Hampshire County Council

Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel Item

24 January 2006

Miscellaneous Approvals

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

How the conclusion in this report fits with the Corporate Strategy

The proposals in this report will impact on the delivery of the following Corporate Aims

Aim 5 - improving services - by providing well maintained buildings that enable improved service delivery

1

Summary

1.1

This report seeks approval to:

· appoint consultants and use part of the capital receipt to progress a development plan for Basing House

· Additions/amendments to the Capital Repairs/NDS Condition fund budgets

2.

Basing House

2.1

The Director of Recreation and Heritage is intending to make a major grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in 2006 to restore the Basing House site. In order to meet HLF requirements is it is necessary to include a Conservation Management Plan and associated specialist reports. This expertise is not available in house and it is necessary to appoint consultants experienced in heritage site operation, access and interpretation planning, market research and commercial management in the visitor audience sector to complete the documentation. ABL Cultural consulting have been selected to complete this work.

2.2

The cost of preparing the documentation is likely to be around £50,000 and it is intended to use part of the capital receipt for the Grange Farmhouse, which was ring-fenced to restore the Basing House site. The HLF does allow for grant aid of up to £50,000 towards the completion of preparatory research. It is intended to request retrospective costs for preparing the Conservation Management Plan as part of the major application to the HLF to restore Basing House. If this application, which needs to be made within 12 months of any expenditure, is successful the cost of the Conservation Management Plan and other essential reports will be fully refunded.

3.

Additions to the Capital Repairs/NDS Condition Fund Programme

3.1

It is proposed to add the following schemes to the Capital repairs/NDS Condition Fund programme 2005/6

· Oak Meadow Primary School - installation of a new boiler - £80,000

· Copper Beeches Older Persons Home - installation of new fire alarm and emergency lighting - £118,000 (Note this replaces the approval previously given for a similar scheme at Stocklands OPH, which has now been deferred)

· West Tytherley School - renew sewerage treatment plant (NDS) - £60,000

3.2

It is proposed to negotiate the contract for the installation of a new fire alarm and emergency lighting system at Copper Beeches OPH with either Prestige Fire Protections or Southern Fire Alarms Ltd. These contractors are on the register of approved contractors and are also the specialist subcontractors for the fire alarm maintenance under the term engineering contracts. The contractors are used to working with in occupied premises and are aware of the particular health and safety requirements, especially working with asbestos. Both contractors have previously undertaken fire alarm installation work won through competitive tender, which will provide a sound basis for negotiation.

Recommendation(s)

That the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel advises the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that approval be given to:

1. Use the capital receipt funding to produce a Conservation Management Plan for the restoration of Basing House.

2. The additions/amendments to the capital repairs/NDS Condition fund programmes as indicated in paragraph 3.1.

3. Negotiating the contract for the installation of a new fire alarm system and emergency lighting at Copper Beeches OPH with either Prestige Fire Protection or Southern Fire Alarms Ltd.