Provision of a Nursery and Pre-School setting at Thorpe Astley Community Centre

Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen to provide an Early Years day nursery/pre-school from the Main Hall at Thorpe Astley Community Centre, Lakin Drive, Thorpe Astley, Leicester, LE3 2RU from 26th August 2025.

BIDS ARE INVITED from suitably experienced providers.

The early years provider shall provide a nursery and pre-school for a minimum amount of hours for the year and pay Braunstone Town Council a fixed fee for use of the premises. The provider will be in receipt of all incoming monies to the Early Years Childcare.
The Council will bear the cost of the general rate, heating, lighting, general power and water rates.
The provider will bear the cost of leaving the Main Hall, outside play area and the kitchen in a clean and tidy state after use by the pre-school. General cleaning will be undertaken by the Council and all other areas of the premises will be cleaned at the expense of the Council.
The provider shall be responsible for the payment of all Government dues involved in running the Service, including VAT, Income Tax, National Insurance etc and shall, if requested provide the Council with evidence of having done so.
The provider will be responsible for receiving all deliveries of stock during the period of this contract. The Council will not accept liability for any stock deficiencies.

Bids must be in the form prescribed by the Council and either delivered to the above address enclosed in a plain, sealed envelope, endorsed "Bid - Thorpe Astley nursery/pre-school", or attached as a PDF and emailed to the above email address  with the subject line "Bid - Thorpe Astley nursery/pre-school".

Bids must be received by:

9am on Monday 30th June 2025

For further questions and a site visit, please contact the Office of the Chief Executive & Town Clerk on 0116 289 9270 or [email protected]

Additional information: From Tuesday 26th August 2025, a regular slot is available any time between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) for an Early Years' Provider who is able to run a setting from Thorpe Astley Community Centre.  

The pre-school is provided from the Community Centre using the Main Hall (maximum room capacity 80); with access to an outdoor play area, storage space, shared use of the kitchen and children's toilet facilities.

The Main Hall is hired to other parties outside the hours of provision. 

Contract Provisions

The bespoke template contract, for a pre-school provider to operate a setting from Thorpe Astley Community Cente includes:
•	use of the Main Hall during the operating hours for the setting (approximately 30 children), 
•	exclusive access to Children's Toilet facilities, 
•	a secure private outdoor play area,
•	storage, and 
•	the following shared facilities: staff kitchen, foyer, general toilets and free onsite car parking.

The Council meets the cost of Non-Domestic (Business) Rates, utilities (electricity, heating, water), maintenance, general cleaning and general waste and recycling collection.

Payment can be made monthly or weekly and in different proportions over the academic year.

Bidding and Appointment Process

The following is the timescales for bidding, assessing and awarding the bespoke hire agreement to a suitable provider to provide early years childcare from Thorpe Astley Community Centre:
a)	advertising the opportunity and inviting suitable providers - June 2025;
b)	Town Council officers will be available for meetings and showing prospective providers around the premises;
c)	Closing Date for submission of bids - 9am Monday 30th June 2025;
d)	Interview Panel (two Councillors and the Chief Executive & Town Clerk) to be scheduled - Thursday 3rd, Friday 4th or Monday 7th July;
e)	By Tuesday 8th July, Chief Executive & Town Clerk, having received interview panel recommendations, to determine tenders received and determine awarding the contract to a suitable provider;
f)	By Wednesday 9th June - successful provider contacted and offered the contract;
g)	Before the end of July - arrangements made to sign the contract;
h)	Tuesday 26th August 2025 earliest date for License to Occupy Agreement to commence.