Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that detailed the investment required to retain Broadgate House in operational use. The report set out the scope of work and budget to achieve this, which could be met from existing resources within the Friargate project budgets, and would maintain Broadgate House in operational use for at least 5 years.

As a consequence of letting two floors of One Friargate to the Financial Ombudsman, 350 staff in Childrens Services and Business Services have been rehoused in the upper floor of Broadgate House for the medium term and until the opportunity next presents itself to co-locate them at Friargate. This was unlikely to happen before the end of 2022 at the earliest, when there was a break clause in the Financial Ombudsman Lease.

In addition, Children Services had been subject to their own restructure of functions, and the opportunity now presented itself with the co-location of City-wide Childrens Service function, to enhance the Childrens Service ‘offer’ in the City Centre, through the creation of a ‘Childrens Lounge’.

The works, which would not exceed £1m including fees and which was proposed to be funded on a one off basis from the surplus resources used to finance the Friargate building costs, will:

•  Refresh working areas through re-decoration and surface finishes

•  Refresh welfare areas (toilets, kitchen, break out and meeting areas)

•  Improve lighting, heating and ventilation controls

•  Improve ICT and CCTV provision in the space

•  Provide a ‘child friendly’ welcome in common areas

•  Create a Childrens Lounge for positive interaction with professionals

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Approves a budget of £1m to undertake works listed in Paragraph 2.5 of the report, to retain the upper floors of Broadgate House for the medium term and to include within the approved Capital Programme for 2018/2019.

2)  Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) to finalise the detailed works in paragraph 2.5 of the report and their prioritisation for implementation.

3)  Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) alongside the Procurement Board to agree the most appropriate procurement route for the works to be delivered.