Issue - meetings

To receive a report of the Director of Place informing members of the latest position regarding the Tiverton HIF/A361 junction scheme and to seek decisions regarding next steps.

The Cabinet had before it a report * from the Director of Place informing Members of the latest position regarding the Tiverton HIF/A361 junction scheme and seeking a decision regarding the next steps.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration outlined the contents of the report stating that Members would be aware that the Tiverton HIF scheme related to the delivery of the second set of slip roads at the new junction on to the A361 and that DCC were undertaking a procurement exercise on behalf of Mid Devon District Council to seek to identify a contractor to deliver the works. At the time of the August 2021 Cabinet report, it was reported that the cost of works could exceed the available budget and this shortfall was reported as being in the region of £1.9m.

DCC had now completed the tender exercise and the tender results had been assessed. Unfortunately, whilst the tendering exercise had been successful in attracting tender responses, the returns had come in at levels which significantly exceeded the available project budget and went beyond the £1.9m shortfall previously foreseen.

Discussions had taken place between key stakeholder organisations regarding the potential to find additional funding to support delivery of the scheme, but unfortunately it had not been possible to identify the funding at this time.

Clearly, this remained a very important project and so officers would continue to work on this project, in conjunction with key stakeholders including Homes England, as quickly as possible in order to seek to identify opportunities to enable delivery of this scheme as soon as practicably possible.

The following answers were given in relation to each of the questions raised during Public Question Time:

Responses to questions from Mr Elstone

1. Question 1:

Members were aware of the position in relation to the land transactions, as appropriate.

2. Question 2:

Members were kept informed of progress in relation to the scheme and the tender exercise.

3. Question 3:

As stated previously; Cabinet Members had been kept informed of progress on the project and previous Cabinet reports had provided updates in relation to the project.

4. Question 4:

The Tender exercise had been run by Devon County Council on behalf of MDDC and had followed public procurement regulation requirements; the processes for which are often lengthy and time-consuming.

Cost increases had been seen across many infrastructure projects throughout the country and so the cost increases were not unique to this project, or a result of the process that had been undertaken.

5. Question 5:

This item has been brought to Cabinet as quickly as possible following earlier conversations with key partners to consider the scope to secure the additional funding to support delivery of the programme and accounting for purdah requirements.

6. Question 6:

Yes I am a Devon County Councillor but this project is not within my remit as a Devon County Councillor. Conversations are ongoing and the project is moving forwards.

7. Question 7:

Neither project is in disarray. However, both are absolutely dependent upon external  funding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26