Minutes:
15.1 The Vice-Chair invited Councillor Dawson to ask her question to Councillor Busby, Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets and Investments.
Question 1 Councillor Dawson to Councillor Busby, Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets and Investments
At last year’s Full Council on 18th Nov, I requested clarification on the financial position of Corks Lane. On 4th Jan, 2022 as Cabinet Member for Assets and Investments you provided a breakdown summary of the full annual running costs £500/- (against a budget cost of £342/-) and future recalculated development costs £13m, (against a budget of £12.9m). You advised development works would commence Spring 2022. As we are now past that development date again, please could you provide a definitive date when this project is expected to commence?
Response
Thank you for your question relating to the former HQ property in Corks Lane, Hadleigh. A report is tabled for the Cabinet in June to consider the next steps in relation to this development which, subject to the Cabinet’s decision, could mean that works could start on site in August.
Supplementary question
I think as Ward Councillor, it has been very damaging so what bothers me is the approach agreed by the Cabinet in December 2018 would enable the scheme to be brought forward quickly using a construction group, this would overcome the necessity for a lengthy procurement and in December you said this would be coming forward and here we are in May, and we haven’t heard anything. The risk management describes the description cannot be delivered on budget or within time scales and any delay could lead to increased costs, this was considered unlikely however I believe the timing is significantly delayed and materials and everything have increased from 18 to 35 percent so therefore I think the figures given for capital funding is not going to be sufficient. Would you not agree with that?
Response
No, the £3.77 million is the borrowing ceiling that we are referring to, the costs are in the region of about £13 million. Depending upon the phasing of the work, depends on how much borrowing that you need at any one particular point in time. If you do the work quickly you need a higher borrowing requirement, but you can be more certain about the overall price because contractors will hold their prices if we spread the work over a longer period, we can work with a lower debt requirement but we cannot guarantee the prices.
Question 2 Councillor Beer to Councillor Arthey, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning
Could you advise me and the tax payers of Babergh if the extra hundred thousand pounds allocated in the budget for the Joint local Plan is good value for our residents as we seem unable to deliver a satisfactory scheme?
Response
Thank you for your question and the answer is yes, our planning teams have done a fantastic job during a difficult couple of years and the cost of the Joint Local Plan is good value for our residents who I believe expect some certainty for the future of Babergh and consistency in our decision making. As a former chairman of the planning committee and a member of the cross-party working group that helped to develop the plan for submission, I would have thought you would be aware that we are now in the hands of the planning inspector for examination and modifications which will be subject to public consultation later this year.
Supplementary question
How much extra money will the Joint Local Plan cost, since the inspector gave instructions to officers to review and resubmit the plan?
Response
I don’t know that amount yet and I don’t suppose anybody else does either, we know it is going to cost more money because we have got more work to do. I can try and get you a more accurate figure probably later in the year.
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