In line with the Council’s established
procurement protocols approval has been sought to extend the remit
of contractors (Urban Initiatives Studio Limited - UIS) without the
need for a competitive procurement exercise. Urban Initiatives
Studio were appointed by the Council in February 2018 following a
competitive procurement exercise. The work requires UIS to refresh
the Dovercourt Masterplan (Dovercourt Rediscovered), and to prepare
detailed development proposals for the Starlings Block and Milton
Road Car Park. UIS were contracted by the Council on a fixed fee of
£40,959 (inclusive of fees, exclusive of VAT). The work has
progressed in line with the Council’s Specification of
Requirements and the contractors original quotation, both of which
identify the need to complete work set against four distinct
modules. UIS has now satisfactorily completed all of the specified
work in Modules One and Two, but in order to progress to Modules
Three and Four, UIS, the Client Team and the Council’s
Corporate Director of Planning and Regeneration are in agreement
that some additional and previously unspecified work should now be
undertaken. This would enable a more comprehensive consultation
(Module Three), and add value to the finished product (Module Four)
by providing a wider range of short, medium and longer term
interventions that (if delivered) would help transform Dovercourt
Town Centre. The Client Team would now like UIS to explore a wider
range of interventions across the town centre. This work will
include the following: •Utilisation of the eastern part of the
Starlings Block (land with options agreement) as a surface car
park, accepting that this would not be a like-for-like re-provision
for the Milton Road Car Park; •Development of the western part
of the Starlings Block by the private sector when the market is
ready (potentially illustrate / test development viability);
•Potential for additional car parking provision outside the
station through the reorganisation of the large asphalt surface;
•Testing the opportunity to bring the station building back
into meaningful use; •Potential for public realm improvements
in the centre (quick wins as well as comprehensive improvement);
•Shop front improvements; •Opportunity for a public space
in Kingsway, in discussion with the Highway Authority;
•New/improved connections with Cliff Hill Park and the
seafront; •Small interventions such as pop-up shops, murals,
heritage trail, dressing up of the site hoardings; and
•Location to accommodate events / improved market in the town
centre. These interventions will be developed at a conceptual level
with a high level consideration of their feasibility, cost and
potential phasing. This additional work will cost an additional
£11,200 (inclusive of fees, exclusive of VAT). The cost of
this work has been established using the same fee matrix, approach
and hourly rates as for quotation originally provided by UIS for
this commission. It is therefore thought to be fair and reasonable.
Given that UIS is halfway through its original commission, it would
make little sense to seek competitive quotations for this
additional work. Such an exercise would delay the project and
result in additional and unnecessary administrative expense. In
consultation with the Corporate Director Planning and Regeneration
and the Head of Finance, Revenues and Benefits and with the
explicit approval of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for
Finance and Corporate Services it has been determined that this
additional work should be exempted from the Council's Procurement
Rules.