To receive and consider the report of the Director of Commercial Services.

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley, presented the confidential report of the Director of Commercial Services which updates members on the progress of the Tatton development and requests additional funding. 

Members discussed the report and supported, particularly, the GP surgery and the positive impact the development will have in the area.  Development of the scheme has allowed the Council to secure further funding from the Homes England Affordable Homes Funding programme. A pre-requisite of this funding is that the assisted living element of the development must be delivered by the End of March 2022. It is noted that since the Covid-19 outbreak Homes England have extended the delivery programme to end of March 2023.

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley proposed and the Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson seconded the majority Decision

1.         That the increase in the budget is approved to allow the key funding milestones to be achieved and the scheme to be delivered

2.         To approve the total capital expenditure of £15,740,000 which is an increase of £1,729,540 over the £14,010,460 approved by Council in July 2020.

3.         Acknowledge that the increase budget request will be more than offset by the Getting Building Funding grant totalling £5.2m and that the securing of this funding has significantly improved the financial position (reference table 3).

4.         To acknowledge that no additional Council borrowing will be required to offset the increased build cost.

5.         To acknowledge that Officers will continue to work with the designers to identify value engineering opportunities to reduce the build cost which will not impact on the overall quality of the scheme.