Agenda item

This report provides an update on the Place St Maur scheme and seeks approval for the delivery plan and project funding.

The Cabinet

RESOLVED – That

(1)  The Project Proposal (Appendix1) be approved; and

(2)  The designs will be presented at future Cabinet meetings

The Cabinet also

       RECOMMEDN TO FULL COUNCIL – That

(1)A supplementary estimate of £370k be approved for the Place St Maur project, funded from the unallocated capital/project earmarked reserve; and

(2)Authority be given for the Council to enter into a funding agreement with Coast to Capital and approve the drawdown and expenditure of external funding, and that the terms and conditions of the funding agreement are to be reviewed and agreed by Legal Services  in consultation with the Monitoring Officer.

(Prior to the commencement of this item, Councillor Coster redeclared his Personal Interest made at the start of the meeting).

The Chairman confirmed that he wished to announce that the Council had been successful with its bid for £1.2m of Coast to Capital funding with the caveat that the funding is provisional subject to final checks and due diligence. This was an exciting good news item to share.

            The Cabinet Member for Technical Services then introduced this report confirming that it provided an update on the Place St Maur project in Bognor Regis which aimed to deliver much needed improvements to the public realm.  This was an important seafront site which had a very run-down appearance but once the enhancements would be delivered, the site would provide much wider benefits for Bognor Regis.  The report also sought to make recommendations to Full Council regarding funding for the project.

            Points of Order were raised in terms of whether this item contradicted a Motion approved by Full Council and whether this item should be considered by the Bognor Regis Sub-Committee rather than at Cabinet. The Chief Executive confirmed that it was necessary for the Council to continue to push the next stages of the project and in light of the successful bid received from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, there was a tight timescale in place to spend the funding awarded.

 The Principal Landscape and Project Officer then presented the report reminding Councillors that back in March 2020, Cabinet had recommended to Full Council the approval of the draft design brief for public realm improvements at the Place St Maur; the procurement of consultants to enable the delivery of the project and the virement of up to £235k for this purpose and other associated project costs.  It had also recommended that the enhancement proposals be prepared for public consultation.  These recommendations were approved by Full Council on 22 July 2020.  The funding application in the sum of £1.2 m had then been prepared with £370k of Council partnership funding and had included the delivery of public realm works at the Place St Maur as well as design concepts for a section of the Esplanade.  The procurement of consultants to produce proposals had commenced via a tender on the Council’s portal.  The consultant would prepare concept designs for both sites and then develop final designs before preparing technical information for the construction tender process.  Now that confirmation had been received that the Coast to Capital bid had been successful, it would be necessary to comply with a range of terms and conditions and enter into a funding agreement with Coast to Capital.  It was proposed that approval be given for this, subject to scrutiny of the terms and conditions by Legal Services in consultation with the Monitoring Officer.  It was also proposed that authority be given to draw down the external funding.  The project proposal had been set out in Appendix 1 to the report defining the scope of the project; setting out objectives and deliverables.  It also defined the current risks and outlined the Service Delivery Programme with key milestones, which would be used to monitor progress. It was proposed that the Project Proposal be approved to provide clear direction to the project team.

            Before inviting debate, the Chairman confirmed that the confirmation received on the successful funding was very positive news.  The Place St Maur site had, for a long time, looked dishevelled and unkept.  This project would provide enhanced public realm to bring the enhancement of this important site forward.

The remainder of Cabinet agreed that this was stunningly good news for Bognor Regis and the wider Arun District, this was because the current state of the Place St Maur had looked appalling for many years, whilst the Council had been discussing regeneration issues.  This project was greatly supported by Butlins and would ensure that what was a vital link between the seafront and the Town Centre would be enhanced.  The Bognor Regis Business Improvement District (BID) had confirmed its support and it was acknowledged that the residents of Bognor Regis would be delighted to now see action being taken to refurbish this wonderful seafront location.

In considering the report, questions were asked about what plans the Council had in place to achieve good engagement with the public and in terms of the final designs.  The engagement proposals planned with local stakeholders and groups were explained and in terms of how these would be taken forward considering the current Covid-19 restrictions.

 Having formally thanked the Principal Landscape and Project Officer and her team for their sterling work to get this project through the investment board of Coast to Capital, the Cabinet

RESOLVED – That

(1)       The project proposal as set out at Appendix 1 be approved; and

(2)       Approval be given to the designs being presented to future Cabinet meetings.

The Cabinet also

            RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL – That

(1)          Approval be given to a supplementary estimate of £370k for the Place St Maur project, funded from the unallocated capital project earmarked reserve; and

(2)          Authority be given for the Council to enter into a funding agreement with Coast to Capital and approve the drawdown and expenditure of external funding, with the terms and conditions of the funding agreement to be reviewed and agreed by Legal Services in consultation with the Monitoring Officer.

The Cabinet confirmed its decision as per Decision Notice C/032/161120, a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of the Minutes.