Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members noted that the Aldgate Square development is a major public realm project, managed by the Department of Built Environment. A Pavilion is included in the project, from which a café will operate. In 2015 Members agreed that the Pavilion should be operated by a social enterprise, commissioned by Community and Children’s Services. City Surveyors have managed the construction of the Pavilion. In September 2015 Community and Children’s Services Committee awarded the contract to operate the Pavilion to Kahaila.

The Pavilion was originally scheduled to open in Autumn 2016. However in October

2016 Community and Children’s Services Committee were informed of significant

delays in the completion of the construction of the Pavilion, until Autumn 2017, and

agreed to offer a one year rental contract to Kahaila in temporary premises at 6

Harrow Place to ensure a service was being provided in the local area.

In January 2017 Community and Children’s Service Committee were informed that

the anticipated completion date for both the Pavilion and the Square was the end of

2017.

In September and October 2016 Streets and Walkways Sub Committee agreed a

split reporting structure where the City Surveyor reported on the specifics of the

Pavilion and the Director of Built Environment reported on the overall project.

There are two reports attached as appendices to this summary that describe the

current overall construction position with the Pavilion and the Square. The first

((Aldgate (Portsoken) Pavilion)) report informs Streets and Walkways Sub

Committee and Project Sub on the detail of the delays to the Pavilion and asks for

their agreement to the additional costs incurred. As these costs can be found from

the overall project the second (Aldgate Highway Changes and Public Realm

Enhancement) report informs the sub committees that the budget to cover the

additional costs can be found with in the overall project approved budget and of the

impact the delays to the Pavilion construction have had on the overall project

completion timetable.

For Community and Children’s Services Committee, whose main interest is the

management of the Pavilion, once it is open, the key issue is that the completion of

the Pavilion is still scheduled to take place by the end of 2017. However the

completion of Aldgate Square is now scheduled for March 2018 so earlier access to

the Pavilion may have to be facilitated by a temporary footway as the finished

surface surrounding the Pavilion may not be constructed by the time it opens.

Resolved – that the report be received.