Agenda item

Recommendations

Considered a report of the Corporate Director Environment which sought delegated authority to enable acceptance of the final Transforming Cities Fund funding, enable any minor works scope adjustments to ensure the works tender price is within tolerance of the funding available and to enter the contracts to deliver the construction of the schemes in Skipton and Selby in line with necessary timescales.  Introducing the report, the Executive Member for Highways and Transportation, Councillor Keane Duncan was pleased to advise that for these two challenging muti-million pound schemes, the council was now entering the final steps before construction could commence.  He noted the delegations requested, the £2m projected overspend on the Selby scheme and the proposal to draw on council reserves to fund the shortfall, although alternative options were being actively explored to address this overspend.  Councillor Duncan further alluded to the Harrogate scheme, not included in the report, which was subject to a Pre-Action Protocol letter in respect of which the council was preparing to mount a robust challenge.  Following the approvals outlined in the report, the work on the Skipton scheme was expected to commence in March, and Selby in June.  Both Councillors Myers and Crane expressed disappointment that the Skipton and Selby schemes respectively had been reduced in scope and ambition because of current economic constraints and other factors, whilst drawing comfort that the council was still committed to delivering both schemes in full but through a phased approach, as reiterated by Councillor Duncan.  In light of this challenging economic environment and the scale of the council’s capital programme, the Executive Member for Finance and Resources, Councillor Dadd proposed a minor amendment to the report’s recommendations to the effect that the use of up to an additional £2m from reserves for the Selby scheme also be the subject of delegated approval by the Corporate Director – Environment, in consultation with the Corporate Director – Resources, the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services, the Executive Member for Highways and Transportation and the Executive Member for Finance.  This proposal was accepted.    

Resolved (unanimously) that the Executive:

1. approves the delegation of authority to the Corporate Director – Environment, in consultation with the Corporate Director – Resources, the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services, the Executive Member for Highways and Transportation and the Executive Member for Finance to:

                i.         agree the final terms of and enter into the construction contract necessary to deliver the Selby TCF project; also delegated authority to enact project scope adjustments, if necessary, post tender submission to contain within budget or seek additional funding

              ii.         submit the Material Change proposal for the Selby TCF project and agree the terms of and enter into any required agreements with Network Rail

             iii.         agree the final terms of and enter into the construction contract necessary to deliver the Skipton TCF project; also delegated authority to enact project scope adjustments, if necessary, post tender submission to contain within budget or seek additional funding

             iv.         note that if final costs for the Selby scheme are over budget following value engineering, any remaining overspend would fall to the Council and therefore approve that up to an additional £2m which would need to be met from reserves if required.

Reasons for recommendations

It is necessary for the Council to formally accept this funding to comply with the Council’s governance procedures.

As the funding is above £500,000 this decision would normally be made by Executive, however, due to the need to co-ordinate timing of the acceptance of grant funding and the signing of construction contracts the Executive is asked to delegate approval to Corporate Director - Environment, in consultation with the Corporate Director, Resources, Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services, Executive Member for Highways and Transportation and the Executive Member for Finance, (in line with paragraph 13 of the Executive Members Delegation Scheme under the Constitution). This is on the basis that it is not practicable to refer it to the Executive for determination due to the tight timescales involved.