Agenda item

A report by the Director of Property and Assets setting out the capital programme position as at Quarter 4 End of Year 2019/20.

The Committee is asked to review, comment on and make any relevant recommendations for action to the Cabinet Member for Finance.

67.1  The Committee considered the Quarter 4 End of Year 2019/20 Capital Programme Performance Monitor report by the Director of Property and Assets (copy appended to the signed minutes).

67.2  The Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report and confirmed the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the progress of the capital programme.  Most sites are now beginning to re-open and the Director of Property and Assets is driving progress.  A complete review of the capital programme will be required in line with wider reviews of the Council’s priorities.

67.3  The Capital Programme Manager introduced the report which confirms the position at 31 March 2020, and provides updated exceptions to mid-May.

67.4  The Committee made comments in relation to the Capital Programme performance report including those that follow. It:

·       Commented that the Experience West Sussex project was removed from the pipeline in 2019/20 as no case was made for investment, however as the Culture Secretary has recently announced an ambitious plan to refresh the domestic tourism sector and the Council has declared its intention to boost tourism in West Sussex, should the project be re-prioritised and re-introduced in the current year 2020/21.  Requested that the Committee be updated on this scheme at an appropriate time.  The Cabinet Member for Finance confirmed all projects will be reviewed for suitability in the reset of the capital programme.  The Cabinet Member for Economy and Corporate Resources noted that the chance of a boost to domestic tourism would be a factor considered in the refresh.

·       Commented that the reset or reassessment of the capital programme is required urgently, may need to be undertaken alongside the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), requested a timescale for this work to be completed, and commented that the Committee should be involved in the reset.  The Director of Finance and Support Services explained this will be undertaken alongside the reset of the West Sussex Plan as outlined by the Leader.

·       Commented that the delay on the Horsham Bluelight Project was attributable to internal officer scrutiny of the programme and not formal Member scrutiny, noted that a joint scrutiny Task and Finish Group (TFG) by this Committee and the Fire & Rescue Service Scrutiny Committee is planned to scrutinise this decision in due course, and queried whether the project will proceed or be cancelled.  The Cabinet Member for Finance stated that all projects will be subject to assessment.  The project business case was over budget which necessitated the delay to further value-engineer the project, and it is expected the project will come to the public Cabinet meeting in July.

·       Expressed disappointment that the Littlehampton One Public Estate (OPE) scheme has been deemed not viable due to a lack of external capital contributions.  The Cabinet Member for Finance reiterated that there is no capital funding in the OPE programme therefore as funding from partners was withdrawn the project became unviable.

·       Encouraged surveying of the A284 Lyminster Bypass site if possible during Covid restrictions, and expressed concern the larger project will fail if this section is not delivered.

·       Requested an update on the timescale for the Rowans scheme and the redesign/relocation of the gym.  The Cabinet Member for Adults and Health confirmed works were currently halted due to Covid-19 however it is hoped to move the gym to alternative premises.

67.5  Resolved:-

1)   That the Committee recognises the need to reset the Capital Programme in line with the reassessed West Sussex Plan and priorities, and reiterates that the Committee be a part of that reset;

2)   That the Committee recognises, given the Covid-19 pandemic, that the Council needs to look again at the capability and capacity needed to continue to deliver the Capital Programme; and that

3)   The Committee requests that the Experience West Sussex project is included within the review of the Capital Programme and included within a report on the local economy to be presented to a future meeting.