Cabinet Member decisions

Decision:

To enter into a legal agreement with Dover District Council to act as an infrastructure delivery partner at no cost or risk to the County Council and to take the project through detail design, planning, statutory approvals and to enter into a construction contract. Specifically for the Cabinet Member forHighways, Planning, Transport and Waste to agree:

(a)  Approval to enter into legal agreements with Dover District Council to undertake the delivery of the Infrastructure Works at no cost or risk to the County Council.

(b)  Approval for KCC officers to project manage, input into the delivery and supervision of the project, with the cost of all staff and consultant time being recoverable against the project funding.

(c)  Approval to undertake the detailed design and surveys for the project, to include a new bridge crossing the A2,  associated approaches to link to existing/proposed highway, a new link road through the undeveloped White Cliffs Business Park,  improvements to the existing Dover Road and links/improvements for the junction onto the existing A258. This work will be undertaken by procuring consultants through an existing framework contract.

(d)  Approval to acquire the land and rights for carrying out the construction and maintenance of the BRT project

(e)  Approval to progress all statutory approvals and consents required for the scheme including Section 6 Agreement with Highways England, drainage and environmental consents and detailed planning permission.

(f)   Approval to enter into construction contracts as necessary for the delivery of the scheme subject to the approval of the Infrastructure Commissioning Board to the recommended procurement strategy.

(g)  Approval for any further decisions required to allow the scheme to proceed through to delivery to be taken by the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport under the Officer Scheme of Delegations following prior consultation with the Cabinet Member.

As Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste, I agree to give:

i)             Approval to enter into legal agreements with Dover District Council to undertake the delivery of the Infrastructure Works at no cost or risk to the County Council,

ii)            Approval for KCC officers to project manage, input into the delivery and supervision of the project, with the cost of all staff and consultant time being recoverable against the project funding,

iii)           Approval to undertake the detailed design and surveys for the project, to include a new bridge crossing the A2,  associated approaches to link to existing/proposed highway, a new link road through the undeveloped White Cliffs Business Park,  improvements to the existing Dover Road and links/improvements for the junction onto the existing A258. This work will be undertaken by procuring consultants through an existing framework contract,

iv)           Approval to acquire the land and rights for carrying out the construction and maintenance of the BRT project,

v)            Approval to progress all statutory approvals and consents required for the scheme including Section 6 Agreement with Highways England, drainage and environmental consents and detailed planning permission,

vi)           Approval to enter into construction contracts as necessary for the delivery of the scheme subject to the approval of the Infrastructure Commissioning Board to the recommended procurement strategy; and

vii)          Approval for any further decisions required to allow the scheme to proceed through to delivery to be taken by the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport under the Officer Scheme of Delegations following prior consultation with the Cabinet Member.

To award a 4 year contract to Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) for the provision of post mortem (PM) facilities at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Pembury for the Mid Kent & Medway coroner area.

As Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, I agree to award a four-year contract to Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) for the provision of post-mortem (PM) facilities at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Pembury for the Mid Kent & Medway coroner area.

To revise and update Kent County Council’s (KCC) Kent Country Parks daily pay and display and annual season ticket parking charges and to delegate authority to the relevant Head of Country Parks, in conjunction with the Member for Community and Regulatory Services, to review and publish annually revised fees and charges subject to the application of a number of key principles.

As Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Service, I agree to:

(a)  increase fees and charges for Pay and Display and Annual Parking Season Ticket fees; and

(b)  delegate authority to the Head of Country Parks to annually review and publish revised fees and charges subject to the application of a number of key principles

Approval is required to take the Fastrack Full Network – Bean Road Tunnels scheme through the next stages of development and delivery including authority to progress statutory approvals and consultation where appropriate, and to enter into funding agreements and construction contracts.

Fastrack is the high-quality Bus Rapid Transit system operating in the Gravesham / Dartford area. The existing Fastrack network has been in place since 2006/07 and provides fast, reliable and efficient transport across Kent Thameside. A programme of Fastrack projects has been identified to deliver infrastructure and operational arrangements to complete delivery of the Fastrack Full Network.

Bean Road Tunnel is a major civils infrastructure scheme to provide a Fastrack busway and a footway/cycleway linking Eastern Quarry and Bluewater. Two haulage tunnels were constructed through the chalk spine supporting B255 Bean Road to facilitate earthworks movements during the construction of Bluewater Shopping Centre during the mid-1990’s. These tunnels still exist and were considered to be used to form a new direct connection. Following feasibility work into the potential use of these tunnels it has been determined that it would be more cost effective to construct a new tunnel for both Fastrack/cycling/walking and leave the existing tunnels as is. The proposed new bore tunnel with combined bus, walking and cycling renders both haulage tunnels redundant. Recent ecological investigation in the construction tunnels has revealed that there is some low-level bat activity and mitigation will be required in the construction of a new tunnel. Whilst one tunnel would be retained for bat conservation, the other would be filled to reduce maintenance and potential risk of exposure to unauthorised access. These works must be delivered to link up with the Fastrack Spine being built across Eastern Quarry by developer Henley Camland.

The Ebbsfleet area is due for significant growth in the coming years and with current levels of traffic congestion considered to be at critical levels already, Fastrack is central to supporting the growth agenda whereby a 40% modal share is assumed between public transport and the car.

As Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste, I agree to:

i) give approval to the progress of the reference design as shown on Drawing No. B2350500-JAC-HA-XX-DR-D-0001 Rev P01 for development control and land charge disclosures;

ii) give approval to progress all statutory approvals or consents required for the scheme including transfer of land and rights;

iii) give approval to carry out consultation on the scheme;

iv) give approval to underwrite and enter into forward funding and investment funding agreement(s) subject to the approval of the Infrastructure Commissioning Board;

v) give approval to enter into a design & build construction contract as necessary for the delivery of the scheme subject to the approval of the Infrastructure Commissioning Board to the recommended procurement strategy; and

vi) give approval for the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport, under the Officer Scheme of Delegations, to take further or other decisions as may be appropriate to deliver the Fastrack Full Network – Bean Road Tunnel scheme in accordance with these recommendations.