Purpose

The recommendations will allow for the
required internal refurbishment works to be undertaken allowing the
property to successfully reopen during 2025. This will ensure this
key council asset is available to existing tenants, the public,
partner organisations and the council offering an opportunity to
maximise any commercial opportunities.

As part of the West Bromwich Town Hall Towns Fund project, a
contingency was allocated as part of the budget setting prior to
commencement. This was in part funded from existing PMA resources
(£100,000) and Regeneration Reserves, cost centre 22606
(£364,000).

The project successfully completed on 26 November 2024 with a final
contract certification value of £6,853,923 that fell within
the approved project budget.

As part of the project, the majority of works focused the external
envelope of the building including roofs, windows, and external
stonework. A Changing Places facility was also installed as part of
the project to support accessibility on site.

There are several areas internally that have been subjected to
damage as a result of previous water ingress alongside others that
are in need of modernisation and refurbishment to ensure the
internal environment is suitable to ensure continued use of the
space by tenants, the public and council staff alike.

Now that the external envelope works have been completed, it is
therefore recommended that a schedule of required internal works is
now undertaken.

The works identified will ensure a successful public reopening of
the building currently scheduled for May/June 2025. This will allow
for current tenants to reoccupy as required following previous
relocations, increased usage of the building to support council
business (Sandwell Showcase scheduled to be held at the property in
June 2025) and further opportunity to explore commercialisation of
the asset.

The works identified will form phase 1, with a further phase of
refurbishment expected to follow as part of the West Bromwich
Masterplan delivery. This will be subject to a separate business
case and will be brought forward in due course.

This report seeks approval from the Executive Director –
Place and the Executive Director – Finance and Transformation
to allocate budgets as detailed to enable the project refurbishment
works to commence.

Content

(1) approval be granted to undertake the
delivery of internal refurbishment works at West Bromwich Town Hall
with a total project value of £464,000;

(2) approval be given to allocate £364,000 currently held in
Regeneration Reserves to the PMA to support delivery of the works
identified with the remainder to be funded from existing PMA
resources.