The flood alleviation scheme was included in the 2020/21 Public Realm Annual Plan which was approved by the cabinet member for Infrastructure and Transport on 29 April 2020.

This record of office decision report confirms the commencement of the scheme based on subcontract tender costs, and the allocation of the existing S106 and EA grant funding to the capital programme.

The scheme design and development are complete and the works are ready to mobilise. All legal easements have been negotiated with affected landowners where access to their property is required for construction purposes and future maintenance.

S106 developer contribution of £510,530 was paid towards the scheme. Spend to date of this funding is £248,506 which has enabled the development and detailed design of the scheme to reach the point of construction. This figure also includes the budget value associated with completing the legal easements. In addition further funding of £298,864 has been received in the form of grant from the Environment Agency. The S106 contribution and Grant in Aid and Local Levy funding are to be added to the council’s capital programmes.

£380,000 was paid towards the scheme from the council’s capital programmes following the decision taken on 6 August 2020 to approve £2m of capital investment in infrastructure 2020/21 to be delivered through the public realm annual plan. This confirms an overall scheme budget for construction of £940,888.

The costs associated with this decision to commission the construction works through the public realm contract are £854,083. This leaves an allocation for risk and contingency of £86,805.

A planning application for the scheme alongside a Listed Building Consent application was submitted to the Local Planning Authority in January 2020, with permission granted for both applications 30 June 2020.

A separate decision is to be taken by the Acting Assistant Director Highways and Transport to enter into Deeds of Easement and a licence for temporary occupation with the landowners to enable the construction, use and future maintenance of the works comprising the Lea Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS). It also approves the payment of reasonable compensation, licence fee and professional fees incurred by the landowners and the council in the preparation of the agreements.