Agenda and minutes

Councillor Mrs Laws’ absence was due to the current government limits on social contact because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held 15 July 2021.

The minutes of the meeting held 15 July 2021 were approved and signed.

To consider how well placed the Council is to capitalise on grant funding opportunities.

Members considered the Future Project Funding Opportunities report presented by Councillor Boden.

Councillor Hoy said she would like if agreed to alter one of the recommendations. Where it states: ‘That Cabinet authorises the Chief Executive and the Corporate Director and Chief Financial Officer, in discussion with the Leader to develop the Round 2 LUF bid’, she would like added ‘and Wisbech Cabinet members’ because ‘in discussion’ does not seem strong enough to bring people along in the process as suggested. She also suggested removing the word ‘discussion’ because this could just be interpreted as consulting someone.

Councillor Boden said because of the split between the role of councillors and officers, we cannot remove the words ‘in discussion’ since we as Cabinet members cannot be the ones that implement this.  However, he agreed to replace the phrasing with ‘after agreement with’.

Councillor Hoy said so many public consultations have taken place over the years and although she is aware there is a legal process that must be followed, she is keen for us to keep to a minimum as far as possible the further asking of questions. We just need to get on with it, not ask people what they already have told us. Councillor Boden agreed that we have had a wide range of discussions, but we are building on these to get to the next stage; we are not trying to change what we have already agreed but we are trying to refine it and make it appropriate for the monies we will be bidding for over the next few years.

Councillor Mrs French said it is good to see the MP is funding £31,400 and asked if it is coming from his personal or government office. Councillor Boden said he believes it is coming out of his personal office fund. Councillor French said in that case we should be writing a letter of thanks because she has never known this to happen before. Councillor Boden agreed it was appropriate to write and thank him for his support if the recommendation is approved by Cabinet.

Councillor Hoy drew attention to the end of the report where it mentions the Wisbech High Street Project and the Wisbech Access Strategy. She hopes these have been mentioned regarding all grants being received and not been mentioned for use of levelling up funding.  Councillor Boden confirmed these had been included as part of a comprehensive list of all the different schemes, however we will accept funding from wherever we can get it. We are not ruling out the possibility that LUF funding will be sought for other projects listed but none of that will threaten the proposal for Wisbech which is a regeneration project and not a transport project.

Councillor Hoy said that she is concerned about the Wisbech Access Strategy; it is not a Fenland project, it was led by the County Council and Combined Authority (CA) and County officers are trying to use  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAB17/21

For information purposes.

Councillor Boden presented the Cabinet Forward Plan for information.

To approve and sign the confidential minutes of the meeting held 1 July 2021.

The confidential minutes of the meeting held 1 July 2021 were approved and signed.