Issue - meetings

1.            Mr Whiting introduced the report, advised that the proposed decision was to be taken by the Leader of the Council and urged the committee to endorse it. 

2.            Mr Smith set out the four projects covered by the Getting Building Funding (GBF) project and advised that each of these had already been the subject of a key decision. He responded to comments and questions from the committee, including the following:-

a)    Members welcomed the four projects and the work undertaken to bring GBF funding into Kent;  

b)    asked for more detail about the four projects, Mr Smith undertook to send summary information to the committee outside the meeting; and

c)    concern was expressed about the timing of the projects and whether or not they would be at the right stage to use the GBF funding by the required deadline of the end of March 2022.  Mr Smith advised the committee that a condition of GBF funding approval was that any scheme not able to meet the required timetable would have to return its funding, so the County Council had ensured that projects chosen were those which could be ready in time. 

3.            The committee RESOLVED to endorse the decision proposed to be taken by the Leader of the Council, to:

a)    agree that Getting Building Funding (GBF) be used to support the third-party projects which the South East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (SELEP) Strategic Board prioritised to receive GBF at its Board meeting on 16 July 2020;

b)    agree that the County Council act as the accountable body for third-party projects within Kent’s geographical boundaries which are selected by the SELEP to receive GBF grant funding; and

c)    delegate to the Section 151 Officer the authority to sign, on the County Council’s behalf, a grant agreement - or equivalent, where this is required - to draw down funds, following business case approval.