Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Environment and Economy which informed Members that the Government had announced the decision for Mersey Gateway on 20th December and published the Secretaries of State Decision Letters along with the Public Inquiry Report and Supplementary Report produced by the Inspector Alan Grey.  The report provided Members with a summary of the conclusions reached and the statutory powers either made, or confirmed, as a consequence of this decision.  Members were also advised of the action now being taken to secure the land required for the scheme and to prepare for the procurement process now planned to commence in the spring.

The Board was advised that the report gave details of the summary conclusions which were consistent with the findings expressed in the reports of the Inspector Mr Alan Grey relating to the applications and orders made by the Council back in spring 2008 and considered at the Public Local Inquiry that sat for twenty days between May and July 2009.  The report plus all the documents relating to the planning decision, were available on the Mersey Gateway website and hard copies had been placed on deposit at the Kingsway and Halton Lea Libraries and at Direct Link offices in Widnes and Runcorn. 

The report advised of the key factors emerging from the Inspector’s conclusions.  It was noted that the decisions made by Government on 20^th December had triggered a number of statutory processes including the exercise of the compulsory purchase powers enabled by the Compulsory Purchase Orders and the made Order under the Transport and Work Act 1992.  These powers allowed the project team to acquire the land which was necessary for the construction and maintenance of the Project.  However, commencing the CPO process did not require any further Council resolutions because such resolutions were established at previous Council meetings. 

   It was reported that the Council had served the preliminary notices in the CPO process on the parties affected by these Orders in two stages. A press release explaining that the Council was commencing the CPO process had been issued.  The notices issued covered all the known interests in the land required for the scheme.  The actual programme for taking possession of the sites would be phased over the next 18 months.  In addition, details of the programme for taking possession of specific sites would be reported to the Board at future meetings.

During the discussion, the Members noted the approval process for the funding.  It was also noted that the objections had been fully dealt with and rejected during the public enquiry and the focus now would be on delivering the project.

RESOLVED: That

(1)                     the substance of the decisions announced by Government on 20^th December, which either made or confirmed all the statutory powers requested for Mersey Gateway be noted; and

(2)          The action now being taken by the project team to secure the land through exercising the compulsory purchase powers confirmed in the Transport and Works Act Order and the two Compulsory Purchase Orders and to prepare the procurement process be noted.