contracts designated as non-strategic, the decision would be delegated to the relevant Directorate and detailed in a decision record; and that three contracts had been designated strategic in the update to the Annual Plan.

A Member in attendance at the meeting made reference to the formatting and terminology contained within the report which she felt was not clear or transparent and required an explanation, and in doing so gave a number of examples from the report.  Reference was also made to the length of the contract for the supply of materials and products for new build projects and how the Council was ensuring the contract offered best value over such a long contract.  The Cabinet Member with the Resources Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED – (a)  That the theassessment ofstrategic andnon-strategic contractsas presented in Appendix 1 of the submitted report be approved, and it be noted that:

(i)         further reports/ updates on the procurement process for those contracts designatedas strategic(including decisionsmade bythe ProcurementBoard) be brought to Cabinet;

(ii)       thecontract award decisionsfor thecontracts designatedas non-strategicbe delegated to the appropriate Directorate as listed in the plan at Appendix 1; and

(iii)     thecontract awarddecisions forthe contractsdesignated asstrategic, aslisted in the plan at Appendix 1, be delegated to the Procurement Board to approve and be reported back to Cabinet.

(b) That the contents ofthe submitted report inrespect ofthe updateof strategic procurements, Procurement Board waiver decisions, and Social Value, be noted.

REASONS – (a)  Inrespect ofstrategic/non-strategic contracts,the recommendationsare supportedby the following reasons: -

(i)      theContract ProcedureRules requireCabinet to approvethe designationof contracts as strategic and non-strategic;

(ii)    contractsdesignated strategicare ofhigh valueand highsignificance inrespect ofthe impact on residents, Health and Safety and public safety; and

(iii)  thecontracts designatednon-strategic areof alower valueand lowersignificance in respect of the impact on residents and public safety.

(b) In respectof ProcurementBoard waiverdecisions, therecommendations aresupported by the following reasons: -

(i)      inorder tocomply withthe ContractProcedure Rules;

(ii)    toprovide Cabinetwith informationabout thedecisions madeby theProcurement Board; and

(iii)  tosupplement thereports that aretaken toCabinet aboutproposed spendover £100,000,that areset outin theAnnual ProcurementPlan andthe in-yearupdate to that report.