Issue - meetings

The appendix to the report contains exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of Part I of the Local Government Act 1972 and is therefore not for publication.

If the Cabinet wishes to discuss the information in the appendix it will be necessary to exclude the press and public from the meeting during that discussion.

The Chief Executive agreed that a comprehensive report be made available for the Cabinet meeting in October detailing how the project had been run to date and the problems that had led to it being behind schedule. This document would be used as a learning tool for future projects.

Resolved:

a)      That the existing Capital Programme allocation (as detailed in the appendix) for Town Centre Works be allocated to the public realm project.

b)      That the Executive Director for Regeneration and Development be authorised in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Regeneration and Town Centres to procure the required contracts to deliver the project within the agreed budget.

A report was submitted to seek Member approval to formalise the allocation of the existing Capital Programme for Town Centre Works to the Newcastle Town Centre Public Realm project.

The report outlined the current position with regard to the Town Centre Public Realm Project and outlined the requirements in order that the project could commission appropriate works to be completed to a standard that was fit for purpose and minimised the requirement for future maintenance works in the project area. It was important that officers were given sufficient direction to enable the relevant aspects to be commissioned within a timely manner and this required the Cabinet to allocate sufficient financial resources. The report outlined the revised timescales and explained the reasons for the budgetary requirement. Additionally, the current approved plans included extending the market trading area into Hassell Street and this required the Council to amend the designated formal trading area.

Officers were working closely with the County Council’s Highways team to ensure that improvements were delivered in the most cost effective manner and that where possible proposed designs were value engineered to reduce cost.  The scheme was being delivered as a minimum cost scheme, where possible street furniture such as bollards and benches were being re-used

Mr Mitchell highlighted the absolute importance of providing a very good outdoor market in Newcastle to take it into the realm of other towns such as Nantwich and Shrewsbury. The market would need to attract visitors from at least a 20 mile radius.

Concerns were raised regarding the timetable for the project as this had slipped in the past. Officers stated that they were now confident that the timescale was realistic but that there were always risks such as a tender price coming in higher than the available budget or holes being dug and cables being found there that were not recorded as being there. Officers did confirm that there was a buffer already built in the timetable to mitigate against any more holdups as far as this was possible.

The Chief Executive agreed that a comprehensive report be made available for the Cabinet meeting in October detailing how the project had been run to date and the problems that had led to it being behind schedule. This document would be used as a learning tool for future projects.

Resolved:

a)      That the existing Capital Programme allocation (as detailed in the appendix) for Town Centre Works be allocated to the public realm project.

b)      That the Executive Director for Regeneration and Development be authorised in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Regeneration and Town Centres to procure the required contracts to deliver the project within the agreed budget.