Decision Maker: Cabinet
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: Yes
Report to seek Cabinet approval to go out to
tender to seek a contractor to undertake the necessary building
refurbishment and site restructure works to establish physically
the Crawley Innovation Centre facility in Manor Royal, subject to
planning permission.
In November 2021 and February 2022, Cabinet approved the business
cases for the Crawley Innovation Centre for the Getting Building
Fund and Towns Fund monies respectively and delegated authority to
officers to finalise the technical content of the two business
cases, following which the Council has subsequently secured
£8.4m of Getting Building Fund from the Coast to Capital LEP
and £2.5m from the Towns Fund. Full Council agreed in
February 2022 to add the Crawley Innovation Centre project to the
Council’s capital programme, comprising £8.4m of
Getting Building Fund and £900,000 of Towns Fund monies and
Full Council also agreed to allocate £1.6m of Towns Fund
revenue funding to the Crawley Innovation Centre project.
This further report will seek Cabinet approval to tender for the
works required to establish physically the Crawley Innovation
Centre.
Exempt Paragraph 3
Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)
RESOLVED
That the Cabinet delegates authority to:
a) the Head of Economy and Planning to undertake a procurement exercise in accordance with the Council’s Procurement Code to select a suitable works contractor to convert, subject to planning permission, the “Travel House” building into the Crawley Innovation Centre.
(Generic Delegation 7 will be used to enact this recommendation).
b) the Leader of the Council in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, Head of Economy and Planning and Head of Governance, People & Performance to approve the award of the contract following the procurement exercise
c) the Head of Economy and Planning, Head of Governance, People & Performance and Head of Corporate Finance, in consultation with the appropriate Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, to negotiate, approve and complete all relevant legal documentation, following the awarding of the contract
(Generic Delegations 2 & 3 will be used to enact this recommendation)
d) the Chief Executive in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development to approve the Crawley Innovation Centre detailed designs and to submit a planning application.
(Generic Delegation 7 will be used to enact this recommendation).
Reasons for the Recommendations
To enable the Council to progress as quickly as possible the delivery of the Crawley Innovation Centre project, following confirmation that the Getting Building Fund monies (£8.4m) and the Crawley Towns Fund monies (£2.5m) have been approved.
To ensure the Crawley Innovation Centre project remains on track to open in summer 2023, subject to planning permission and to completion of the building conversion works
Report author: Clem Smith
Publication date: 07/07/2022
Date of decision: 06/07/2022
Decided at meeting: 06/07/2022 - Cabinet
Effective from: 13/07/2022