Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2010 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Economy which outlined that the Coalition Government had suspended its funding agreement with the Council for Mersey Gateway pending the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review to be announced on 20 October 2010.

The Board were reminded that this development had been reported orally to the Mersey Gateway Executive Board at the last meeting on 13 June  2010;  this report dealt with the actions that had been taken in response to the following Board decisions made at that meeting:-

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

·        The Mersey Gateway Team enter into further dialogue with Department for Transport on the funding arrangements for Mersey Gateway;

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

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

The following comments arose from the discussion:-

·        The costs to the Authority already incurred in acquiring land and property and other preparatory work;

·        The costs and implications of the delay in receiving the decision; and

·        Potential sources of alternative funding.

RESOLVED: That

(1)          the action taken to promote the case for the Government to part fund Mersey Gateway be noted: and     

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

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Economy on the campaign to support the case for funding Mersey Gateway.

At the last meeting of the Mersey Gateway Executive Board on 13 June 2010, the Mersey Gateway Team had been instructed to continue to seek the positive and proactive support of businesses, politicians, other partners, the media and the public for Mersey Gateway. The resulting evidence of widespread support across the region would bolster the case for the Government to confirm its funding contribution for Mersey Gateway as part of the Spending Review to be undertaken this Autumn. The report explained the action taken since June, leading to the submission of the case for funding Mersey Gateway now with Government.

   The Board was advised that, following the suspension of the Council agreement with Government to part fund Mersey Gateway, the Mersey Gateway Officer Project Board (OPB) instructed that the project team should give a higher priority to its ongoing work with partners and supporters, in order to maintain the high profile nature of the project, and ensure that Ministers in the new Coalition Government were aware of the broad support for Mersey Gateway across the private and public sectors throughout the North West.

A proportion of the proposed budget for the 2010/2011 financial year was dedicated to these tasks.  A number of interest groups were targeted and the focus of these tasks were divided into the areas of Media, Public/Businesses, and Political Support. The report provided details of the various activities for Members’ information. The project team referred to this area of work as ‘Campaign 2010.’

The following comments arose from the discussion:-

·        The level of support and promotion of the campaign via local media and businesses;

·        Recent and planned attendance of the Chief Executive and the Mersey Gateway Team at all three 2010 Party Political Conferences, to help raise the profile of the issue and to enlist their further support; and  

·        The Chairman wished to place on record his thanks to colleagues of all Political Groups, to the private sector and other partners, the media, local Members of Parliament, neighbouring Local Authorities and all residents and visitors to the area for their support of the campaign to date.

RESOLVED: That 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.

MINUTES ISSUED:  29 September 2010

CALL-IN:   6 October 2010

Any matter decided by the Mersey Gateway Executive Board may be called in no later than   6 October 2010