Issue - meetings

Councillor Subedar submits a report advising the Cabinet of progress to date and seeking the necessary authorisation to implement the proposals for City Learning Centres under the Excellence in Cities initiative.

Councillor Subedar submitted a report informing the Cabinet of the progress to date on the Excellence in Cities Initiative.  It was noted that the Council’s bid for inclusion in the programme was approved by the Department for Education and Employment (DFEE) in July 2000.  City Learning Centres and the linked learning grid – ‘Leicester on line’ were a strand in the programme.  Proposals for two learning centres at Beaumont Leys School and Crown Hills Community College and the associated ICT Network linking them with schools and other centres had been developed in close consultation with schools and detailed proposals had been approved by the DFEE, releasing  £2,400,000 of funding for the project.  The DFEE wished to see the Centres open from September 2001 and therefore a ‘fast track’ process was proposed in order to minimise the time required to design and construct the centres.  This required a waiver of  Contract Standing Orders.

RESOLVED:

(1)that the concept for 'Leicester on Line' including the two Learning Centres and the hub and spoke arrangement, be approved;

(2)that the outline design proposals for the learning centres at Beaumont Leys School and Crown Hills Community College, be approved;

(3)that approval be given for expenditure of up to £2,400,000, to cover start up costs, construction costs, design fees and furniture and equipment, to be funded from government grant;

(4)that the proposal for the procurement of the centres and in particular the proposals to enter into a partnering arrangement with a suitable contractor and to negotiate a contract price, be approved;

(5)that Contract Standing Order 82.2, allowing the contract to be negotiated without competitive tenders, for the reasons detailed in the report, be approved; and

(6)that authority be delegated to the Director of Education to determine the following matters of detail, in consultation with the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Education:

(a)The detailed development of the 'Leicester on Line' concept

(b)the detailed design for the two learning centres

(c)the detailed breakdown of expenditure within the overall budget of £2,400,000

(d)the appointment of consultants as required, using the Council's usual procedures, to carry out the design and supervision of the works

(e)the selection of a suitable partnering contractor

(f)the negotiation of a contract price for the building works

(g)instructions to the Council's Head of Legal Services to enter into a contract with the selected contractor, subject to a mutually acceptable contract price being agreed