Preferred Bidder Announced for Innovative Partnership Scheme
(Press release Selby District Council:) Selby, 28 September 2009 - The preferred bidder to deliver the brand new joint community hospital and civic centre development in Selby has been chosen, following a comprehensive tender process. NHS North Yorkshire and York and Selby District Council will now work alongside BAM Construction to develop the programme to build the innovative scheme. The team from BAM will now set about finalising details of how the project will be delivered on behalf of the Council and NHS Trust, including identifying and market-testing build costs. The company, which has offices in Leeds, is responsible for a number of projects in the region, such as the restoration of the Royal Hall in Harrogate, the Sheffield Arts Tower, developments at the University of York and Selby College. It is a leading healthcare contractor in the UK.
Working together on this project has advantages for both the Council and NHS and, more importantly, will deliver better facilities for local residents. For example, services will be delivered in new, purpose-built surroundings. As both organisations are in need of new premises, locating to the same development offers greater economies of scale in terms of running costs, long-term maintenance and shared facilities. The partnership between the two has also been integral to securing the funding of the project.
Depending on final sign-off from the Strategic Health Authority, NHS Yorkshire and the Humber, construction work is scheduled to start in spring 2010. The ambition is to complete the overall project by the end of the following year. The new development will be constructed on land adjacent to the existing War Memorial Hospital on Doncaster Road in Selby.
Director of Community and Mental Health Services for NHS North Yorkshire and York, Janet Probert, said: "We've been through a very thorough and robust tender process to get to this stage and we can now press ahead with finalising details ahead of work beginning in the spring. Both the NHS and the Council look forward to working in partnership with BAM Construction to deliver a new community hospital and civic centre fit for the twenty-first century".
Leader of Selby District Council, Cllr Mark Crane, added: "One of the on-going elements of this tender process has been to ensure we're getting value for money. Work continues to finalise details of the construction costs and our project management team is constantly reviewing the process to ensure costs are driven down wherever possible without affecting quality".
James Wimpenny, BAM's director in the north east, commented: "Our role now is to finalise details of exactly how this project will be delivered. It's a major undertaking, but we have the skills, experience and local knowledge to deliver this project on time, on budget and to the highest standard. We're looking forward to being on site".
More information about the Selby Community Project is available in the regular newsletter updates distributed to various outlets in the Selby area, including the Hospital, the Council's Access Selby office, and Selby library.
The Selby Community Project is a key element of both NHS North Yorkshire and York's and Selby District Council's long-term visions. It supports the NHS Trust's priorities to work more closely with local councils. For Selby District Council, the development forms an important part of the authority's long-term strategic themes of Putting customers first, Promoting prosperity, Protecting the environment and Making better use of resources.