MEMBER NEWS
Blake Morgan advises Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on landmark leisure procurement
Blake Morgan has advised Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on its major procurement programme to secure a longterm partner for the delivery of leisure services across the borough, including the replacement of its Aquadrome through a Design Build Operate Maintain( DBOM) contract model.
The project is valued at c £ 235m + over 20 years, which includes c £ 60m of capex spending, and encompasses the management of the Council’ s existing leisure facilities, including the Aquadrome, Tadley Health and Fitness Centre, and the Basingstoke Golf Centre alongside the future delivery of a brand-new water and leisure complex. The Council launched its competitive procurement process in 2024 as part of its ambitious plans to deliver a new, energy-efficient leisure facility for residents, while ensuring continuity and enhancement of leisure services across the borough. The project represents a significant investment in leisure, health and wellbeing infrastructure and forms a key part of the Council’ s long-term vision for the area.
Blake Morgan’ s multidisciplinary team supported the Council throughout the procurement process, advising on the preparation of procurement documentation and the development of the DBOM contract structure. The team also provided strategic advice on the Outline Solutions stage, evaluation criteria and the procurement process, as well as advising on implications arising from changes to the VAT treatment of in-house leisure services and the potential use of the agency model.
The team further assisted the Council in responding to bidder clarifications throughout the Selection Questionnaire( SQ), Invitation to Tender( ITT) and detailed dialogue stages. Support continued as the procurement progressed, with the team advising on all elements of the DBOM contract, including works and services provisions.
Penny Rinta-Suksi, Partner at Blake Morgan, said:“ I could not be prouder of my Blake Morgan colleagues at this time. I was consistently told by my client lead that the service we provided was exemplary and our team’ s efforts, that went above and beyond our client’ s expectations, were greatly appreciated. This is a significant and complex procurement that will help shape the future delivery of leisure services across Basingstoke and Deane for many years to come. We are delighted to have been working alongside the Council on a project that combines major public infrastructure investment with the ongoing provision of essential community facilities.
The procurement involved a wide range of commercial, construction, property and financial considerations, and it has been a pleasure to support the Council through each stage of the process. The collaborative approach taken by all parties has been key to progressing this important project to its successful completion”.
The project forms part of the Council’ s wider plans to develop a new water and leisure complex to replace the existing Aquadrome, while maintaining and enhancing leisure provision for residents across the borough.
Syngenta and Groundwork BioAg enter partnership to bring innovation in biologicals and soil carbon solutions to farmers
Syngenta and Groundwork BioAg have announced a strategic partnership to market Groundwork’ s mycorrhizal technology. Syngenta, the global leader in biological crop protection, now offers a biological solution that enhances crop performance, provides resistance to plant stress while improving soil health with a carbon credit program, generating an additional revenue stream for farmers.
Under the partnership, Syngenta will commercialize mycorrhiza-based products and soil carbon solutions under its own label. The innovative offer will initially target corn, soy, cereals and sunflower in Latin America and Europe. Groundwork BioAg will be responsible for manufacturing, supply, digital tooling and the full carbon program development process. Farmers will benefit from enhanced nutrient uptake that delivers higher, more resilient crop yields, while simultaneously unlocking a new revenue stream from carbon credits. Petra Laux, Chief Sustainability Officer of Syngenta Group, comments:“ The model we’ ve built with Groundwork BioAg goes beyond farming carbon- it builds resilience, restores soil health, and accumulates long term carbon stocks at a remarkable pace, while generating carbon credits from which farmers directly benefit. We see this as a natural evolution of what carbon programs can achieve. This new offering perfectly fits within Syngenta’ s sustainability goal of supporting farmers to produce higher yield while lowering impact on the environment”.
Alon Werber, CEO of Groundwork BioAg:“ By combining Syngenta’ s market access with our proven mycorrhizal capabilities, we are positioning mycorrhizal fungi as both a valuable agronomic input and a significant pathway for agricultural climate mitigation through our end-to-end carbon program.” Emilhano Lima, Global Head Seedcare
& Biologicals:“ This partnership reflects how biologicals are increasingly becoming a central part of agriculture. Natureinspired solutions give farmers effective, reliable tools, while also providing concrete agronomical returns.”
Soil carbon sequestration is the process by which carbon dioxide is drawn from the atmosphere by plant photosynthesis and stored in the soil through biological activity. Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with crop root systems, improving nutrient and water uptake and supporting long-term soil health. The fungi also catalyse the formation of durable mineral-associated organic matter, increasing the potential for long-term carbon storage. For farmers, soils that sequester more carbon are generally more fertile, retain water more effectively, and are more resilient to drought and erosion.
14 Autumn 2026