Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Place.

The Cabinet were presented a *report from the Director of Place which presented Members with a recommendation to request the release of a tranche of Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) monies. This was to facilitate the continued progression of technical work relating to the Cullompton Town Centre Relief Road (CTCRR) until the end of March 2023, by which time a decision from Government regarding the Council’s pending Levelling Up Fund bid should have been received and any grant agreement agreed.

Members discussed the following:

• There was a need to have a relief road in order for further development to take place.
• It was hoped that the levelling up fund would be granted. The Director of Place explained that the submission submitted should be attractive to Government and that it was important for this relief road to be delivered.
• It was discussed that other authorities were given better treatment when it came to similar projects.
• The progress was welcomed.
• the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration confirmed that discussions were ongoing with Devon County Council and the Government regarding Junctions in Mid Devon

The Chief Executive added that the levelling up bid decisions should be announced by the end of January 2023. He also explained that the Junction 25 project had been planned for a number of years and that this development in particular was on a much larger scale. 

It was therefore RESOLVED:

1. To endorse the request for a drawdown and expenditure of a further tranche of the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) funding, totalling £210k, subject to agreement on appropriate indemnity, to enable the progression of further technical work relating to the Cullompton Town Centre Relief Road (CTCRR) until the end of March 2023.

(Proposed by Cllr R Chesterton and seconded by Cllr C Slade)

Reason for Decision: As stated in the report.

Note: *report previously circulated and attached to the minutes