Decision details

The Executive considered a report setting out details of the feasibility work undertaken to inform the decision as to whether the Council should rebuild or refurbish Guildford Crematorium.  The Executive was requested to consider the revised capital cost and business case to enable the project to proceed.

The Council’s appointed architect and design team (Haverstock LLP) and Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors (Press and Starkey) had delivered the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stages 0 and 1 by completing the feasibility work required for a scheme at Guildford Crematorium. This had included developing designs, analysing how the scheme would need to be phased to keep the crematorium operational and evaluating the capital cost.  This work had enabled officers to review and develop the business case, as detailed in the report.  This work had been guided by an internal project board and an Executive workshop to inform the recommendations contained in the report.

Five options were detailed in the report, including three new build schemes, one refurbishment and a proposal to ‘do nothing’ with a recommendation to rebuild the facility (option 1) and utilise temporary facilities to ensure that services could continue at the site whilst the works took place.  The Executive noted that it was essential that an option was chosen now in order to develop the project through the remaining RIBA stages to delivery with the aim of commencing construction in early 2018.

The report had also sought approval from full Council of a supplementary capital estimate in the sum referred to in the report. The Executive was asked to agree to the transfer monies from the provisional to the approved capital programme, to enable the feasibility work to be undertaken, accounting for the site constraints, phasing of the project, construction market conditions, assessment of previous crematorium construction costs with an element of inflation for when the scheme was tendered and delivered. 

It was anticipated that there would be further detailed decisions to agree in relation to design, phasing, capital cost (within the overall budget) and business case as the project developed.

Having considered the report, the Executive

RESOLVED:

(1)         That the rebuilding of Guildford Crematorium be approved on the basis of Option 1 ‘Courtyards’ (as detailed in the Haverstock Feasibility Study) referred to in the report submitted to the Executive for taking forward to the next RIBA stages (stage 2 onwards) and through to delivery.

(2)         That the sum referred to in the report submitted to the Executive be transferred from the provisional capital programme to the approved capital programme.

(3)     That the Director of Environment be authorised, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Infrastructure and Governance and the Lead Councillor for Finance, to take such decisions as may be required:

(a)   for the delivery of RIBA stages 2-7 in relation to this project, including decisions in respect of design, project programme, procurement and appointment of contractors, construction, commissioning and handover and bringing the building in to use; and

(b)   in relation to the capital cost of the project (within the overall budget) and the business case.

The Executive also

RECOMMEND: That the Council approves the supplementary capital estimate referred to in the report submitted to the Executive.

Reasons for Decision/Recommendation:

To allow for the process of developing a detailed design, tendering for a construction contractor and cremator supplier to commence, and to agree the preferred option for rebuilding of the Guildford Crematorium, meeting the objectives of the Bereavement Services Fundamental Service Review and the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy.