To present the post project review of Sunspot, Jaywick Sands Workspace, community gardens, meeting rooms and event space on the former Sunspot Arcade site which opened in September 2023, including a requirement to allocate up to £100,000 to meet additional costs emerging from the final account processes / negotiations with the associated contractor.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)       endorses this post project and operational review of the Sunspot, Jaywick Sands, which highlights the success of the workspace since opening in September 2023, the challenges in construction, and the lessons learnt for future regeneration projects; and

b)       in respect of the additional costs of potentially up to £100,000 that have emerged from the project’s final account processes, agrees that this be funded by a transfer within the existing HRA Capital Programme / wider HRA revenue budgets as part of finalising the overall HRA outturn position for 2024/25.

Cabinet considered a detailed report of the Economic Growth, Regeneration & Tourism Portfolio Holder (A.4) which presented the post project review of the Sunspot, Jaywick Sands Workspace, community gardens, meeting rooms and event space on the former Sunspot Arcade site which had opened in September 2023, including a requirement to allocate up to £100,000 to meet additional costs emerging from the final account processes / negotiations with the associated contractor.

The report covered the following matters:-

(1)     The Sunspot – site description and Design Award success;

(2)     The development process;

(3)     Sunspot – Operational;

(4)     Sunspot – Construction (including budgets and final accounts); and

(5)     Learning.

It was reported that the recommendations within the Portfolio Holder’s report were made to update Cabinet with regards to the success of a major award-winning capital project which had supported economic development, enhanced community services, raised the profile and ultimately contributing to the long-term regeneration of Jaywick Sands. The funding was required to pay the final account, and offered a value for money approach, given the small proportion of the additional finance required in relation to large overall project sum, and the significant risks of taking the contractor through an arbitration process.

It was therefore moved by Councillor I J Henderson, seconded by Councillor M E Stephensonand:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)       endorses this post project and operational review of the Sunspot, Jaywick Sands, which highlights the success of the workspace since opening in September 2023, the challenges in construction, and the lessons learnt for future regeneration projects; and

b)       in respect of the additional costs of potentially up to £100,000 that have emerged from the project’s final account processes, agrees that this be funded by a transfer within the existing HRA Capital Programme / wider HRA revenue budgets as part of finalising the overall HRA outturn position for 2024/25.