Issue - meetings

Presentation by Executive Director, Place, Economy & Environment.

The Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review the funding gap for the project and to monitor the current processes including quality and change.

At the Chair’s invitation, the Executive Director of Place, Economy and Environment presented a report for the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review the funding gap for the project and to monitor the current processes including quality and change.

The Executive Director of Place, Economy and Environment described how checks and balances used in budgeting procedures would ensure that future projects were within the parameters of the budget.

The Committee made comments, asked questions and heard:

·       The Executive Director for Place, Economy and Environment was working closely with the Cabinet Member for Transport, Environment, Highways and Waste to keep the project on track and within budget.

·       Development funding had been cut; costings were based on limited information.

·       A Levelling Up bid had been submitted to central government, a response was expected in October. The local MP was backing this bid.

·       Planning/acquisition processes were in place, a further update would be brought to Overview and Scrutiny.

·       The gateway process allowed for, and encouraged, member involvement at the beginning of the process.

·       Approximately 95% of the contingency allowance cost was taken on by developers.

·       The environment was a consideration from the start; highways contractors asked to think of ways to bring schemes to carbon neutrality.

·       Procurement process – competitive processes built in, benchmarking against comparable schemes would come naturally.

·       Forward Funding – payments all the way through the scheme. If the Levelling Up funding grant was successful, the Council would not be required to make contributions. The Committee welcomed the funding methodology going forward for scheme developments.

The Chair thanked the Executive Director of Place, Economy and Environment for his informative presentation.

Resolved: That

1)    The Committee noted the historical funding methodology for scheme developments.

2)    The Committee welcomed the funding methodology going forward for scheme developments, particularly welcoming the various gateways.