Members were reminded that a report on the Town Hall Remodelling Project was previously presented to the September 2013 meeting of Extraordinary Council. Since that meeting and the approval granted, the project had been progressing through the processes necessary to commence the remodelling works.

These processes had examined the feasibility of the preferred Outline

Business Case (OBC) option and resulted in a designed general arrangement for the building and an overall scope for the necessary remodelling works.

The resulting general arrangement for the building contained  a lower overall area for commercial lease and insufficient area to accommodate a dedicated hub of office space for community sector use.

Final costings had been prepared for the remodelling works identified by the feasibility study. These indicated that undertaking the full scope of the specified remodelling works would require a capital investment of c. £5.3m for building works plus the continued requirement of £0.5m for associated ICT infrastructure.

This investment was c. £2.2m greater than that previously approved. This

financial variance, along with there being insufficient area for dedicated office space for community sector use, indicated that the objectives of the previously approved OBC were no longer being fully met.

On that basis, the project had been reviewed to identify a revised scope that would meet the previously approved budget.

The resulting revised scope would ensure that key operational objectives of the project could be delivered but would necessitate the exclusion of certain elements of work relating to the building and services infrastructure. It is anticipated that these excluded elements would be subject to the development of separate business cases.

Officers provided a presentation in relation to the updated proposals.

Cllr Aspinell MOVED and  Cllr Mynott SECONDED the recommendations in the report and following a debate a recorded vote was requested in accordance with Rule 9.5 of the Council’s Procedure Rules.   Members voted as follows:

FOR:  Cllrs Aspinell, Baker, Barrett, Carter, Chilvers, Clark, Mrs Cohen, Mrs Davies, Mrs Hubbard, Keeble, Kendall, Le-Surf, Lloyd, Morrissey, Mynott, Newberry, Quirk, Sapwell and Mrs Squirrell (19)

AGAINST:  Cllrs Cloke, Mrs Coe, Faragher, Mrs Henwood, Hirst, Mrs Hones, Hossack, McCheyne, Mrs Murphy, Dr Naylor, Parker, Reed, Russell, Ms Sanders, Sleep and Tee (16)

ABSTAIN:  Cllr Kerslake (0)

The MOTION was CARRIED and it was RESOLVED:

1. To note that the full cost for undertaking the Town Hall Remodelling Project, as agreed at the September 2013 meeting of Extraordinary Council, exceeds the 5% budget tolerance level set at that meeting.

2. To approve the commencement of works for a revised scope for the

Town Hall Remodelling Project within the previously agreed budget

of £3.6m, which would ensure:

I.    Creation of a customer service area on the ground floor, suitable for joint use between Council services and partner organisations.

II.   Provision of modern, space efficient office layouts for all Council services based at the Town Hall.

III.  Availability of defined areas for commercial lease.

IV. Completion of essential access and health and safety works as necessary to achieve joint occupation of the Town Hall.

3. That the draft Heads of Terms agreed for the commercial lease of

part of the Town Hall are reviewed to ensure they provide the

Council with best value.

4. To note that further business cases relating to the infrastructure of

the Town Hall will be developed for consideration by the Asset and

Enterprise Committee, anticipated to include:

· Sustainability measures for the Town Hall (incorporating

sustainable solutions for heat, light and power)

· Increased commercial use of the Civic areas of the Town Hall.

All of the above also assume that the allocated ICT budget of £0.5million

remains.