Issue - meetings

This report sets out the progress made in the proposals for a new Customer Service Centre at Grantham and seeks a number of recommendations in order to enable the delivery of the project.

Purpose of report

This report set out the progress made in the proposals for a new Customer Service Centre at Grantham and sought a number of resolutions in order to enable the delivery of the project.

Decision

That Cabinet:

1.    Approves the delivery of a new Customer Service Centre at Unit 1 The Picture House Grantham.

2.    Approves a budget of £350,000 to deliver the new Customer Service Centre.

3.    Approves an in-year budget amendment of £150,000 from the Local Priorities Reserve towards the required capital allocation.

4.    Approves the movement of £200,000 from the SK House Refurbishment budget in order to provide a funding contribution towards the Customer Service Centre project.

5.    Approves the commencement of the procurement process in order to appoint a contractor to undertake the fit out works.

6.    Delegates to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Cabinet Member for People and Communities and the Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement to enter into a construction contract in order to undertake the necessary works.

Alternative options considered and rejected

In order to provide a full and varied options analysis, a number of locations had been explored; the focus had primarily been on Council owned locations in an attempt to avoid incurring any new unnecessary external costs. This analysis reviewed the follow sites:

·       Unit 1 & 2– St Catherine’s Road

This location was considered for the previous partnership option, but that proposal incorporated both vacant units into one single space. This would be over and above the space required for the new Customer Service Provision and would not be financially viable as sole occupants.

·       Witham Room – South Kesteven House

Consideration had been given to reconfiguring the current meeting room in SK House, the Witham Room, into the Customer Service Centre. This would have resulted in the loss of further meeting space available to the Council and would have incurred significant cost associated with reconfiguration of the space.

·       Newton Room – Guildhall Arts Centre

The current temporary Customer Service Centre was located in the Guildhall Arts Centre; therefore options had been explored for keeping it in this building but in a different larger space. This room however did have disadvantages as it was a heavily used room by external companies, the Arts Centre, and the Council itself.

·       Museum – Ground Floor

The Museum was currently underutilised, so the option was explored to share this space with the museum trust. The space was too large for SKDC Customer Service provision alone and following discussion with the Museum Trust representatives it was evident the space available via a partnership would be insufficient for the Council’s needs.

·       Former Customer Service Centre – Abbey Gardens, St Peters Hill Office

This would have involved returning to the former Customer Service Centre, however the space was larger than the Customer Service Provision needed, and the building had now exchanged contract of sale.

·       Bus Station – Tenant Resource Centre

Officers had also explored the Tenant Resource Centre, as it is in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47