Decision details

On 10 May 2017, the Chief Executive submitted a report to the Resources Portfolio Holder seeking retrospective approval for an exemption to the council’s contract procedures to commission Lichfields (formerly Nathaniel Lichfields & Partners - NLP) and also seeking approval to commission Turley for the provision of specialist consultancy services in connection with carrying out sensitivity testing of the Objectively Assessed Employment and Housing Need (OAN) figures using the latest economic forecasts and housing projections respectively.

To seek approval to commission consultants to attend meetings as necessary, including examination hearings to explain and defend their evidence work.

Decision taken

The Resources Portfolio Holder

·         gave retrospective approval for the procurement of Lichfields and approval for the procurement of Turley to provide specialist consultancy services to undertake sensitivity testing of the employment and housing OAN figures for the Local Plan using the March 2017 Experian economic forecasts and the 2014-based sub-national population and household projections (SNPP and SNHP) under the exemption to Contract Procedures contained within the Financial Regulations and Financial Procedure Rules (Appendix F) as set out in Part 4.06.07 of the council’s Constitution, that “the goods, works or services are of a specialist nature carried out by only one or a limited number of firms with no reasonably satisfactory alternatives available.”

·         delegated authority to the Head of Planning Services to approve any additional sensitivity testing deemed necessary as later forecasts and projections are published and where the cost can be accommodated within approved Planning Services budgets and to commission Turley or Lichfields or both to attend meetings as necessary, including examination hearings to explain and defend their evidence work where the cost could be accommodated within approved Planning Services budgets.