To commission Balfour Beatty to undertake the first phase value engineering exercise for Oxpens River Bridge.

To award a contract with a value of £23,365.66 to Balfour Beatty, using the approved SCAPE framework, for the first phase value engineering exercise for Oxpens River Bridge.

The use of the Growth Deal funding has a deadline of March 2025, therefore it is important to maintain progress on the programme.

By appointing Balfour Beatty using the approved SCAPE framework, the decision allows for progress on the Oxpens River Bridge project to be maintained and the value engineering exercise to be progressed whilst legal agreements between City and County for the further use of Growth Deal funding are finalised.

To wait for the collaboration agreement with County/City legal teams to be completed before entering into pre-construction works. This option was rejected as it would cause delay to programme, putting at risk theGrowth Deal source of funding which has a deadline of 31 March 2025.

Decision taken by Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development) in consultation with Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning & Housing Delivery and Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services.