Purpose

On 7 May 2025, the Council’s Executive
agreed to progress the Horley Community Centre Modernisation
project. A delegated decision was given to the Head of Community
Partnerships in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for
Community Partnerships, the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets
and Governance and the Chief Finance Officer, to be authorised to
“agree the procurement strategy for the project, undertaking
the necessary consultancy, surveyor, and contractor appointments
(including main contractor, inspectoral bodies or warranty
providers) and to enter into contracts to allow the project to be
delivered”.

The Executive delegation requires consultation with the Portfolio
Holders for Community Partnerships and Finance, Assets and
Governance. Following agreement of the procurement strategy with
Portfolio Holders in July 2025, officers proceeded to procure the
professional team required to support the Horley Community Centre
Modernisation project in-line with the procurement strategy,
advising members of the selection process and award across a series
of meetings between August and November 2025.

Legal and procurement team consultation also took place in parallel
via email regarding the form of procurement and contract
documentation. The Chief Finance Officer, Lisa Nyon, confirmed her
agreement on 25 November 2025.

Employers Agent Project Manager & Cost Consultant

A key appointment to the professional team is that of Project
Manager Employer’s Agent and Quantity Surveyor, the role is
employed throughout the project from conception to
completion.

The Employer’s Agent advises on contractor procurement,
preparing and coordinating contractor tender documentation,
instructing the contractor on behalf of the client, assessing
contractor claims and variations, monitoring progress, monitoring
compliance with contract terms, certifying interim payments,
certifying completion/handover, and safeguarding the clients’
interests while ensuring fairness under the contract.

The RBBC role is a combined Project Manager & Employer’s
Agent (PMEA) and the consultant takes on some project management
responsibilities alongside officers. This includes overseeing the
project from start to finish, planning and monitoring the
programme, communications between client, design team, and
contractor, overseeing
Health & Safety regulations and compliance, and managing risk,
quality and costs. The Quantity Surveyor cost consultancy role is
responsible for monitoring and controlling construction project
expenditure and providing cost advice to support client
decision-making. Including preparing cost estimates and plans,
tracking costs against budget, costing variations and change
orders, advising on feasibility, early value engineering and
evaluating tenders.

A restricted tender was undertaken with five companies that
expressed an interest in the role. Two tenders were submitted. A
comprehensive qualitative and quantitative assessment has been
undertaken of the tenders received, as shown in Annex 1. After
careful consideration, Huntley Cartright were selected as the
preferred supplier for the
project.

Architect & Professional Design Team

The multi-disciplinary design team develops, coordinates and
delivers the design in line
with the client’s requirements and ambitions translating the
brief, developing technical
documentation for construction and ensuring a buildable and
compliant solution.

The Architect will act as Lead Consultant, all other consultants
including, but not limited to, mechanical and electrical engineers,
civil and structural engineers and sustainability consultants will
be subcontracted to the Architect. The Architect is responsible for
managing the design team and provides the client with a single
point of contact for design delivery. The multi-disciplinary team
will be directly appointed to the client for RIBA Stage
0/1 – RIBA Stage 3, at the end of RIBA Stage 3 the
multi-disciplinary team will be novated to the main contractor for
the remainder of the project (RIBA Stage 4 – RIBA Stage 6).
Companies on the NHS Sharded Business Services Architectural
Services Lot were invited to tender for this role. Four tenders
were received by the Council. A comprehensive qualitative and
quantitative assessment has been undertaken of the tenders that
were received, as shown in Annex 1, and Rivington Street Studio
selected as the preferred supplier.

The award is for RIBA stages 0 – 3. Pricing has been provided
for RIBA stages 4 – 6 to inform the main contract together
with indicative costs for client technical support services for the
Council during the main contract, the latter will be awarded when
the extent of services required are known and a fee proposal
resubmitted.

Fees

A budget estimate of £166,318 was contained within the budget
for professional fees that was set out in the July 2025 Executive.
The combined value of these two awards falls below this allocation
at £158,444, however, it is noted that additional budget
provision may be required for the client technical team costs post
RIBA stage three. It is anticipated that any additional requirement
will be met by either the project contingency or reallocated
from underspend elsewhere in the budget.

Programme

The Council has a defined programme for the delivery of the Horley
Community Centre modernisation project. This includes the following
key milestones:
December 2025: two-stage procurement process (Pre-Construction
Services Agreement and main contract) for building contractor
commences;
By June 2026: main contract is executed;
Summer 2026: start on site; and
Summer 2027: building works completed.

Officers will work closely with the Employer’s Agent and
multi-disciplinary design team to ensure that the project’s
target programme is met and that appropriate clauses are
incorporated within contract documentation between the Council and
the building contractor to ensure that the main contractor is
obligated to meet the Council’s programme. This will include
provisions within both the Pre-Construction Services Agreement and
main contract.

Decision

Following competitive procurement processes
in-line with the agreed procurement strategy:
To enter into a contract with Huntley Cartwright for the provision
of Employer’s Agent, project management and cost management
services.
The enter into a contract with Rivington Street Studio for the
provision of architectural and multi-disciplinary team
services.

To note that officers will work closely with the Employer’s
Agent and multi-disciplinary design team to ensure that:

Key milestones within the project’s target programme are met,
and that appropriate contract terms are incorporated within
contract documentation to ensure that the main contractor is
obligated to meet the Council’s programme.

Alternative options considered

1. To not enter into the appointments would
impact significantly on the Council’s ability to progress the
modernisation project. The Council is unable to provide these
services in-house therefore re-procurement of these services would
need to be undertaken. This is not recommended option as this would
delay the project placing
risk on the later stages of the timeline.