Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Acting Director of City Development summarising the options available to replace the Council’s internal design service and seeking in principle approval to transfer the service into a joint venture arrangement with Norfolk Property Services, subject to detailed consideration and a further report to Executive Board in July.

Appendix 2 to the report is designated as exempt under Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(5).

The Acting Director of City Development submitted a report summarising the options available regarding the replacement of the Council’s internal design service and which sought in principle approval to transfer the service into a joint venture arrangement with Norfolk Property Services, subject to detailed consideration and a further report being submitted to Executive Board in July 2011.

The report noted that an Equality Impact Assessment had been completed in respect of the proposals detailed within the submitted report, and that the outcomes from which were available upon request.

The report presented the following options, which had been considered in relation to the Council’s internal design service:-

Option 1:  Proposal submitted by staff

Option 2:  Jacobs secondment proposal

Option 3:  Local Authority Joint Venture arrangement with Norfolk Property Services

Option 4:  Separate procurement of design services for individual jobs and/or use available frameworks (e.g. Office of Government Commerce)

Option 5:  Usage of existing framework available within Leeds City Council (e.g. the Local Education Partnership or Public Private Partnerships Unit’s technical advisor contract)

Option 6:  Procurement of a new external design framework

Option 7:  Procurement of a new design partner

Option 8:  Establishment of a Joint Venture arrangement with a private sector company

Option 9:  Shared service or Joint Venture arrangement with another local authority

Following consideration of appendix 2 to the submitted report, designated as exempt under Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(5), which was considered in private at the conclusion of the meeting it was

RESOLVED -

(a)  That the formal consultation about ceasing the service be concluded, and that the proposal to cease the in-house Architectural Design Service in its current form be agreed.

(b)  That approval be given to beginning the process of decommissioning the service in the most appropriate way in order to optimise the current and future business needs.

(c)  That the establishment of a joint venture arrangement with Norfolk Property Services (NPS) be explored as the preferred route and subject to further detailed consideration, this matter be reported back to Executive Board in July 2011.

(d)  That further to resolution (c) above, officers also explore alongside this in more detail the option to separately procure design services using existing frameworks where appropriate e.g. Office of Government Commerce (OGC).