Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2010 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Economy which advised Members on the developments with the coalition Government that were relevant to securing approvals necessary to commence the formal procurement process.

The Board were advised that, since the report was written, a letter dated 10 June 2010 had been received from the Head of Regional and Local Major Transport Projects at the Department for Transport, which informed them that, until the conclusion of the new Government’s Spending Review expected in the Autumn, decisions on all major schemes (including the Mersey Gateway Bridge) would be deferred. 

The letter invited the Authority to make its views known by 1 July 2010 regarding the availability of alternative funding which would allow the Secretary of State to continue with making the necessary statutory order(s).

RESOLVED : That

1.      Members note the contents of the letter of 10 June 2010 from the DfT;

2.      The Mersey Gateway Team continue to develop the case for Mersey Gateway having particular regard to current Government Guidance;

3.      The Mersey Gateway Team enter into further dialogue with DfT on the funding arrangements for Mersey Gateway;

4.      The Council restate the economic, business and financial case for Mersey Gateway to Government;

5.      The Mersey Gateway Team continue to seek the positive and proactive support of businesses, politicians, other partners, the media and the public for Mersey Gateway; and

6.      The Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, be authorised to take all necessary actions to progress the Mersey Gateway Project.

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Economy which advised Members of the progress made towards securing the conditional funding approval from Ministers and the Council’s preparation for procurement.

            Members were advised at the September 2009 meeting of the Board of the process involved in the project appraisal compared with the Major Scheme Programme Entry submissions and  development of the procurement strategy to ensure the Council received the best offers from the private sector in the current market. The Board was further advised that the Outline Business Case would remain the main submission in the Council bid to secure Conditional Funding Approval from Ministers.

The report outlined the progress made towards clarifying and completing the Outline Business Case in each of the main sections:

• the Strategic Case
• the value for money case
• the delivery case
• the commercial case and
• the financial case

RESOLVED: That the progress made, and the results emerging from the preparation of the Outline Business Case that would form the basis of the Council’s Conditional Funding Approval submission to the Department for Transport, be noted.

MINUTES ISSUED: 28 June 2010

CALL IN:  2 July 2010

Any matter decided by the Mersey Gateway Executive Board may be called in no later than 2 July 2010