Decision

The Chief Executive agreed the
following:
 

That the decision meets the criteria of Special
Urgency as per paragraph 19 of the Council’s Procedure
Rules;

That due to the urgency of this decision it will be
exempted from Call-In as per paragraph 15 (section p onwards) of
the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules;

That a lease be entered into for a workshop site
including workshop building facilities at Spitfire Way, Manston,
Ramsgate; and

To approve the key decision to enter into a lease
with a value over the first five years in excess of the £250k
key decision threshold.

Reasons for the decision

The council operates a vehicle
workshop facility at its depot on Manston Road in Margate. The
workshop supports the council's vehicle fleet including Heavy Goods
Vehicles. The current vehicle workshop is nearing the end of its
operational life and options for a replacement workshop have been
evaluated. A nearby workshop at Spitfire Way, Manston on the B2190
is available for commercial let. Draft Heads of Terms have been
agreed for the leasing of this site.
 
The Spitfire Way workshop will
replace the current workshop at Manston Road (but not the Manston
Road depot itself). There is a risk of losing this opportunity to
other unknown parties if a contractual commitment is not made
urgently based on draft heads of terms that have been agreed in
principle with the agent for the landlord. Essential capital works
will be carried out to the property following occupation to make it
ready for service. There is provision for these works in the
2025/26 and 2026/27 capital programme.

Alternative options considered

Alternative options have been
considered including refurbishing the existing vehicle workshop,
building a new workshop at Manston Road and outsourcing the vehicle
maintenance service to a private workshop provider but all of these
options have been discounted as a result of having a higher cost, a
higher risk or an unacceptably long programme.