Purpose

In March 2023, Cabinet
Member for Wellbeing agreed to group the remaining 8 approved
unsupervised play area schemes together within one tender as set
out in report HCS/056. Through this report the Cabinet Member for
Wellbeing agreed to delegate authority to the Head of Community
Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, to
conduct any further review stage/s and agree where necessary to
reprioritise the order of delivery for the relevant phase of the
Investment Programme. Officers conducted a multi-tender process
which closed on 13 September 2023 and have awarded the contract to
our preferred supplier. The contract will be to deliver the 8
remaining approved schemes over 2023/24 and 2024/25. Funds will be
fully met from available S106 monies which has been approved
through the appropriate delegations.

The remaining 8 approved schemes are:

• Perkstead Court Play Area (Bewbush)
• Curteys Walk Play Area (Bewbush)
• Brideake Play Area (Bewbush)
• Meadowlands Play Area (West Green)
• Puffin Road Play Area (Ifield)
• Bowness Close Play Area (Ifield)
• Plantain Crescent Play Area (Broadfield)
• Halley Close Play Area (Broadfield)

Content

To award the multi-tender contract to the
successful bidder to deliver the remaining 8 approved schemes over
2023/24 and 2024/25. This decision was taken in consultation with
the Chief Executive, Head of Commercial Services and the Cabinet
Member for Leisure and Wellbeing.

Alternative options considered

Consideration has been given to how to
procure, manage and deliver the consultation and construction
stages within the available resources and process timescales.
Increasingly the tendering of single, often quite small, play
schemes is proving to be unattractive to the market and therefore
not attracting good value. Not awarding the contract would prevent
the Council from proceeding with the 8 approved schemes and
achieving best value.