Agenda and minutes

To sign the minutes of the meetings held on 30 October and 27 November 2018.

The minutes of the meetings held on 30 October and 27 November 2018 were taken as read and signed by the Chair as correct.

Councillors are reminded of the need to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests that relate to business on the agenda and which have not already been included in the register of interests, before any discussion takes place on the item. Unless the interest is sensitive, you must also disclose the nature of the interest. In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, you must then leave the room and must not participate in any further discussion of the item.  Councillors requiring clarification should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer prior to the day of the meeting.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made.

The City Surveyor to make a presentation.

The City Surveyor introduced the presentation on the procurement for the operator/tenant of the new Bus Station. A copy of the presentation was attached to the minutes. He provided an indication of the approach, procurement process, and scope of the agreement, costs, risk and timeframe.  He presented the detail which included two illustrations of the passenger areas and an indicative outline of the site area, which included the 12 bus bays and walkway to the adjacent Leisure Centre, which was currently being built.

Previous expressions of interest had resulted in four operators coming forward and they would be invited to make submissions as well as attract further competition to run the facility.  An updated tender pack would ensure that any prospective tenant would be clear as to what the Council would be providing. The anticipated time line for procurement included:-

·         May 2019 - Update documentation (new design and new requirements) by the end of May, documentation for the tender and site will be produced. 

·         1 June - 2 July 2019 - Revised Expression of Interest to be sought – including issuing the Tender documentation, covering financial standing, ability to proceed, experience of running bus stations, Landlord references, draft documents and the financial offer.

·         1 July 2019 - Tender Returns.

·         2 July – 1 August 2019 - Tender Evaluation.

·         1 September 2019 - Agreement for Lease to be signed.

·         Autumn/Winter 2020 – (at the practical completion of the building)  Tenant fit out works.

·         Winter 2020/21 - Lease Executed: Bus Station open and operational.

The City Surveyor set out the scope for the lease and duration of the tenancy of twenty years, which would provide a reasonable period to allow the tenant to fulfil their repair and maintenance duties and ensure the safe running of the Bus Station. He also stated that as part of the agreement, the potential operator would be asked how they would address the following areas:- 

·         cleaning/cleanliness

·         opening and closing hours

·         toilets (paid or free to use)

·         advertising and signage/information boards (including Devon County Council information boards)

The project was being delivered in-house by Exeter City Councillor officers, and it was not anticipated that any third party costs would be incurred for this procurement exercise. It was noted that the identification of a basic minimum requirement as part of the contract package would be made explicit. The main risks and mitigation to alleviate any potential risks were set out, and there would be some flexibility for the future operator with few onerous conditions. In response to a question from the Chair, he stated that non-structural or internal changes to the fixtures and fittings would be permitted, and every effort would be made to ensure there was adequate guidance and controls in place to ensure that the enclosed areas remained enclosed and these matters would be made clear in the documentation.

Councillor Sutton referred to past discussions with stakeholders such as Living Options, and she asked if their requests had been included in the specification for the Bus Station.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

The date of the next meeting of the Leisure Complex and Bus Station Programme Board will be identified to coincide with the Programme gateway.

A further meeting of the Leisure Complex and Bus Station Programme Board would occur as and when required to suit the needs and demands of the projects within the programme.