Cabinet, on 13 September 2023,resolved to:

1.      Grant project approval to create a Youth Hub at Leys Pools and Leisure Centre;

2.      Recommend to Council the addition of £1,120,199 into the capital programme together with £223,907 in the revenue budget for delivery of the project; and

3.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People) in consultation with the Head of Financial Services / Section 151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance / Monitoring Officer and the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Parks to award the construction contract to Oxford Direct Services Ltd subject to it being within budget and value for money.

Council, on 2 October 2023, resolved to:

1.        Approve the addition of £1,120,199 into the capital programme together with £223,907 in the revenue budget for delivery of the project.

The decision to enter into the Letter of Intent falls under the authority granted to enter into the construction contract (resolution 3 above).

To enter into a Letter of Intent with ODS to undertake pre-construction works, including preparatory demolition works necessary to be in a position to enter into a construction contract to create a youth hub based in the Leys Pools & Leisure Centre, up to a total value of £209,604.89. 

The decision enables the programme to continue to hit the funder’s deadline, which is 31 March 2025. The LOI covers work necessary in advance of entering into a construction contract.

This work is necessary to enable work to progress the creation of the Youth Investment Funded Youth Hub at the Leys Leisure Centre. By having a LOI it enables work to take place prior to entering into the construction contract to ensure the deliverability of the scheme. Work on the construction contract has been undertaken in tandem; if we were to pause and wait for the construction contract then we would not hit the funder’s deadline and the funding would likely be at risk.

Not to enter into a Letter of Intent. This option was rejected as the additional time necessary to pause works and enter into a full construction contract would have been outside the funder’s timescale and present a strong likelihood that the funder would withdraw the funding.

Decision taken by Peter Matthew, Executive Director (Communities and People) in consultation with Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services; Emma Jackman, Head of Law and Governance; Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of the Council (on behalf of Councillor Chewe Munkonge, Cabinet Member for A Healthy Oxford); and Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) – Finance and Asset Management.