Issue - items at meetings - New Historic Records Office and Resource Centre (The Keep).

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities (copy to follow).

(1)               That Cabinet note progress since July 2010, particularly that relating to scheme design and the positive outcome of the planning application.

(2)               That Cabinet note the contents of the detailed report presented to the Joint Project Board on 15 February 2011 (attached as Appendix 1 to the Part 2 report), particularly the Board’s recommendations, which have been referred to partners for agreement.

(3)               That Cabinet confirms the council’s commitment to ‘The Keep’ and supports continued partnership working with ESCC and the University of Sussex in moving forward to the construction phase.

(4)(i)    That Cabinet note the request for a higher level of funding from the city council, and the basis of this request as set out in Section 3.30 of this report, and

(4)(ii)   Confirm the council’s agreed contribution of £5.345m towards the project’s capital costs to practical completion, with ‘in principle’ agreement to up to an additional £0.270m to be met from the capital financing costs budget, subject to effective management of the project contingency budget, which is expected to reduce the level of additional funding required.        

(5)               That Cabinet support the main principles set out in the draft Partnership Collaboration Agreement covering the period through to practical completion (attached as an Appendix to the Part 2 report), and agree that the partners should seek to conclude this as a matter of urgency.

(6)               That Cabinet delegates authority to enter into the Partnership Collaboration Agreement to the Strategic Director Communities and the Head of Law in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation & Tourism, and agree that the agreement should be signed by all three partners prior to ESCC entering into the construction contract.

(7)               That Cabinet note the letter of intent submitted by the University of Sussex attached as Appendix 2 to the Part 2 report.        

(8)               That Cabinet note the anticipated annual running costs of the Keep, together with the currently anticipated apportionment between the three partners, and agree that the partners should to continue to refine this as part of the Partnership Collaboration Agreement; where delegation to enter into that agreement is covered in 2.6 above.

(9)               That Cabinet note the next stages of development and the timetable associated with this as set out in Section 3.61 of this report.

(10)          That Cabinet note the Heads of Terms for the long-term governance agreement, the final form of which will return to a future Cabinet meeting for approval in good time to enable all partners to enter into it prior to practical completion of the building.

(11)          That Cabinet recommends to the Project Board, that it review current project management, Board membership, and reporting arrangements to reflect full partner engagement and that appropriate changes are agreed between the partners.

(12)          That for the reasons set out in the Part 2 report if it is agreed with ESCC that the site shown on the substituted plan annexed should be transferred leased by ESCC to the Council, to agree that the Head of Legal Services is authorised to complete that transaction.

(13)          That if it is agreed with ESCC that the land should be appropriated for planning purposes, to authorise officers to advertise the intention to appropriate the land shown on the revised appended plan (Appendix 4) for planning purposes and to delegate to the Strategic Director Communities in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation & Tourism the consideration of any objections and the final decision whether or not to appropriate the land for planning purposes.

223.1          The Cabinet considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities concerning progress in developing the New Historic Records Office & Resource Centre project (‘The Keep’); a partnership project between East Sussex County Council (“ESCC”), the University of Sussex and the city council, with ESCC acting as project manager.

223.2          The Chairman advised that the recommendations and plan had been amended and that revised versions had been issued to Members.

223.3          The Strategic Director, Communities explained that the new facility was necessary due to pressure from The National Archives for the council to find a long-term solution for the care and storage of archives and records because the existing arrangements did not meet the required standards. He advised that the partnership approach had a number of benefits, including being the most cost-effective solution.

223.4          Councillor Mitchell welcomed the progress and in particular the requirement for a legally binding agreement between the council, East Sussex County Council and the University of Sussex. She asked whether any options had been considered for use of the land at Wollards Field and whether there was any expectation for a further increase in costs for the project.  

223.5          Councillor Smith advised that the Partnership Collaboration Agreement would make the involvement of each party clear. He stated that he would answer Councillor Mitchell’s other questions during the Part Two session, but that the project was being closely monitored to prevent it from going over budget.

223.6          RESOLVED - That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet accepted the following recommendations:

(1)               That the progress since July 2010, particularly that relating to scheme design and the positive outcome of the planning application, be noted.

(2)               That the contents of the detailed report presented to the Joint Project Board on 15 February 2011 (attached as Appendix 1 to the Part 2 report), particularly the Board’s recommendations, which have been referred to partners for agreement, be noted.

(3)               That the council’s commitment to ‘The Keep’ and support for the continued partnership working with ESCC and the University of Sussex in moving forward to the construction phase be confirmed.

(4)(i)    That the request for a higher level of funding from the city council, and the basis of this request as set out in Section 3.30 of this report, be noted, and

(4)(ii)   That the council’s agreed contribution of £5.345m towards the project’s capital costs to practical completion, with ‘in principle’ agreement to up to an additional £0.270m to be met from the capital financing costs budget, subject to effective management of the project contingency budget, which is expected to reduce the level of additional funding required be confirmed.        

(5)               That the main principles set out in the draft Partnership Collaboration Agreement covering the period through to practical completion (attached as an Appendix to the Part 2 report) be supported, and it be agreed that that the partners should seek to conclude this as a matter of urgency.

(6)               That delegated authority to enter into the Partnership Collaboration Agreement be given to the Strategic Director Communities and the Head of Law in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation & Tourism, and it be agreed that the agreement should be signed by all three partners prior to ESCC entering into the construction contract.

(7)               That the letter of intent submitted by the University of Sussex attached as Appendix 2 to the Part 2 report be noted.        

(8)               That the anticipated annual running costs of the Keep, together with the currently anticipated apportionment between the three partners be noted, and it be agreed that the partners should to continue to refine this as part of the Partnership Collaboration Agreement; where delegation to enter into that agreement is covered in 2.6 above.

(9)               That the next stages of development and the timetable associated with this as set out in Section 3.61 of this report be noted.

(10)          That the Heads of Terms for the long-term governance agreement, the final form of which will return to a future Cabinet meeting for approval in good time to enable all partners to enter into it prior to practical completion of the building, be noted.

(11)          That it be recommended to the Project Board, that it review current project management, Board membership, and reporting arrangements to reflect full partner engagement and that appropriate changes are agreed between the partners.

(12)          That for the reasons set out in the Part 2 report if it is agreed with ESCC that the site shown on the substituted plan annexed should be transferred leased by ESCC to the Council, to agree that the Head of Legal Services is authorised to complete that transaction.

(13)          That if it is agreed with ESCC that the land should be appropriated for planning purposes, to authorise officers to advertise the intention to appropriate the land shown on the revised appended plan (Appendix 4) for planning purposes and to delegate to the Strategic Director Communities in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation & Tourism the consideration of any objections and the final decision whether or not to appropriate the land for planning purposes.

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities (copy to follow).

195.1          This item was deferred to a future meeting of the Cabinet.