To seek Cabinet approval toundertake a pre-qualifying tender exercise for the construction of the Garw Valley South schools.

The Group Manager, Property Services presented a report, seeking Cabinet approval to undertake a pre-qualifying tender exercise for the construction of the Garw Valley South schools. Subsequent to the completion of this exercise and subject to the successful appropriation of land at Betws Primary School and obtaining appropriate planning permission, to tender for the construction of the new schools.

She confirmed that on the 16^th September 2014 Cabinet agreed to participate and be a signatory to the South East Wales Schools Capital Procurement Framework (SEWSCAP Framework) for a four year period, commencing April 2015.

On 31^st March 2015 Cabinet agreed to proceed with a replacement of Betws Primary School on land which has been used as the playing fields of the existing school site, and which is also an area of public open space. On 1^st September 2015 Cabinet approved the proposal to relocate Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Cwm Garw to the existing Betws Primary School site with effect from September 2018.

The Group Manager, Property Services then further advised that on 16^th February 2016, Cabinet approved the publication of a S122(2A) Local Government Act 1972 Notice. A local authority can appropriate land for any purpose for which the Council is authorised by any enactment to acquire land by agreement and which belongs to the Council and is no longer required for that purpose for which it is held immediately before being appropriated. However, where that land is an area of public open space there is a requirement under Section 122 (2A) that before such land is appropriated that the Council’s intention to appropriate the land is advertised in accordance with the requirements of Section 122(2A) and to consider any objections it receives to the proposed appropriation. Cabinet will in due course consider any objections in order to assess whether the land which forms part of an open space should be appropriated for educational purposes.

In terms of the present situation, she advised that the tender process for the SEWSCAP Framework was undertaken and administered by Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council, in conjunction with Capita Glamorgan on behalf of all participating Councils. Throughout the process of establishing the SEWSCAP Framework, Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) officers expressed the need to include the full suite of JCT and NEC contracts to allow flexibility in determining the most suitable contract available for the individual projects of the respective Councils.

The Outline Business Case, which has received approval by Welsh Government, indicated that the SEWSCAP Framework would be used as the procurement route for the scheme. Welsh Government have now been advised of the issues detailed within this report and have given their approval for Garw Valley South to be procured as a separate contract following an EU compliant procedure.

The Group Manager, Property Services explained that  during the first stage the potential contractors will be asked to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire which will be assessed and scored in accordance with the scoring criteria set out in the tender documents. The second stage will invite contractors to tender for the works.

With regard to the report’s financial implications, she explained that the cost of the scheme will be contained within the approved Capital Programme budget of £10 million. Where a capital project requires works to be done to improve highways access to the school, this would not qualify for Welsh Government grant, and would fall to the local authority to fund. The Welsh Government would provide half of the funding for the eligible elements of the scheme with the remainder coming from capital receipts the Council has agreed, will be ring fenced for the School Modernisation Programme.

RESOLVED:                That Cabinet:

1. Approved a pre-qualifying tender exercise be undertaken for the construction of the Garw Valley South schools.

2. Subject to the successful appropriation of land at Betws Primary School and obtaining of appropriate planning permission in respect of the planning application, approved the issue of an invitation to tender for the construction of the new schools.

3. Noted that Cabinet will in due course receive a further report seeking Cabinet’s approval for the award of the contract to the successful tenderer