Agenda item

Please note: this report contains both exempt and non-exempt

information.

To discuss the exempt information detailed in the appendices to

the published report, consideration must first be given to whether

the public and press should be excluded from the meeting b

passing the following resolution:-

In accordance with Regulation 4 (2)(b) of the Local Authorities

(Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information)

(England) Regulations 2012, consideration must be given to

confirm whether members of the public and press should be

excluded from the meeting for this item of business because it is

likely that, if present there would be disclosure to them of exempt

information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 A

to the Act, and the public interest in withholding the information

outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the

public.

Cllr Nigel Moor, Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, sought Cabinet approval to delegate authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment

and Infrastructure to procure three areas of work which included professional

services, legal advisors and estate management to work towards delivering

the M5 Junction 9 and A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme. In addition he sought to obtain approval to spend a further £5 million, at risk, on the Outline Business Case (OBC) for M5 Junction 9/A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme in addition to the £3 million already approved by Cabinet on 17^th June 2020.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED to:

1. Agree to allocate approximately £1,000,000 claimed as historical costs from the M5 Junction 10 Improvements Scheme, towards completing the Outline Business Case (OBC) for M5 Junction 9/A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme.

2. Agree the use of approximately £2,000,000 in 2021/2022 from the county council transport planning base budget for business case funding to be used specifically for the M5 Junction 9/A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme.

3. Note that a request will be made as part of the year end process to carry forward the underspend from the county council transport planning base budget for business case funding for the use of expenditure against the OBC for M5 Junction 9/A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme.

4. Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure to procure;

the work (OBC delivery) under our Professional Services

contract and

estate management services under the ESPO 2700 Estates

Management Professional Services framework

5. Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure to commission legal advisors to support the scheme development under our EM lawshare agreement.

Cllr Nigel Moor, Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, sought Cabinet approval to delegate authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment

and Infrastructure to procure three areas of work which included professional

services, legal advisors and estate management to work towards delivering

the M5 Junction 9 and A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme. In addition he sought to obtain approval to spend a further £5 million, at risk, on the Outline Business Case (OBC) for M5 Junction 9/A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme in addition to the £3 million already approved by Cabinet on 17^th June 2020. The OBC could unlock a potential funding package of up to £300 million for the County.

The A46 was one of the country’s most important trade routes – the Trans Midlands Trade Corridor - operating at a national, regional and local level. It ran for 155 miles from here in Gloucestershire across to Lincolnshire. It was home to 5.5 million people and 2.9 million jobs, with an economic output of £115 billion – almost 10% of the entire English economy. By 2041, the economic potential would have increased by 600,000 new residents, 150,000 new jobs and 250,000 new homes.

The aim of the scheme was to improve north-south connectivity for long distance traffic and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) travelling between Gloucestershire, Wales and South-West to the West Midlands, East Midlands, Lincolnshire and up to Yorkshire and beyond. The A46 could, if it were better developed, provide direct access for business to the A1, M1 and M6 and was critical for supporting future economic growth through the corridor and in our region

One member acknolwedged that the A46 Partnership had been running for a number of years.The scheme would help solve long standing traffic issues at this key location on the A46 corridor. The Leader outlined that this demonstrated inward investment into the County and a reflection of the growth agenda.

Cabinet noted the Equality Impact Assessment and the changes due to be made to it and the planned actions.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED to:

1. Agree to allocate approximately £1,000,000 claimed as historical costs from the M5 Junction 10 Improvements Scheme, towards completing the Outline Business Case (OBC) for M5 Junction 9/A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme.

2. Agree the use of approximately £2,000,000 in 2021/2022 from the county council transport planning base budget for business case funding to be used specifically for the M5 Junction 9/A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme.

3. Note that a request will be made as part of the year end process to carry forward the underspend from the county council transport planning base budget for business case funding for the use of expenditure against the OBC for M5 Junction 9/A46 (Ashchurch) Transport Scheme.

4. Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure to procure;

• the work (OBC delivery) under our Professional Services contract and

• estate management services under the ESPO 2700 Estates Management Professional Services framework

5. Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure to commission legal advisors to support the scheme development under our EM lawshare agreement.