To allocate £296,151.63 from the High Street Accelerator Green Space Funding (as part of the HSA projects) to RCL to complete the works as agreed by the High Street Accelerator Partnership.

To approve the Council entering into Contract with Ryebridge Construction Limited (RCL) to carry out public realm works in Dovercourt under the High Street Accelerator Pilot Programme Green Space Scheme.

On 24 May 2024, Cabinet considered a report titled
‘PROGRESS WITH TOWN CENTRE REGENERATION THROUGH THE CLACTON LONG TERM PLAN FOR TOWNS AND DOVERCOURT HIGH STREET ACCELERATOR.’

Through that report, Cabinet delegated authorisation of this spending of the High St Accelerator Green Space Budget of £500,000 to the Leader of the Council in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm.

The spending recommendations for the High Street Accelerator budgets are put forward by the ‘High Street Accelerator’ partnership, which is formed from a variety of organisations who are representative of the town centre and wider community. This project has been agreed by the partnership and now awaiting formal authority from the respective Cabinet Members to progress.

To deliver the wider green spaces scheme identified in this project, a full tender exercise took place to secure a contractor.

On the 27 August 2025 one tender submission was received from Ryebridge Construction Limited and on 10 September 2025 a Consensus Meeting took place to score the submitted tender with a second Consensus Meeting taking place on 15 October 2025 looking at cost and social value. This tender scored sufficiently to be awarded the contract but required a Value for Money Report.

Cost consultants, Playle & Partners, were commissioned on 1 October 2025 to provide a Value for Money report which the Council received on 5 November 2025 and which recommended that: Overall, based on the information we have been provided, we deem that the Works Schedule submitted by Ryebridge Construction Ltd (RCL) with a proposed Contract Sum of £296,151.63 appears to be justified and well aligned with the projects objectives and expected outcomes and provides Tendring District Council with a value for money return.

To not procure and miss the opportunity to maximise the offer to Dovercourt and not providing the best value.

To not progress the green space projects or scale them down, returning money to MHCLG therefore not requiring this support.