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To award the wayfinding contract, which
includes design and manufacture, to Tara Signs Ltd, following a
procurement exercise, in the sum of £35,974. The project,
funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Pooled Business Rates,
will install eight new monoliths across the town centre, similar in
design to the installation in Railway Approach, to assist residents
and visitors accessing different parts of the town centre and
seafront through new wayfinding infrastructure. This decision
includes the manufacture and map elements, Items from the quotation
received.

Reasons for the decision

The Council has been engaging with businesses
in the town centre and the need for improved and more visible
wayfinding is the top priority. The age, condition and design of
existing wayfinding in the town centre is in need of upgrading and
this project is critical to ensure residents and visitors can
‘wayfind’ throughout the town centre and seafront. In
addition, this is being funded by UK Shared Prosperity Funding
(UKSPF) with a deadline of 31st March 2026 for these funds to be
spent. A decision is required now to meet the implementation /
installation timelines.

Alternative options considered

These are as follows:
 

1.   
Reduce number of monoliths - this may compromise the impact of the
scheme by omitting areas and gateways, which would go against
feedback received from businesses.

2.   
Have digital monoliths managed by a third party- this would
represent additional challenges from install to sustainability as
well as the impact on the look and feel of the town centre as it
would involve external advertising amongst the wayfinding.