Decision details

As set out in the Cabinet paper of October 2022, the Temple Quarter project partners are aiming to create a Joint Delivery Vehicle (JDV) to deliver the regeneration of the area around Bristol Temple Meads Station and St Philip’s Marsh.
Homes England (HE) has appointed Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“Deloitte”) and Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP (“Eversheds Sutherland”) to provide services in relation to the regeneration project and creation of a Joint Delivery Vehicle. This advice includes strategic property advice, financial modelling and the procurement and delivery strategy for taking forward BTQ. This decision is to sign up to an agreement between HE and the council to agree that the liability for the payment of fees payable to Eversheds Sutherland will be shared between HE and the council.
This funding covers the work required in order to develop the strategy to take forward BTQ and the creation of the JDV (including further) funding will be brought to Bristol City Council’s Cabinet for endorsement.
As set out Recommendation 3 of the Cabinet paper of October 2022, the Executive Director of Growth and Regeneration is authorised to submit an application to WECA for funding of up to £7.843m to increase capacity in the Joint Delivery Team, and to the extent that the application is successful, to then accept, drawdown and spend this funding accordingly including procuring and awarding contracts over £0.5m.

Approval to increase the cost sharing agreement with the Homes and Communities Agency (trading as Homes England) relating to the payment of professional fees incurred in relation to the Bristol Temple Quarter Project, by £286,992 from £443,269.

Option 1 - Novate the contracts for both Deloitte and Eversheds to Bristol City council so that BCC would take on the full and ongoing costs related to both commissions. This option was not preferred due to:
•the time it would take to novate the contracts meaning we would miss the key deadline of 7th July
•It is the intention that both contracts are novated to the Joint Delivery Vehicle when it is set up in December so we are avoiding novating the contracts twice, first to BCC then to JDV
•The cost sharing agreement allows Homes England to contribute further funds to these commissions at a later stage, which would not be possible if the contracts were novated
•Procurement rules at BCC may require the contracts to be re-procured which would add delay and cost to the programme