Decision details

(R&E) Appointment of White Young Green (WYG) to Support the Development of the Future High Street Fund Bid Full Business Case

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Decision Maker: Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

To appoint White Young Green (WYG) to help with the development of the full business case to support the development of the Future High Street Fund bid

Decision:

ROTHERHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

RECORD OF OFFICER EXECUTIVE DECISION

Date of Decision:

23/12/2019

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Tim O’Connell

Head of RiDO

Specific Delegation:

(If any)

N/A

Brief Description of Decision:

To procure and appoint WYG via direct award through an approved framework to support the Investment & Economic Initiatives Team to develop the full business case.

Reasons for the Decision:

This is a more expedient and efficient procurement process, which would give more time to develop the full business case.

WYG have previously been appointed to develop the adopted Rotherham Town Centre Masterplan, as such they have excellent knowledge of the projects, aims and objectives that the Masterplan and the FHSF bid are focussed on delivering.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

To undertake all of the work ‘in-house’, predominantly by officers within the Investment & Economic Initiatives Team. This option was rejected for the following reasons:

a) MHCLG has provided the Council with a £150,000 grant to use to help develop the full business case for the Stage 2 FHSF bid, this explicitly includes procuring the services of external consultants to support local authorities;

b) the Investment & Economic Initiatives Team is already undertaking and is responsible for a significant volume of work across a wide-range of high-level, strategic projects and is operating at capacity with the resources it has available;

c) some of the elements within in the business case development require specialist knowledge: HM Treasury Green Book compliance, architectural design services and property surveying.

To procure and appoint external consultants via an open tender exercise to support the Investment & Economic Initiatives Team to develop the full business case. This option was rejected due to:

a) the timescales involved in undertaking the ITT exercise, which would reduce the time available to undertake the business case development work and submit the bid,

b) this route would not allow for the direct award to WYG that have extensive knowledge and experience around the projects included in the FHSF bid as part of their work developing the adopted Rotherham Town Centre Masterplan.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Executive Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

None

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

None

Reports or parts of reports considered

HARP Board – 24^th September 2019

I certify that this is a true record of the executive decision in relation to the selection of WYG to support the development of a full business case for the Future High Street Fund bid.