Cabinet Member decisions

Proposed decision

The Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services is to grant a decision to procure and delegate authority to the Director for Growth and Communities to award and enter into appropriate contractual arrangements to install new playpark equipment and/ or enhance existing playpark equipment across the Kent County Council portfolio of Kent Country Parks.

Background:

Kent County Council has secured funding to enlarge or install new playpark equipment and outdoor seating/picnic areas. The equipment would be funded via the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) to provide further outdoor provision to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The budget is circa £1.2m.

The playgrounds will be DDA compliant in terms of their accessibility and inclusive design. The surfacing must adhere to standards EN1176 and EN1177.

The procurement may be awarded to multiple contractors on a site-by-site basis. Each site will be awarded based on design, appropriateness of site requirements, quality, and value for money.

The improvements over winter will ensure there are continued outdoor activities that are accessible and safe, even if low level restrictions begin to be reintroduced which may prevent families and individuals from attending their usual activities.

Financial Implications:

The total budget for the delivery of this programme is £1.2m. This will be split across a number of sites dependent on the complexity of the equipment. Circa £950k is split across seven sites with ad-hoc improvements being delivered across the rest of the assets.

This is one-off capital spend and is required to be spent by 31st March 2022 in accordance with the COMF. There is a risk that COVID, weather and manufacturing issues could delay all sites being completed by this date. There is currently no scope to roll forward unspent money if the construction is not completed this financial year.

This risk totals £200k (25% of the programme) which would be unspent if there is a delay in the construction at all sites. Following an assessment of the programmes submitted by the tenderers, this figure is forecasted to be no more than £100k. This is on the basis that some projects will be delivered early March and have appropriate float. The programme team will work closely with the awarded suppliers to minimise this risk.

The Growth, Environment and Transport directorate will underwrite any funding that is not rolled over beyond 31^st March 2022. This risk will be removed, if COMF funding is rolled over into 22/23 financial year or all sites are completed by 31^st March 2022.

Reason for Urgency:

COMF funding was awarded to the department on 15^th November 2021. Clarity of the funding restrictions were detailed early December 2021. There is a risk that should the work not be completed by the 31^st March 2022, the funding cannot be rolled over in financial year 22/23.

Due to the lead times to order, manufacture and deliver the playpark equipment required in early January at the latest, this will not have the required time to be presented at the appropriate Cabinet Committee. 

As Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, I agree to procure and delegate authority to the Director for Growth and Communities to award and enter into appropriate contractual arrangements to install new playpark equipment and/ or enhance existing playpark equipment across the Kent County Council portfolio of Kent Country Parks.

Proposed Decision

To approve the procurement and set up arrangements for a Temporary Place of Rest should it be needed as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

KCC has a statutory responsibility under the Civil Contingency Act 2004 to take the lead on behalf of the Kent Resilience Forum in responding to humanitarian impacts that result from an emergency. As part of the continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in light of the new Omicron Variant, latest modelling, the rising absenteeism of frontline hospital staff and other routine winter pressures, the multi-agency partners of the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) of which KCC has a lead role, have decided to initiate preparations to set up the Aylesford Temporary Place of Rest in case it is needed

As Leader of the Council, I agree to:

Approve the procurement and setup arrangements for a Temporary Place of Rest should it be needed as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This approval includes agreement;

I.    to approve up to £1 million from the Emergency Covid reserve to support the procurement and management of the temporary site to provide additional capacity for Kent and Medway at one location, should it be needed, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.              Such solutions shall include, but not be limited solely to, site preparation, installation of temporary structure and equipment, management of the site, security and access control, facility management, ICT and technical systems support, mortuary storage management, transportation and traffic management services to and from the location, demobilisation and site clearance including any decontamination; management and staffing; and

II.   to delegate authority under the Scheme of Officer Delegations to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Corporate Director for Finance and the Monitoring Officer, to take relevant actions, including but not limited to entering into contracts and other legal agreements required to ensure the effective operation and delivery of the increased mortuary capacity, as necessary to implement this decision; and

III.  to delegate authority under the Scheme of Officer Delegations to the Director of Infrastructure in consultation with the Leader, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate and Traded Services, the Corporate Director for Finance, the monitoring officer and the Corporate Director for Growth, Environment and Transport to direct the use of KCC land and to enable the provision and operation of the mortuary capacity, and take other appropriate actions in relation to Property Management and Infrastructure activity, necessary to implement this decision.      

Reason for Decision and Background

Kent County Council (KCC), as the Local Authority (LA), has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places are available. The County Council’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2022-26 (KCP) is a five-year rolling plan which is updated annually. It sets out our future plans as Strategic Commissioner of Education Provision across all types and phases of education in Kent.

The Plan details how we will carry out our responsibility for ensuring there are sufficient high quality places, in the right places for all learners, while at the same time fulfilling our other responsibilities to raise education standards and promote parental preference.  The Plan indicates the expected future need for education provision, thereby enabling parents and education providers to put forward proposals as to how these needs might best be met.

Options

The KCP sets out the principles by which we determine proposals, and it forecasts the need for future provision.  It also sets out in more detail plans to meet the commissioning needs which arise in each District in Kent during the Plan period.

Cabinet agreed the Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2022-26 at its meeting on 6 January 2022.