Agenda

To confirm as being a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Policy & Resources Committee, held on 15 July 2024.

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency. The Chair to rule on the admission of such items.

To receive any declarations of interest.

This report shows the expected financial position over the three year medium term based on the Council’s actual financial performance at the end of period 3 (30 June 2024) set against the latest budget.

Recommendation

To Council:

That the revenue budget virements as set out in appendices 1 to 3 be approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

That the revenue budget supplementary estimates as set out in appendices 1 to 3 be approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

That the revenue variances to be managed as set out in appendices 1 to 3 be noted.

That the capital variances as set out in appendices 1 to 3 be approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

For the past 10 years there have been several flooding related issues at Scotsbridge. This is in part due to the alignment of the channel of the River Chess as it approaches Scotsbridge playing fields.

As a result, in partnership with the Environment Agency (EA), Hertfordshire County Council, who are the Lead Flood Authority, is leading on a project to enhance the River Chess channel. The project aims to reduce the impact of flooding in the Scotsbridge area. Three Rivers District Council are acting as a stakeholder in the project as one of the main landowners affected by the recurring flooding incidents.

For the project to succeed Three Rivers District Council is being asked to consider the acquisition of land from the Royal Masonic Trust to facilitate the construction of a new bypass channel.

Recommendation

That Policy and Resources:

Supports progression of the project and agrees to accept the land transfer as outlined within Appendix B. Members are also asked to note the implications of doing so as outlined at point 2.11. Further, detailed heads of terms will be developed as the project progresses.

Agrees for a letter to be written to support the project and that the transfer of land ownership takes place only once the project is due to commence on the ground and not before and that the commuted sum is calculated once detailed designs have been agreed in order to calculate the required additional, ongoing, maintenance.

To follow.

           If the Committee wishes to consider the remaining item in private, it will be appropriate for a resolution to be passed in the following terms:-

            “that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under paragraph X of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

            (Note:  If other confidential business is approved under item 3, it will also be necessary to specify the class of exempt or confidential information in the additional items.)