Decision details

To instruct King Builders Ltd to carry out remedial works (structural strengthening) in connection with high risk RAAC panels found following structural engineers survey at the Recreation Centre.

The Teaching Pool, Splashpad and School Change areas are currently closed on the advice of structural engineers following a survey carried out at the Recreation Centre to identify the presence of RAAC
within the structure. The survey highlighted that some of the RAAC panels identified were in too poor a condition to allow the Recreation Centre to operate as normal due to the unknown structural stability of the panels within the roof structure.
Following consultation with The Cheltenham Trust a 6 week closure was agreed in order to allow remedial work to commence within the critical (high risk) areas highlighted above. In order to prevent a prolonged closure the normal procurement route could not be adhered to. Therefore, Property informally spoke with a number of local Building Contractors inviting them to tender from structural engineers drawings and specification, requesting commitment that they could deliver within the timescale.
King Builders were the only Contractor who showed an interest in undertaking the specialised works and advised they has previous expertise in this area. The Property Team have worked with King Builders for a number of years on a wide variety of projects and found them to be diligent, competent Contractors.
The Structural Engineers were satisfied that provided we could make a start within weeks of receiving their survey report, could demonstrate we had appointed a contractor and agreed a rolling programme of
remedial works, we would not need to close the Change Village or corridor areas adjacent and works could take place safely whilst some of the facility is still in operation. Had we not been able to appoint a
Contractor within weeks of receiving the structural engineers report their advice was to close the Change Village. The impact of this would have been such that we would have had to close the Main Swimming Pool through lack of changing facilities and showers.

To carry out a full open tender exercise, this would require closure of the entire wetside area of the facility for at least 6 months which would have had a detrimental impact on the income stream of the Operator. Therefore this option was discounted in favour of a rolling programme with an experienced Contractor having previously demonstrated an excellent reputation for delivery.

Consultation and permission sought from Gemma Bell, Director of Finance & Assets