Issue - meetings

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Assets

RESOLVED

i)        To approve the project for the refurbishment of St Peter’s Hall and the RAFA club.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

ii)       That a budget of £630,000 for 2021/22 be approved for the project, of which £238,000 will be grant funded.

REASON

To upgrade poor quality community facilities in Denne Ward and to improve the energy efficiency of the buildings.  The proposals meet the Council policies to move towards net zero emissions by 2030 and to provide facilities to support health and wellbeing in the community.  The reasons for rejecting alternative courses of action are dealt with in the body of the report.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Assets reported on proposals to renovate St Peter’s Hall and the RAFA club.  The Council had successfully applied for a government Energy Efficiency Grant of £238,000 to reduce the carbon emissions of the buildings.  Alongside these works, it was proposed to create a fit-for-purpose and efficient space for use by the local community. 

The Cabinet Member advised that, because of the timescales required to secure the grant funding, there was inadequate time to allow for a competitive tender process. The recommendation in the report therefore needed to be amended to allow for an additional £130,000 to the proposed budget. 

The Cabinet Member advised that the return on the investment would be reduced from approximately 4% to 2.5% of the revised cost.   He also stated that, should officers succeed in negotiating a variation to the grant conditions to allow time to secure a more competitive price, the additional £130,000 may not be required.

The Cabinet and other Members were supportive of the proposal, as revised, and welcomed improvement to this community facility in Denne.   

RESOLVED

i)     To approve the project for the refurbishment of St Peter’s Hall and the RAFA club.

ii)    To recommend to Council that a budget of £630,000 for 2021/22 be approved for the project, of which £238,000 will be grant funded.

REASON

To upgrade poor quality community facilities in Denne Ward and to improve the energy efficiency of the buildings.  The proposals meet the Council policies to move towards net zero emissions by 2030 and to provide facilities to support health and wellbeing in the community.  The reasons for rejecting alternative courses of action are dealt with in the body of the report.