Agenda and decisions

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 March 2024.

Question from Councillor Robin Stuchbury to Councillor Anita Cranmer, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education

As part of a discussion at the Children’s and Education Select Committee on 7 March 2024 on school attendance, Members heard about the increased emphasis on school attendance within inspections of local authorities’ children’s services and the importance of good attendance for our pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in particular. We were told that high levels of support can be provided for pupils with SEND whether or not they have an EHC plan through advice, specialist teacher involvement and where appropriate high needs funding to the school to support specific work.

Can the Cabinet Member comment on whether this support is sufficient to mitigate not having an EHCP and also whether it adequately addresses the issues set out in the OFSTED report on the Joint Area SEND Inspection in Buckinghamshire in 2022?

https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50182612

Cabinet received a report on the South East Aylesbury Link Road (SEALR) project, that involved the construction of approximately 1.1 miles of dual carriageway that would join the A413 Wendover Road with the B4443 Lower Road and the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road (SMRR). The project was being delivered as one project but in two phases. SEALR was part of the Aylesbury Orbital Link Road, which was a key infrastructure requirement to support the planned growth of Aylesbury and mitigate the impact of HS2.

The project had secured planning permission and external funding from various sources, including the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), HS2, and the Department for Transport (DfT). The project had completed early works and started the construction of the roundabout junctions on Wendover Road (A413) and Lower Road (B4443). The main construction works were expected to commence in July 2024 and complete by Summer 2026.

The project costs for SEALR Phase 1 and Phase 2 had increased significantly due to inflation and other factors. The report proposed to address the funding gap by reallocating savings from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) Aylesbury Grid Reinforcements project and reducing the available HIF funding for the Woodlands development and the Eastern Link Road South. The report also recommended forward funding and underwriting the Department for Transport (DfT) contribution to mitigate the financial and programme risks of any delay in funding approval.

Approval was sought from Cabinet to adjust the capital budgets and release funding for SEALR Phase 1 and SEALR Phase 2. In addition, the report sought the necessary delegations to enable the Corporate Director for Communities and the Corporate Director for Planning Growth and Sustainability, in consultation with the Leader to proceed with the delivery of the main works for SEALR Phase 1.

This would enable the phased delivery of the South East Aylesbury Link Road, within required timeframes to achieve the intended programme and to give effect to the Previous Council Decisions.

As part of their deliberations, Cabinet also considered in confidential session the confidential information and appendices that were part of the agenda.

RESOLVED –

(1)             That the following increases in the SEALR budget be APPROVED, as set out in the confidential Appendix B and Appendix D

(a)      SEALR Phase 1 from £97,933,819 to £122,715,890.

(b)     SEALR Phase 2 from £16,788,869 to £25,225,052

(2)             That the release of the revised budget for SEALR Phase 2 of £25.2m be APPROVED, as set out in Confidential Appendix B and Appendix D.

(3)             That the release of the revised budget for SEALR Phase 1 of £122.7m be APPROVED, as set out in Confidential Appendix B and Appendix D, subject to Homes England approval and HS2 Funding Agreements.

(4)             That the following reductions in the Woodlands/Eastern Link Road South budget be APPROVED, as set out in Confidential Appendix B and subject to Homes England approval:

(a)      The permanent reduction of £11,727,127 of the available HIF funding.

(b)     The reduction of £13,472,000 of the available HIF funding to forward fund and underwrite SEALR Phase  ...  view the full decision text for item 7.

To resolve that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

9 April 2024 at 10am