Content

Acceptance of tender submission and entering
into a contract with The Cheltenham Trust via the council’s
standard terms and conditions for the value of
£10,000.

Reasons for the decision

The Council is contracting, via an agreed
waiver, with the Cheltenham Trust. This contract utilises UKSPF
funding allocated to deliver the Heritage Action Plan which
contributes to the delivery of the Cheltenham Corporate Plan (key
priority 4 - Reducing inequalities, supporting better outcomes).
The cost of the services will be £10,000 and The Cheltenham
Trust will be providing further support costed at
£778.00.
The Cheltenham Trust will deliver a web-project that will enable
easy signposting to the wide range of information currently held in
multiple formats and locations relating to Cheltenham’s
heritage. It will create 10 distinct and engaging stories that will
bring to life local history and create entry points for wider
study. Its outputs will be curriculum linked to support and
facilitate engagement and access to local schools and those more
widely across Gloucestershire. This will include
• Webpages hosted as part of the Wilson website, including an
interactive map element
• Printable version and mobile access to site make the
resources portable; can be used to trace histories physically
through the town on foot, bringing the stories to life in their
original setting
• Launch event
This contract will facilitate the outcomes for the first phase of
the Cheltenham Story. Any future phases will be required to seek
wider funding for example, Cheltenham Pride grant, Neighbourhood
Community Infrastructure Levy, Arts Council funding etc.

Alternative options considered

Full procurement, however further to
engagement with the Procurement Team a waiver was considered
appropriate as The Cheltenham Trust, via the Wilson is:
• Cheltenham’s Museum and steward of its important
collection, the Wilson has a substantial research resource telling
the story of Cheltenham from its early settlers to the present day
that can be shared through the project.
• The Wilson staff have the expertise in local history,
learning and engagement, and curation and design, to create a rich
and engaging learning resource which will be socially relevant
informative and fun to use.
• At the centre of the community in Cheltenham, the Wilson has
a network of community partners and heritage sector partners who
will be key to the development of and participation in the project,
including heritage interest groups, Education Partnership, No Child
Left Behind etc.
• As part of the Big Museum Project, a major National Lottery
Heritage Fund supported consultation, the Wilson is able to
incorporate the feedback and data it has collected to ensure that
the Cheltenham Story project is relevant and meaningful to our
broad and richly varied communities.
• With an established schools network, the Wilson can ensure
that the project is curriculum linked leading to high take up
within over all schools in Gloucestershire and produce key stage
specific learning resources to support the use of the online
site.
• The Wilson has a highly developed and widely used online
experience which is the starting point for many hoping to discover
more about the history of Cheltenham. The project will be embedded
on the Wilson Website ensuring a high standard of user experience,
and exposure to its many thousands of online visitors.
• By linking this project with an existing commissioned
partner of Cheltenham Borough Council this enables effective
longer-term management of the information post the contract.
The Waiver was signed off by Onelegal 17/11/2025. Full funding is
in place to deliver the project.