Purpose

The purpose of the report was to seek approval to use the
ESPO Estates Management Professional Services Framework in order to procure a
contract for the next 3 years to help facilitate rationalising the Council’s
property and land estate to achieve the savings targets and revenue target,
which is a key action in the Council Plan 2021-2025.

Decision

The
Cabinet Member approved the use of the ESPO Estates Management Professional
Services Framework to appoint a consultant to deliver Residential Development
Projects.

Reasons for the decision

The
existing Estates Team does not have the skills or the capacity to deliver these
high value Residential Development Schemes. If we do not appoint, the
rationalisation and subsequent revenue savings targets and capital programme
will very likely not be delivered, which is a key action in the Council Plan
2021-2025.

 

Alternative options considered

Do
Nothing:- The revenue savings targets, and capital programme will very likely
not be delivered, which is a key action in the Council Plan 2021-2025

 

Develop
an in current in-house provision:– It is very unlikely that we could recruit
suitable candidates who would join us on a fixed term contract basis and who
would have extensive planning experience. The cost of employing Agency
Consultants would be cost prohibitive and time it would take to train them on
the Councils systems and procedures, and we could not rely on them to stay for
the duration of the projects.