Agenda item

Print herewith CPR.08 16/17

The Strategic Lead - Economic Development and Neighbourhoods presented the report, which had previously been considered by the Prosperous Communities Committee, to approve the procurement of a development partner to assist the Council in the implementation of Gainsborough’s Regeneration Delivery Plan. The decision of the Prosperous Communities Committee was as set out below:

RESOLVED that:

a) the procurement of a development partner to assist the Council to deliver:

 its regeneration delivery plan for Gainsborough; and

 appropriate aspects of the land property agenda in the Commercial Plan (the outline scope of which is as set out in 1.2 of the report)

be approved;

b) it be recommended to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee that a budget of up to £0.1m for the cost of the procurement process be approved, and this be funded from the Investment for Growth Fund;

c) it be recommended to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee that the resource implications detailed in Appendix 1 be approved; and

d) further reports be submitted to the Prosperous Committee over the next 12 months to seek approval at the key stages of the procurement process, which shall include:

 prior approval of the OJEU notice, the PQQ and the development prospectus;

 prior approval of the Invitation to Submit Outline Proposals ("ISOP") and Invitation to Submit Detailed Solutions ("ISDS") documents to be released to the shortlisted bidders; and

 prior to selection of the preferred bidder as detailed in section 2.3 of this report

The Commercial and Procurement solicitor DWF briefly ran through the presentation which had been shown to the previous Committee, summarising the key points. The powerpoint set out the vision for the scheme and the financial and social returns. The objective was to attract Private Sector Investment to help deliver economic growth and commercial plan land and property objectives.

The Vision was described as the Regeneration of Gainsborough through:

 Deliver 12% economic growth

 Increase the number of new homes by 47%

 Town Centre revival

 Creation of a new and differentiated housing market

The Commercial Plan Delivery

· ST3.1: Land and Property program

 ST3.3: Creation of a housing company

 ST4.4: Deliver business growth/regeneration

DWF (Commercial and Procurement law experts) had already been appointed on a framework agreement and advised that given the Council aims that the procurement had to be a Competitive Dialogue. The rationale for the procurement of a development partner was set out followed by the proposed next steps:

 Announce our intentions to procure a development partner – at 13th July Launch

 Publish Prior Information notice – 13th July

 Publish OJEU – September

 PQQ evaluation – Autumn

 Commence Dialogue

Councillor Shore expressed his concerns regarding the requirement to sign a confidentiality agreement and felt that this was not necessary and was something that would be covered by the Members’ Code of Conduct. The Solicitor advised that this was common practice with commercially sensitive procurement issues and when Regulation 21 of UK procurement law was applicable. The Chairman asked Members of the Committee for their views on whether they would be prepared to sign the confidentiality agreement, and all but Councillor Shore indicated that they would agree to this.

The Committee then asked a number of questions regarding the prior specification for particular projects and sought assurance that Members would be fully appraised on progress and actively involved at all stages. It was affirmed that the initial stage was simply approval of the broad scope and following the Prior Information Notice the evaluation criteria would be considered by the Committees. There would be sight of the specification at all stages.