Purpose

The decision is exercised by the Strategic
Director – People & Communities under the
Constitution’s Officer Scheme of Delegation, which authorises
Strategic Directors to:

approve expenditure and enter into contractual arrangements within
approved budgets and funding sources; and
implement decisions necessary to discharge the Council’s
contractual and statutory obligations relating to assets and
service provision.

The expenditure is funded from the Asset Reserve, which is an
approved funding source, and therefore falls within delegated
financial limits.

Content

The Strategic Director – People &
Communities approved the use of delegated authority to raise a
purchase order and enter into contractual arrangements for the
replacement of the 3G pitch at Woking College, with installation
scheduled for June 2026.

The Council will place the purchase order for the full residual
replacement cost of £76,197.20 (ex VAT). The Council’s
net cost will be funded from the Asset Reserve.

The decision was formally approved and signed by the Strategic
Director – People & Communities, with the agreement of
the Portfolio Holder for Communities.

Reasons for the decision

The decision was taken to ensure the timely
replacement of the 3G pitch at Woking College in order to meet the
Council’s contractual and grant obligations and to maintain
the ongoing operation of the facility for community use.
Updated legal advice confirmed that the Council is the ultimately
responsible party for the replacement of the pitch under the Lease,
Management Agreement and Football Foundation grant conditions, and
that failure to replace the pitch within the required timeframe
would risk non-compliance with grant requirements and disruption to
community provision.
Approving the purchase order at this stage enables installation to
take place in June 2026, avoids further delay, and allows the works
to be funded from the Asset Reserve within approved
budgets.

Alternative options considered

Option 2 - Do nothing - This option was not
suitable because failure to replace the pitch would breach the
Council’s obligations under the Lease, Management Agreement
and Football Foundation grant conditions, risking non-compliance
and loss of community provision.