Contract for Stafford Borough Council's delivery arrangements for heritage services

Stafford Borough Council is reviewing future

delivery arrangements for a range of leisure, culture

and heritage services as the current contractual

arrangements approach expiry in November 2027.

Following completion of an options appraisal, the

Council has determined that future leisure services

and the Gatehouse Theatre will be considered

through separate procurement arrangements. In

relation to the Council's heritage portfolio, no final

decision has yet been taken regarding the preferred

delivery model.

The Council is therefore undertaking a Preliminary

Market Engagement exercise to explore market

appetite, capability and capacity to operate and

develop the following heritage assets as a

standalone heritage service:

• Stafford Castle

• Ancient High House

• Izaak Walton Cottage

The facilities currently form part of a wider leisure,

theatre and heritage services contract operated by

Freedom Leisure.

The Council is seeking views from organisations

with experience in heritage management,

museums, cultural services, visitor attractions,

charitable trusts, educational provision, community

based heritage management and related sectors.

The Council is particularly interested in

understanding:

• whether there is sufficient market appetite for a

standalone heritage contract;

• the types of organisations likely to participate in a

future procurement process;

• appropriate delivery models and partnership

structures;

• acceptable levels of risk transfer;

• subsidy expectations and financial sustainability

opportunities;

• opportunities to increase visitor engagement and

community impact; and

• information requirements that would support

participation in a future procurement exercise.

This notice relates solely to preliminary market

engagement and does not constitute a call for

competition, invitation to tender or commitment by

the Council to commence a procurement process