Purpose

 
This
report requests approval of a waiver of County Council Procurement
Rules to allow the appointment of A and L Furnishings Limited for
the provision of bespoke shelving and furniture for the Stocks
Massey Music Room at Burnley library, including the display and
storage of music scores for the Edward Stocks Massey Sheet Music
Collection. 
 
The
costs of providing the waivered services are not more than
£42,415 (ex VAT).
 
Lancashire County Council has been awarded £165,000 by
Arts Council England to support the refurbishment of the former
children's library on the first floor of Burnley library. The
refurbished room will be known as the Stocks Massey Music Room.
This project is now underway with a contractor appointed through
the Framework to undertake most of the structural and decoration
aspects of the room. One of the primary uses of the room will be to
store, display and make accessible the Stocks Massey Sheet Music
Collection. This is a nationally significant sheet music collection
however it has been stored in the basement of the library and
access has been by appointment only which has limited public access
and enjoyment of the collection. Burnley library is a Carnegie
Library and grade 2 listed. We have been working with the
conservation officer for Burnley BC who has advised on anything
covered by the listing and the need to remain in keeping with the
look and feel of the building. We have researched storage and
display solutions for sheet music but there is nothing that we have
found that offers a scalable off-the-shelf solution.
 
Facilities Management colleagues identified A & L
Furnishings Ltd who are a locally based company who have the skills
and experience to create bespoke and in-keeping wall shelving to
display and store the sheet music collection. A & L Furnishings
Ltd are also able to create the other required features such as the
moveable counter, panelling on the movable shelving, desks and
chairs to have the same look and feel which will give the Music
Room to have a smart appearance and be durable in the longer
term.
 
Section 8 of the County Council's
Procurement Rules outlines the Council's requirements in terms of
procurement activity dependant on the category and value of the
procurement. For Goods and Services which have an aggregate value
of £30k to £214,904 (inc
VAT) there is a requisite to seek a minimum of three
quotes.
 
Approval is sought in line with
section 12 of the procurement rules to waiver the minimum three
quote requirement and award a contract to
A & L Furnishings Limited. The
funding is a one off grant. We would not be adding to the shelving
etc.
The costs
of providing the waivered services are not more than £42,415
(ex VAT). We are advised by colleagues in Property Services
colleagues that this quote provides good value for money.
This is the only sheet music
collection we have commissioned shelving for particularly in a
listed building context. There are 7 areas of wall shelving of
different sizes each of individual measurements of around 3 metres
long fitted with drawers at the bottom to store music; shelves to
display music and a glass covered display area to show the more
rare/fragile parts of the collection which are unsuitable to be on
easy public access.

Content

Paul Turner, Director of Culture, Education
and Skills, took the decision to approve the waiver of the County
Council Procurement Rules to allow the appointment of A and L
Furnishings Limited for the provision of bespoke shelving and
furniture for the Stocks Massey Music Room at Burnley library,
including the display and storage of music scores for the Edward
Stocks Massey Sheet Music Collection.