Agenda item

103

PE21: update

DECISION

Portfolio Holder and Officer

NW / TL

REASON FOR DECISION

Councillor Nigel Welton introduced a report by the Deputy Chief Executive (Strategy) providing an update on the PE21 Project, following discussion at the Cabinet meeting held on 9 September 2020.

At that meeting the Deputy Chief Executive (Strategy) had been tasked with providing a briefing on the steps taken to ensure the PE21 initiative was ready for submission as part of the Council’s Town Fund Bid.  The report updated on the procurement of studies to demonstrate how certain outline concepts identified in the masterplan, prepared by AR Regeneration in 2019, could be translated into firm deliverable proposals, and to develop the proposal for the wellbeing and health living centre.

The Boston Town Fund Board met on 16 October 2020 and approved the Town Investment Plan, which would then be considered by full Council on 26 October 2020 and programmed to be submitted to the Secretary of State on 30 October.  In view of the restricted timeframe the Deputy Chief Executive (Strategy) had authorised the procuring of the contracts using Rule 3.1 (1) and (2) of the Contract Procedure Rules (unforeseen event involving the risk of significant disruption to Council services).  Therefore Cabinet was asked to ratify the contracts, which were at a significantly less cost than the proposed charge for comparable work previously received.

Following debate at the meeting of the Corporate and Community Committee on 1 October (Call In), the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) had begun to explore the potential to incorporate certain elements of the Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre, principally the swimming pool, into Boston College’s proposal for the Mayflower Centre.  Other leisure uses could be part of the Wellbeing and Healthy Living Centre. This approach would help to guarantee the continued provision of the existing range of leisure facilities in the town centre.  It was anticipated that the option would be developed in more detail after the TIP had been submitted to Government.

The work described in the report would enable the Council to bid for Towns Fund monies to deliver PE21.  However, in view of the high level of support for the idea of regenerating the prominent town centre site, it was proposed to continue with site acquisition and further feasibility and viability work to ensure improvement took place irrespective of whether the PE21 component of the TIP was successful.  A site acquisition strategy would be presented to a future meeting of the Cabinet which would show the areas of land needed to be acquired to deliver the scheme and the likely cost of each site.

Members thanked Officers for the work undertaken so far and expressed their pleasure at the progressed being made.

OTHER OPTIONS OR ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

None.

RECORD OF ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

RECORD OF ANY DISPENSATION GRANTED

None.

Signed by the Chief Executive

Friday 23 October 2020

These decisions will come into force (and may then be implemented) on the expiry of five clear working days after the date of this notice UNLESS the decisions are subjected to the Call-In procedure or are starred minutes requiring Full Council approval.