The meeting was scheduled to include a decision about awarding a contract to fit out the interior of the new Families and Homes Hub, formerly known as Sunflower House.

Families and Homes Hub Fit Out Contract Award

The meeting was scheduled to include consideration of a report recommending that the council awards a contract to fit out Sunflower House to ISG Ltd.

The report, which was provided to attendees of the meeting, says that:

The Project Team has followed the procurement strategy approved by Strategic Commissioning Board in February 2024. This included a ‘direct award’ procurement process using the Pagabo framework.

The report recommends an approach called 'direct award' which is a method for procuring a service without going through a competitive tender process.

The report goes on to explain the history of the project.

Sunflower House is a purpose-built Council facility that is currently under construction. Formerly referred to as the Families & Homes Hub, it is a two-storey building that adjoins and is part funded by the residential development, Precision House. The development is being built on former Wood Street Library site, which became available when the Library relocated to Marlowe Road.

The report explains that the cost of the work is within the budget that has already been allocated for the project. It goes on to say that the council's consultants, Potter Raper, believe that the council is getting value for money:

The view of appointed Employer’s Agent Potter Raper is that the proposal from ISG Ltd represents value for money.

The report lists some of the features that the finished building will have.

Sunflower House will include the following: • Ground floor: o Resident waiting area o Self-check in machines o 2 x 20 person conference rooms o 8 meeting rooms (a mix 4 person and 6 person rooms) o Accessible toilet and baby change facilities o Cycle storage for staff (accessible from the street)

The report also explains how the building, and the services that will be based there, align with the council's corporate priorities.

The delivery of Sunflower House, and the associated service delivery changes, is aligned to the Council’s wider corporate objectives, particularly the Stronger Communities programme.

The report goes on to explain why this is the case.

A key driver for basing selected services out of the Sunflower House is to provide holistic support to those most at need. The facility will provide a space for interdisciplinary problem-solving work to take place, prioritising residents with complex needs who would most benefit from in-person contact in a safe and welcoming environment.

The report concludes by saying that the council has consulted on the plans and the procurement.

Ahead of making this recommendation the Project Team engaged with colleagues from across the Council, including Finance, Legal, and Procurement. The agreement was that proceeding with the appointment of ISG Ltd was procedurally acceptable, and the most appropriate course of action.