Redevelopment of 5-7 Church Street

Delayed Start:
The project start was delayed due to structural engineering and supply chain issues but finally got underway on 6th September 2021.

Update 1st February 2022:
We are excited to report that refurbishment is approximately over 60% complete. Please see the latest photos. The new staircase has been installed (not quite ready for use yet). The ground floor ceilings are almost complete. The new entrance doors and level entrance are in. The MKC Library Office is taking shape. The first-floor ceilings and beams have all been painted (except for the new room). The new lighting is due to go in this week.

Completion:
It is now envisaged that the Bespoke work will finish early Spring 2022, this will be followed by the installation of new bookshelves and furniture by MKC Libraries service. There are events being planned for the opening of this new facility which are likely to take place at the end of March 2022.

For further information, contact the Town Clerk, Lynne Compton on either [email protected] or 01908-566726

Lynne Compton, PSLCC, CertHE 1st February 2022
Clerk to the Council

Contract progress
This started off slowly due to structural engineering challenges, supply chain issues and uncovering of additional Asbestos. The work now continues at a good pace. As you can see from the photos, the central staircase has been removed, the interior walls have started to be covered with plasterboard. The Tongue and Groove ceilings have been removed ready for the installation of new better-quality insulation (this will then be covered with plasterboard). The electrical works have also started. New feeds for an additional projector and sound system have been installed on the first floor. The contractors have informed that the steel columns (to replace the central staircase) are hoped to be installed before Christmas. These will be set in concrete which will need to dry fully over the Christmas period. Work will cease from 23rd December 2021 and restart 4th January 2022.

Globe Lights (previously on central staircase and first floor)
We have sold a number of these now but there are a few more left if anyone from the community would like to buy them? The aim is that they will all be repurposed so that none of them will go to landfill.

When will the work be completed?
We are hopeful that the work, including the Library fit-out (new shelving and library furniture) will be completed in Spring 2022. It is too early to give a firmer date.

What next?
We are very excited to see the finished result which will be a much warmer, better lit, lighter, airier more useful and welcoming building fit for the community for the next 40 or more years. On completion, there will be an opening event, look out for details on the website and on Notice boards.

Also, the decision was made to leave the walls (that do not already have lovely new shelving on) blank. The next project will be to involve the community in a project from S.106 Art Funds (Elizabeth House) to make connections with the wider community e.g. Fullers Slade, Galley Hill, Fairfield and Whitehouse. The outcome of this could be interior Library Art and a trail of some sort leading from these areas to Stony Stratford Library. It is aimed to start this project in January/February 2022. It is envisaged the project will finish in January 2023

If you are interested in being part of the S.106 Project Working Group, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Lynne Compton, PSLCC, CertHE
Clerk to Stony Stratford Town Council

We are delighted to confirm that following the final round of tenders, Bespoke Construction Ltd (based in Telford) were appointed to undertake the refurbishment works at a cost of £247,068. It is hoped that work will start mid-end of September.

The Council has just completed its third round of tendering with a specified final budget figure. The tenders received will be assessed against both the budget available and the quality of submissions. Potential contractors will be interviewed and a final decision taken at a special meeting of the Council on Tuesday 8th June at 7pm in the Library at 5-7 Church Street.

Thanks to Anonymous Donor
Stony Stratford Town Council would like to express its sincere thanks to the donor who has pledged up to £15,000 to ensure the 5-7 Church Street refurbishment project goes ahead.

Closure of the Library
In order to prepare for the refurbishment project, Stony Stratford Library will be temporarily closing at 12.30pm on Saturday 5th June. It is envisaged that it will remain closed until Winter 2021 (dependent on whether the whole project goes ahead). Wolverton Library is the closest alternative and opens Tues-Fri 10am-4.30pm and Sat 10am-12.30pm. www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/libraries.

We appreciate that this is not an ideal situation (and would have much preferred that the refurbishment works were carried out during the lockdowns) but Councils have to adhere to set Financial Regulations (FR) for a project of this estimated cost (£225,000). In accordance with FR Stony Stratford Town Council went through a lengthy tender process for this major project to ensure 1. Value for money and 2. Quality. The first two tenders (without budget) were unsuccessful due to bids being received exceeding the budget. Further work had to be carried out to reduce the specification and a final tender process was completed in May 2021.

We had hoped that MKC would provide alternative Library provision in Stony Stratford, but unfortunately, this is not the case.

1. PUBLIC WORKS LOAN BOARD (PWLB) LOAN: At its meeting of 3rd July 2019, this Council resolved to seek the approval of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to apply for a PWLB loan of £200,000 over the borrowing term of 30 years for the purpose of undertaking major improvements to the 5-7 Church Street building. The annual loan repayments will come to around £9,490.80. Council RESOLVED (Min20/095) to approve the revised wording in line with the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government requirements. NOTE: the loan will only be taken up if the tenders received fall within the £200,000 budget (this doesn’t include VAT which will be reclaimed)
2. 2021/22 INCREASE TO PRECEPT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE LOAN REPAYMENTS ON 5-7 CHURCH STREET:  The Council intends to increase in the Council Tax precept for the purpose of the loan repayment of 4.25% which is the equivalent of an additional £3.72 (per household) a year. This has already been the subject of a precept increase consultation (the results of which were publicised).
3. TENDER SPECIFICATION:  Consultants were appointed to write the specification and carry out the pre-tender checks e.g. Asbestos, Structural work (to ensure there will be sufficient support once the stairs have been moved from the centre of the room).  Pre-tender expressions of interest were invited (using the Local Government Shared Services Procurement Services (LGSS)) during Feb/March which resulted in 30 expressions of interest.   It is envisaged that the Invitation to Tender will be ready during the week of 6th July 2020.  The tender will be open for four weeks and (subject to tenders being within the allocated budget) work is scheduled to start on site 1st September 2020.  The redevelopment will take approximately 6 months.