Issue - meetings

Report of the Corporate Director Environment.

The Corporate Director Environment submitted a report to the Resources Portfolio Holder and Neighbourhood and Community Services Portfolio Holder seeking approval to develop the Innovative Resilience Fund to develop Environmental Community Owned Coastal Buffer Strips (ECO-CoBS) along the NW Coast to Outline Business Case (OBC).

Decisions

The Neighbourhood and Community Services Portfolio Holder gave approval to

·         submit a FCERM7 form application to the Environment Agency (EA) for funding to undertake studies, monitoring and consultation in order to develop the Innovation project.

·         contribute to consultation expertise through existing partnership arrangements with the Wyre Rivers Trust, Morecambe Bay Partnership and Lancashire Wildlife Trust.

·         advertise for a programme manager through secondment of existing partner staff or external appointment for a five year period.

·         update the Capital Programme to reflect spend of £453,000 in 2021/22 with funding provided by the EA.

·         reflect a Project Development Grant 2021 No 31/5471 of £40,000 made available by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the Capital Programme for 2021/22.

The Resources Portfolio Holder gave approval to allow for the appointment of consultants using the EA framework and Cell 11 monitoring framework under the exemptions to Contract Procedures contained within the Financial Regulations and Financial Procedure Rules, on the grounds that exemptions may apply where “a framework agreement is available that necessitates the Council not having to go out to tender and the goods, works and services will still provide the Council with best value for money”.