Decision details

To accept the fee proposal received from Ashford LLP to provide CBC with External Legal Support in connection to legal services for the procurement of a contractor for the redevelopment of the former Monkscroft School Site and for CBC to enter contract with them.

Since 2023 we have been working to appoint a wide range of consultants required to work to support the project and design team for Monkscroft School site’s development with the intention of submitting a planning application for the site later this year.

A decision was taken the 10th of February 2025 to outsource the legal services required in preparation of the construction contract and other construction procurement activities to secure a D&B contractor. The agreement was between Shahzia Daya, One Legal, and Claire Hughes, CBC.

A designated legal project team was established representing CBC’s development and construction teams, Publica, One Legal and the appointed Project Management team, TSA Riley.

A joint scope of services was produced between all team representatives.
Procurement activities was led by Publica, who advised to use of the nationally approved legal framework, Procurement Services Framework. Further Publica ensured that CBC was able to access the framework services and relevant companies.

The public sector procurement frameworks are established to ensure transparency, fairness, and value for money in public spending. They are also aimed at promoting competition among suppliers, which helps to drive innovation, improve the quality of goods and services procured, and reduce costs.

After the entering process to the framework was completed a list of suitable service suppliers was identified, and a filtering process was carried out.

The filtering included reviewing a total of 18 qualified legal and procurement companies on the approved framework. Ashford LLP came top on the qualifying assessment of a combination of responses to pricing and quality.

Publica confirmed that direct award would be acceptable.

TSA Riley contacted the framework and obtained confirmation that.
- The Supplier is able to supply the required Services within the Customers timescales

TSA Riley acted on behalf of the legal team, Publica and CBC’s development and legal team, who made a joint decision to approach the preferred company, Ashfords.

Ashfords responded to our issued scope of services and provided a fee proposal. All project team members have reviewed and commented on the proposal.

Therefore, the proposal is to enter contract with Ashfords LLP following the described procurement process for the redevelopment of the former Monkscroft School site to provide new affordable homes to develop the site as part of the initial procurement activities of a JCT D&B construction contractor.

An alternative option would have been to procure the legal services role via an open tendering process. However, this scenario was assessed, and with the guidance obtained this would entail a longer process which could add time delay to the procurement process including the initial contract preparations.

We have worked with Publica and One Legal around the procurement process, and internal consultation within the development and construction team along with support from the externally appointed Project Management team, TSA Riley.