Decision details

Public Realm

Decision Maker: Executive

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

The Executive was informed that in 2017 the Council had successfully bid for £3,500,000 of Local Enterprise Partnerships funding to improve the High Street, Camberley; the Council’s agreed contribution for the scheme was £900,000. Work on the construction of the scheme had begun in January 2020. Due to a number of factors beyond the Council’s control, including Covid-19 related, and the location of underground utilities, the scheme had run over budget and would require additional £754,600 of funding from this Council.

 

Members noted a report which detailed the reasons leading to the overspend and supported a proposal that the Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee conducted a review of the circumstances leading to the increased costs of the Public Realm project in order to help inform future projects. The Monitoring Officer also undertook to review any governance issues associated with the overspend.

 

The Executive noted that, due to issues with the position of some infrastructure under pavements, it had not been possible to plant the intended number trees. It was therefore proposed that a further sum of money be agreed to install trees within pots, or other additional planting if necessary, in order to increase the foliage to that expected in the original scheme. It was noted that a sum of money would need to be allocated to cover the cost of maintenance for this additional landscaping.

 

RECOMMENDED to Full Council that

 

(i)        an additional £754,600 required for the High Street Public Realm Project be added to the Capital Programme; and

 

(ii)      an additional £90,000 be added to the capital programme to fund further landscaping works in the High Street Public Realm area

 

to be funded from the Council’s reserves.

 

RESOLVED that the final costs outturn be reported to Performance & Finance Scrutiny Committee and thereafter, a review of the circumstances leading to the increased costs of the Public Realm project be undertaken to help inform future projects and report back to the Executive with any recommendations it considers appropriate.

 

 

Report author: Jenny Rickard

Publication date: 07/06/2021

Date of decision: 25/05/2021

Decided at meeting: 25/05/2021 - Executive

Accompanying Documents: