Purpose

To approve capital expenditure of
£1,133,500 from existing SANG budgets for replacement and
improvement of the SANG access infrastructure at Riverside Nature
Reserve and Parsonage Water Meadows, and to create additional staff
resource of one Project Manager Post for project
delivery.

Content

Decision:
That this Executive recommends to full Council
meeting on 23 July 2024 the approval of:

1     Capital expenditure of
£1,133,500 from existing development contributions to improve
SANG capacity and improvement of the SANG access infrastructure at
Riverside Nature Reserve and Parsonage Water Meadows,
and

2     an additional staff resource of
one Project Manager Post for project delivery.
Reason(s):

1.           
Officers consider the project proposal the most
efficient option to maintain SANG capacity to mitigate the
recreational pressure resulting from the developments the SANG
contributions have been collected from.

2.           
The project will deliver necessary works to achieve
health and safety compliance under the Occupiers Liability Act
1957.

3.           
The delivery of the project will provide added
benefits to the Council by demonstrating compliance with the public
duties for biodiversity under the Environment Act 2021 and the
duties under the Equality Act 2010.
Other options considered and rejected by the
Executive:

1.      
Do essential safety works only when they
occur:

Officers consider that this approach
would put the Council at risk of not providing mitigation in
perpetuity in accordance with the reason for the payment of the
contributions and would not mitigate the recreational pressure
resulting from development.

Reason: Significant infrastructure
replacement is currently required to fulfil the Occupiers Liability
Act 1957 and SANG requirements representing approximately 90% of
the cost estimate. Officers consider this approach would carry a
risk of insufficient resourcing to deliver the infrastructure
replacement in the required timescale, putting the Council at risk
of repayment of developer contributions.

2.      
Do nothing:

Do nothing will eventually require
the Council to close sections of the SANG for safety reasons
resulting in non-compliance with the Habitats Directive, and risk
of developers seeking repayment of contributions.
Details of any conflict of interest declared by
the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation
granted:
Councillor Potter declared a
non-pecuniary interest against Item 5 as the Riverside SANG was
part located in the ward he represented. Councillor Potter
confirmed this would not affect his objectivity in determining the
matter.