Agenda item

This report sets out the latest position with respect to the new Waste Depot project and confirms the next period of activity.

The Leader of the Council presented the report.

Following budget approval, planning permission approval and the conclusion of a procurement process, the report set out the next steps required to enable the project to reach construction and delivery phase.

As the bid currently exceeded the budget allocation, successful bidders were asked to review their costings, source alternative third-party suppliers and revisit their proposals in order for the price to be reduced.

Subject to the completion of the value engineering process, it was expected that the contractor would begin mobilisation during October 2024.

One Member queried whether details of the outcome of the value engineering be brought back to the Committee in the future.

It was confirmed that the Cabinet delegated approval to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement to develop the submitted design.

Following the conclusion of the value engineering, delegation would be granted to enter into the construction contract. A further progress report would be brought back to the Committee in June 2024.

The Deputy Chief Executive clarified that an overview of the value engineering process would be brought back to the Committee, alongside a project dashboard would be brought to the Committee to provide an oversight of the key milestones, risks, unforeseen events etc.

One Member queried the figure of the costs that the Council would not exceed. A further breakdown of the estimation of costs was requested in relation to each part of the depot (office accommodation, surfacing etc).

The Deputy Chief Executive noted that the Council had set a budget on the project of £8.8m, which included the construction, project management and external consultants.

It was queried as to what the progress report in June 2024 would include and what milestones would have been met.

One Member noted that a project management software could be utilised for this project and whether this would be in place.

A project board for this project had been created, which consisted of consultants, key members of staff and Cabinet representation.

The Deputy Chief Executive provided the Committee with reassurance that weekly and monthly meetings were held for this project. An external project management support company had been appointed to support the project.

One Member queried that if the Council had not reduced the contingency fund by 9.8%, would the Council have had the money in place, if value engineering had not taken place.

The Deputy Chief Executive clarified that the contingency fund had not been reduced. The contingency fund was debated on whether the cost put forward by consultants was fit for purpose.

Concern was raised that the value engineering process had been delayed and whether further milestones would not be met on time as a result of this.

It was confirmed that the Council was not over budget, as no contracts had been signed as of yet. Some milestones were running in parallel, meaning no delays had been incurred at this stage. Certain milestones were out of the Council’s control and were of the responsibility of third-party consultants and contractors.

That the Committee:

1.    Notes the progress made and the next steps on the delivery of the new Depot at Turnpike Close Grantham.

2.    Requests that regular reports on the construction of the new Waste depot Turnpike Close Grantham are presented at each meeting.