Issue - meetings

 Report by Dr Carlton Brand, Corporate Director..

Councillor Fleur de Rhé-Philipe invited officers to present the report which provided an update on delivery of projects and the financial implications arising from proposed changes to the programme; the report also  provided an update on the development and submission of the Growth Deal round 3 bid.

Issues highlighted in the course of the presentation and discussion included: the opportunity for the Council to cashflow  specified projects to enable them to be completed earlier than originally planned, thereby potentially saving costs in relation to procurement and construction; the impact of not accelerating delivery on other economic growth and planning projects; that accelerating the delivery of projects should give the Council an opportunity to show how it is efficient at delivering Growth Deal projects and thereby a stand a greater chance of securing funding from government in the future; the opportunities for seeking funding from other government agencies, including Highways England; how working with a development partner on specific projects can reduce the risks that the Council is exposed to; and the timetable for central government to approve projects submitted as part of the Growth Deal Round 3.

Resolved

1.         That Cabinet Capital Assets Committee agrees the recommended cash flow proposal for the delivery of projects that form part of the Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Deal.

2.         That Cabinet Capital Assets Committee delegates authority to the Section 151 Officer, to negotiate and agree with the Associate Director of Economic Development and Planning, and the Associate Director of Highways and Transport to cashflow and deliver the schemes.

3.         That the SWLEP Commissioning Group be approached to underwrite any the development cost for Chippenham Station Hub in recognition that the project is being delivered by the Council on behalf of the SWLEP.

4.         That subject to resolution 3 above, that Cabinet Capital Assets Committee agrees to cover the development costs for Chippenham Station Hub and those requested in Appendix C using the £0.5 million transition funding provided for Growth Deal project development (see para 50).

5.         That Cabinet Capital Assets Committee notes the development and submission of the SWLEP Growth Deal round 3 bid.

Reason for Decision:

To ensure that Wiltshire Council maximizes the benefits and opportunities associated with the Growth Deal programme in terms of delivering key infrastructure projects and building Wiltshire’s economy whilst managing the financial implications and associated risks to the organisation.

Accelerated delivery of projects sends a strong message to Government on Wiltshire Council’s ability to deliver Growth deal projects to time, cost and quality. Accelerated delivery could also help realise potential time and cost efficiency savings.