Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial).

This report was considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 12 April 2021.

The Head of Assets and Building Control presented the report on the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund.

Members were advised that the Council had been successful in its bid to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund and had secured a grant award of £830,000. The Council’s bid was for works in relation to the Whitfield Offices and the Dover Museum as these were buildings that while currently using a lot of energy had the potential to be upgraded relatively easily. The overall cost of the project was expected to be £1,025,000.

The tight delivery timetable meant that the speed of decision-making was crucial to the success of the project and as a result the Cabinet had agreed to delegate to the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Corporate Property, the authority to take all necessary actions required to deliver the project.

Members discussed the tight timescale for delivering the project and questioned what the impact would be of another lockdown as a result of the covid pandemic. In response it was stated that it was felt that the risks to the project should be manageable.

The Council would consider applying to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund Part 2 for future funding but unless it had successfully bid to Part 1 of the Fund it would not be eligible for the next round of funding.

Members expressed support for the Head of Assets and Building Control in undertaking the project and offered their support for anything that would help mitigate the risks attached to the project.

It was moved by Councillor C D Zosseder, duly seconded by Councillor S H Beer, and

RESOLVED: That it be recommended to Cabinet:

                        (a) That CAB 108 be endorsed as follows:

(i)            That the project to deliver carbon emission reductions at the Council’s Whitfield Offices and the Dover Museum be approved.

(ii)           That the procurement methodology outlined in the report be approved.

(iii)          That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Corporate Property, to take all necessary actions to deliver the project, including the award of contract, contract variations and the approval of any necessary significant design changes.

(b)   That the Asset Management Team be supported in mitigating risks in advance.

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial).

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Environment and Corporate Property

It was agreed:

(a)   That the project to deliver carbon emission reductions at the Council’s Whitfield Offices and the Dover Museum be approved.

(b)   That the procurement methodology outlined in the report be approved.

(c)   That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Corporate Property, to take all necessary actions to deliver the project, including the award of contract, contract variations and the approval of any necessary significant design changes.