Issue - meetings

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices, and discussion, the Executive:

1. Approved the award of the contract for Dunball Roundabout Improvement scheme to the supplier identified in the attached Appendix A (confidential information), following a competitive tender process. Total contract value of £6,626,216.00. 

2. Approved the re-scoping of Cannon/Cross Rifles scheme. 

3. Consented to delegate to the Service Director for Infrastructure and Transport, the decision to apportion the funding within the Levelling Up Fund pot to deliver the Dunball and re-scoped Cannon/Cross Rifles schemes. 

4. Consented to delegate to the Service Director for Infrastructure and Transport, the decision to deliver the A38MRN project through the Dunball delivery contract, subject to funding approval. 
5. Agreed the case for applying the exempt information provision as set out in the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A and therefore to treat the attached confidential Appendix A in confidence, as it contains commercially sensitive information, and as the case for the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing that information. 

All recommendations are contingent upon a favourable outcome from DfT regarding the PAR submitted. No contracts will be signed unless and until approval is received from DfT to amend the scope of the Cannon/Cross Rifles scheme. 

Cllr Ros Wyke rejoined the committee for this item.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Bill Revans, invited the Lead Member for Transport and Digital, Cllr Richard Wilkins, to introduce the item. Cllr Wilkins highlighted that the works proposed were vital for the county and the strategic road network and would unlock further development in the area, including EDF and Gravity projects, and that the proposal removed some financial risk associated.

Sunita Mills, Strategic Manager – Highways and Transport, and Josephine Paterson, Service Manager – Transport Schemes Commissioning, added to these points: highlighting the risks involved in these projects; the approval sought from Department for Transport; the funding sourced from a number of organisations; the status of the procurement process.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Bill Revans, invited comments from Committee Members and other Members present. Questions and points raised included: the timeline for the work on Junction 22; modelling of the impact on traffic; the need for safe crossings to be included in the scheme; the inclusion of active travel; the work in partnership with Network Rail and how that would impact timelines; the need for regular review of capacity on the Cross Rifles roundabout, particularly due to the Celebration Mile work.

The Leader of the Council concluded the discussion and proceeded to vote on the recommendations, which were agreed unanimously.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices, and discussion, the Executive:

1. Approved the award of the contract for Dunball Roundabout Improvement scheme to the supplier identified in the attached Appendix A (confidential information), following a competitive tender process. Total contract value of £6,626,216.00. 

2. Approved the re-scoping of Cannon/Cross Rifles scheme. 

3. Consented to delegate to the Service Director for Infrastructure and Transport, the decision to apportion the funding within the Levelling Up Fund pot to deliver the Dunball and re-scoped Cannon/Cross Rifles schemes. 

4. Consented to delegate to the Service Director for Infrastructure and Transport, the decision to deliver the A38MRN project through the Dunball delivery contract, subject to funding approval. 
5. Agreed the case for applying the exempt information provision as set out in the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A and therefore to treat the attached confidential Appendix A in confidence, as it contains commercially sensitive information, and as the case for the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing that information. 

All recommendations are contingent upon a favourable outcome from DfT regarding the PAR submitted. No contracts will be signed unless and until approval is received from DfT to amend the scope of the Cannon/Cross Rifles scheme.