Decisions

The Performance and Resources Report (PRR) details the Council’s performance in relation to revenue and capital spending, savings, workforce projections, performance and risk by portfolio against the Cabinet’s key priorities.  The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Property will be recommended to approve the PRR and any items of financial and performance management within the PRR.

Following consideration of the report, Cabinet resolved to:

1.   Note the information contained in the Q1 Performance and Resources Report in Annexe A,

2.   Agree the proposed changes to the Key Performance Indicator measures, detailed in Annexe C.

The call-in deadline is 23 September 2021.

Rampion Extension Development Limited (REDL) propose to extend the existing Rampion Offshore Wind Farm off the Sussex coast.  The proposal, Rampion 2, is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) requiring a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Secretary of State (rather than planning permission from the local planning authority).  The County Council is a statutory consultee in the DCO process.

Rampion 2 will have a generating capacity of up to 1,200MW, compared with 400MW for Rampion 1.  The offshore element of Rampion 2 will be located within an area of search to the west and south east of the existing wind farm together with a small link or ‘bridge’ area between the two areas for cabling.  The onshore elements of the scheme include a buried transmission cable running for approximately 36km between a landfall at Climping Beach, near Littlehampton, and a ‘satellite’ project substation located within a 5km radius of the Bolney National Grid Substation. 

REDL will undertake formal consultation on the proposal from 14 July to 16 September 2021.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change has:

(a)     approved the comments in paragraphs 2.33-2.64 of the report and the detailed comments in Appendix D as the County Council’s formal response to the consultation on the proposed extension to the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm

(b)     authorised the Director of Highways, Transport, and Planning to respond to any further stages of pre-submission consultation - in support of the formal response approved under (a)

(c)     if an application for a Development Consent Order is submitted, authorised the Director of Highways, Transport, and Planning to:

(i)      approve the County Council’s ‘adequacy of consultation’ response

(ii)     prepare and submit the County Council’s written representation and Local Impact Report, and to negotiate with the applicant on the DCO requirements, any S106 Agreement, and the preparation of a Statement of Common Ground – all in support of the formal response approved under (a); and

(iii)    attend the examination hearings and answer the Examining Authority’s questions in support of the County Council’s position; and

(d)     if a Development Consent Order is made, approved the County Council becoming a relevant authority for the discharge of onshore requirements, provided that the Authority’s costs are met in full.

The County Council’s West Sussex Plan sets out its ambition to minimise the burden of local taxation, delivering the best outcomes for residents with the money it spends, whilst living within its means.  In 2018 the County Council agreed to adopt an Asset Management Policy and Strategy.  An objective of the strategy is to acquire, manage, maintain and dispose of property effectively, efficiently and sustainably, together with optimising financial and commercial opportunities.

The Cabinet Member has agreed that the County Council declares the following assets surplus to service operational requirements:

a)   76 Orchard Street, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1DE  

b)   20 Church Lane, Southwick, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN42 4GB

c)    1, Worthing Road, Wick, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 7AR 

d)   School House, Pevensey Road, North Bersted, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 5PB

e)   Sackville School House, Lewes Road, Brockhurst, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3TY

f)    Holding 21, North Choller Farm, Holding 21, Barnham Lane, Walberton, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN18 0AX

g)   Holding 84, Paddock, Elms Farm, Ancton Lane, Middleton on Sea, West Sussex, PO22 6NJ