Agenda item

Report of Leader/Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth

The Board considered a report of the Leader/Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth, outlining proposals to maximise the potential of Loxley House and other assets.

It is proposed to move services from disparate locations across Nottingham to a central location at Loxley House, while freeing up other assets within the Council’s estate for development and/or disposal, in line with the Corporate Asset Management Plan and Strategic Regeneration Programme.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  approve the Outline Business Case for the Loxley house Work Place and Hub Phase 2 programme of works as outlined at Appendix A to the report;

(2)  approve the financial model of the project as defined at Appendix B to the report;

(3)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Development and Growth, in consultation with the Leader/Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth, to enter into work contracts, including the procurement of consultants, and to commit any expenditure required during the delivery of the programme, subject to costs being contained within the parameters of the financial model, noting that all requirements will be procured in conjunction with the Procurement Team and in accordance with the Council’s own Contract Procedure Rules and Public Procurement Regulations 2015;

(4)  approve the establishment of 1 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Grade I Change Manager post and 1 FTE Grade H Change Manager post and recruitment to these posts under scheme of delegation number 16, for a fixed term period of 12 months;

(5)  delegate authority to the Head of Legal Services to amend existing licence agreements to reflect changes and to enter into any service level agreements required to facilitate the programme and protect the interests of the Council;

(6)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Development and Growth, in consultation with the Leader/Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth, to approve the Final Business Case, subject to the value being within the funding envelope set out within the Outline Business Case;

(7)  delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Finance to opt to tax Loxley House if required to protect the Council’s position;

(8)  increase the Capital programme by £1.823 million as detailed in the exempt finance comments.

Reasons for decisions

The proposals will release sites for development and will generate income and accrue savings for the Council.

They provide an opportunity to implement more flexible working throughout Loxley House, and to consolidate public-facing services within a single location.

They also provide the flexibility to recover VAT on any rental income from partners, subject to licences being in place, and this being the most favourable approach in the particular circumstances.

Other options considered

Do nothing: rejected as this could block at least 2 development opportunities and frustrate the most efficient use of resources.

Relocate Revenues and Benefits and Housing Aid to other buildings: rejected as no appropriate buildings have been identified.

Reconfigure Loxley House Ground Floor without introducing agile working: rejected, as existing back-office ground floor colleagues need relocating elsewhere within Loxley, requiring desk ratios to be improved.

Appoint external consultants as change managers: rejected as is cost prohibitive.

Use internal resources as change managers: rejected, as there is no in-house capacity to support this programme.