Decision details

To seek approval for the County Council to enter into legal agreements to transfer the Local Growth Fund monies approved by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership to Seachange Sussex to deliver the North Bexhill Access Road and a Site Infrastructure Investment Package

27.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport, together with an amendment to Recommendation (3) to include a reference to Recommendation (2).

DECISIONS

27.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to: (1) approve grant funding, to the value of £16.6m to Sea Change Sussex, subject to planning permission being granted, to fund the delivery of the North Bexhill Access Road; 

(2) approve grant funding to the value of £1.7m to Sea Change Sussex, subject to approval of the business case by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Accountability Board, to fund the delivery of site infrastructure at the Sovereign Harbour, North Queensway and North Bexhill employment sites; and

(3) delegate authority to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport to approve the terms of any agreements and to take all other necessary actions in respect of recommendations (1) and (2) above.

Reasons

27.3     The North Bexhill Access Road is one of the Local Growth Deal schemes to come forward in East Sussex and its delivery will help unlock employment space and create jobs in the A21/A259 Bexhill/Hastings Growth Corridor.  Equally the improvement of site infrastructure at Sovereign Harbour, North Queensway and North Bexhill as a Local Growth Scheme will help unlock employment space and create jobs in the A21/A259 and the A22/A27 Eastbourne/South Wealden growth corridors.

27.4     Sea Change Sussex is a key delivery partner for the County Council in achieving its ambitions for driving economic growth in the county.