Decision details

An update on the Cultural Heart project as part of the wider Huddersfield Blueprint project the Dewsbury Blueprint and other activities to invest in other towns and areas in Kirklees

A proposal to appoint consultants to support the initial phases associated with the delivery of the Cultural Heart Project.

To ensure a timely start and accelerated delivery it is proposed that members consider making a direct award to take the project to a specific point in the project process and the use of frameworks to appoint the project team. The key Gateways being:

Gateway 1

·       Project vision and mandate

·       Strategic Outline Case

Gateway 2

·       Appointment of Project Teams

·       Survey and investigation reports

·       Development of the Masterplan

·       Outline Business Case

This report updates members about the Cultural Heart project and sets out the options considered for delivery of the project and seeks to agree:

·       the rationale for direct award and use of frameworks

·       the funding required to make the appointments

·       a preferred timeframe for delivery

·       the Council resources and Governance to support this initiative, and if agreed:

·       authorise officers to commission the work required to deliver the project to the required Gateways

RESOLVED –

1)    That approval be given to proceed with an accelerated programme so that the Cultural Heart master plan and Outline Business Case can be completed as soon as is practical.

2)    That approval is given to use Public Sector Body frameworks for all external appointments to achieve the acceleration and to delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration in liaison with the Service Director – Legal Governance and Commissioning and the Service Director – Finance to make all necessary appointments in compliance with the Contract Procedure Rules and the Financial Procedure Rules.

3)    That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration in liaison with the Service Director – Legal Governance and Commissioning and the Service Director – Finance to appoint a Strategic Development Partner/Project Manager by direct award from the SCAPE, Place Shaping Framework in compliance with the Contract Procedure Rules and the Financial Procedure Rules.

4)    That approval be given to allocate the necessary Council staff and resources to support the programme and to note that in the absence of sufficient internal resources that additional resources will be sourced from existing / future framework agreements.

5)    That approval is given to the recommended stage break at Gateway 1 and the budget of £6.55m to deliver the Cultural Heart programme up to Gateway 2.

6)    That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration to deliver the programme to Gateway 2, subject to further Cabinet approval at the conclusion of Gateway 1.