Issue - meetings

Lee Burchill (Major Capital Programme Manager, Highways) and Jamie Watson (Traffic Schemes Team Leader) were in attendance for this item

1.    Mr Payne (Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport) and Mr Burchill introduced the report which set out the Kent Strategic Congestion Management Programme for the A2/A251 Junction Improvement Scheme and sought the committee’s approval for Kent County Council (KCC) to progress to the next stages of scheme delivery. This included negotiations with the Kent Fire and Rescue Service and the Abbey School regarding small areas of land required to deliver the scheme, pursuing the utility works and entering into a construction contract. This work was required, prior to the Local Growth Fund (LGF) business case sign off, to ensure that the £500k LGF contribution could be spent within the Growth Deal period (prior to March 2021).

2.    Mr Bowles commented in his capacity as a member of the Swale Joint Transportation Board and commended the proposed decision.

3.    It was RESOLVED that the proposed decision (20/00064) to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Highways & Transport to approve the progression of the A2/A251 Junction Improvement Scheme, and, in particular, to approve that:

(a)       Kent County Council act as the accountable body for the project,

(b)       Kent County Council enter into a Local Growth Fund (LGF) funding agreement,

(c)       Kent County Council progress all statutory approvals or consents required for the scheme,

(d)       Kent County Council progress with the necessary land acquisitions required to deliver the scheme,

(e)       Kent County Council carry out public engagement on the scheme,

(f)        Kent County Council enter into construction contracts as necessary for the delivery of the scheme; and

(g)       The Corporate Director for Growth, Environment & Transport, under the Officer Scheme of Delegations and in consultation with the Corporate Director for Finance and Procurement, to enter into relevant legal agreements and take other actions necessary to implement this decision,

be endorsed.