Decision details

Award of Contract: Crawley Unsupervised Play Areas

Decision Maker: Head of Community Services

Decision status: For Determination

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

In March 2023, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing agreed to group the remaining 8 approved unsupervised play area schemes together within one tender as set out in report HCS/056. Through this report the Cabinet Member for Wellbeing agreed to delegate authority to the Head of Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, to conduct any further review stage/s and agree where necessary to reprioritise the order of delivery for the relevant phase of the Investment Programme. Officers conducted a multi-tender process which closed on 13 September 2023 and have awarded the contract to our preferred supplier. The contract will be to deliver the 8 remaining approved schemes over 2023/24 and 2024/25. Funds will be fully met from available S106 monies which has been approved through the appropriate delegations.

The remaining 8 approved schemes are:

• Perkstead Court Play Area (Bewbush)
• Curteys Walk Play Area (Bewbush)
• Brideake Play Area (Bewbush)
• Meadowlands Play Area (West Green)
• Puffin Road Play Area (Ifield)
• Bowness Close Play Area (Ifield)
• Plantain Crescent Play Area (Broadfield)
• Halley Close Play Area (Broadfield)

Decision:

To award the multi-tender contract to the successful bidder to deliver the remaining 8 approved schemes over 2023/24 and 2024/25. This decision was taken in consultation with the Chief Executive, Head of Commercial Services and the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Wellbeing.

Alternative options considered:

Consideration has been given to how to procure, manage and deliver the consultation and construction stages within the available resources and process timescales. Increasingly the tendering of single, often quite small, play schemes is proving to be unattractive to the market and therefore not attracting good value. Not awarding the contract would prevent the Council from proceeding with the 8 approved schemes and achieving best value.

Publication date: 15/04/2024

Date of decision: 14/02/2024