Decision
Analysis
outcome: The Deputy Chief Executive approves the appointment of Edgar & Wood Mechanical Services Ltd for the works, funded by the Worthing Heat Network Budget.
summary: The decision involves appointing a preferred bidder to undertake MEP works on the Pavilion Theatre to connect it to the Worthing Heat Network.
topline: The Director for Sustainability & Resources has decided to appoint Edgar & Wood Mechanical Services Ltd for MEP works on the Pavilion Theatre to connect it to the Worthing Heat Network.
reason_contentious: This issue may be contentious as it involves significant funding allocation and potential impact on the historic Pavilion Theatre.
affected_stakeholders: ["Worthing Borough Council", "Pavilion Theatre", "Worthing Theatres and Museum Trust"]
contentiousness_score: 6
political_party_relevance: There are no mentions or implications of political parties in the decision.
URL: https://democracy.adur-worthing.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1251
Decision Maker: Director for Sustainability & Resources
Outcome:
Is Key Decision?: Yes
Is Callable In?: Yes
Purpose:
Content: The Deputy Chief Executive approves the appointment of the Council’s preferred bidder (Edgar & Wood Mechanical Services Ltd) to undertake the MEP works to the Pavilion Theatre. This follows a compliant procurement & evaluation process via the Council’s procurement portal. Funding for the project is available using the allocated Worthing Heat Network Budget, comprising a combination of a PSDS grant and the council's capital funding. Worthing Borough Council has been awarded Public Sector Decarbonisation (PSDS) funding to connect the Pavillion Theatre to the Worthing Heat Network. The Pavilion Theatre, being a Victorian building, has poor thermal performance. Due to lower supply temperatures from the Heat Network, the heating system infrastructure needs to be upgraded to enable it to be compatible with connection to the Heat Network. The tender figure for the works by the preferred bidder Edgar and Wood is £591,111 (£679,778 including a contingency sum). The Atrium, formerly Denton Lounge, which forms a significant part of the building currently has electric heating and was therefore not eligible for PSDS funding. The current system is quite dated, inefficient and costly for the building's tenants, Worthing Theatres and Museum Trust (WTM), to operate. Upon advice from our consultants AECOM, the tender process required the contractor to price for the ‘extra over’ cost to alter the heating system to the Atrium to be connected to the heat network for further consideration by both parties. The capital cost of this additional work is approx. £100,000 giving a potential payback period of 3 years. From a business and carbon reduction perspective, this option makes a very strong case to progress with. Conversations are currently ongoing with WTM concerning how this will be funded, with the expectation that a contribution towards the cost will come from WTM. The only alternatives would be to do nothing or install air source heat pumps to decarbonise the heating system. HEMIKO have proven through their counterfactual model that this is a more expensive option than the Worthing Heat Network connection.
Date of Decision: July 16, 2025