Decision details

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT which provided details of the latest capital projects that had been recommended for inclusion within the Capital Investment Plan for 2014/15 by the Strategic Capital Investment Group and the urgent decision taken by the Leader of the Council with regard to the REECH Project.

The Head of Corporate Finance and ICT reported that there was a typographical error in the figure provided in recommendation (vi) in the report relarting to the Section 106 Deposits and the correct figure was £1,559, 766.

Decision Made:

That:

(1)       approval be given  to the Adult Social Care Change Programme in the Capital Investment Plan at a cost of ?40,000 being funded from the resources set aside for Adult Social Care Transformation as detailed in paragraph 2 of the report:

(2)       the Council be recommended to give approval to the scheme to relocate Air Quality Monitoring Equipment from the land at Hemans Street and Rimrose Road at a cost of £15,000 being funded from capital receipts as detailed in paragraph 3 of the report;

(3)       the Council be recommended to give approval to the revenue trajectory funding of£549,000 been capitalised to undertake capital work to provide additional places for early education for 2 year old as detailed in paragraph 4 of the report, subject to the Department of Education (DfE) agreeing to switch the grant funding received from revenue to capital;

(4)       approval be given to the inclusion of the Formby Strategic Flood Risk Management Programme at a cost of £50,000 into the capital investment plan as detailed in paragraph 5 of the report;

(5)       approval be given to the inclusion of the Merseyside Groundwater Study at a cost of £60,000 into the capital investment plan as detailed in paragraph 6 of the report;

(6)       approval be given to the inclusion of Parks & Open Spaces related Section 106 Deposits at a cost of £1,559,766 in the Capital Investment Plan as detailed in paragraph 7 of the report;

(7)       it be noted that the urgent decisions indicated below had been taken by the Leader of the Council on 16 June 2014 in accordance with Chapter 5 (Leader of the Council – Matters Delegated Paragraph 2) of the Council’s Constitution and with the agreement of the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) to invoke Rule 27 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules and Rule 46 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, as detailed in paragraph 10 of the report:-

1.         Note the success to date in delivering the REECH Project, and the positive impact it is making on the economic and social well being of Liverpool City Region;

2.         Agree that additional ERDF funding up to an estimated value of ?3.5m be accepted and an increase in the REECH capital programme expenditure of 3.5m, offset by 3.5m income;

3.         Agree that Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Tourism be authorised to approve and to allocate ERDF funding to REECH delivery partners up to the value of ERDF grant allocated to Sefton by the Department for Communities and Local Government; and

4.         Agree that the Head of Corporate Legal Services be authorised to execute all necessary legal agreements with DCLG and any other delivery partners as part of this and any future revisions.

Reasons for Decision:

To advise Members of the increased costs of these previously approved capital schemes and the proposed method of funding the shortfall and the urgent decision taken by the Leader of the Council.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

The options available to Members are to not approve the schemes which would lead to the new capital work not being carried out.