Decision details

Authority was sought from Cabinet to enter into new contracts for works and services in relation to the delivery of six projects, which form part of the Pathfinder Pilot Scheme programme in Margate and Ramsgate.

Cabinet authorised the procurement and award of contracts for a number of procurements for projects in the Simplification Pathfinder Project. These are as follows:

1.  Margate Town Deal Walpole Pavilion - works contract;

2.  Margate Town Deal Skatepark - works contract;

3.  Margate Town Deal Access Walpole Lift Structure - works contract;

4.  Levelling Up Fund Newington Community Centre Refurbishment and Extension - works contract;

5.  Future High Street Fund and Levelling Up Fund Broad Street Project - works contract;

6.  Margate Town Deal Theatre Royal Margate & 19 Hawley Square Restoration, Conservation and Modernisation - professional service contracts.

The procurement awards requested are over the £250,000 key decision threshold and therefore require approval from cabinet. The works contracts are required to deliver the main capital elements of five of the schemes and the design team is required to move the Theatre Royal project onto the next stage in the scheme's delivery.

The project teams have considered a number of options for procuring these works, including open procurement, dynamic purchasing systems and the use of a complaint framework. Each project’s procurement route has been selected based on its individual risks and opportunities.

Each of the project procurements could follow the same procurement strategy, with all of them using the same method to procure the contractors. This would not provide flexibility within the delivery programme, or value for money, and may include missing out on the best contractors for the work. Some of the procurement methods are not appropriate for the different projects, therefore finding one method to suit all would be difficult. This option was not recommended.

An alternative option to those selected for approval is to do nothing, this would result in non-delivery of these grant-funded schemes. This option was not recommended.