Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Property Works Programme (PWP) Capital Budget 2021/2022 - New Access route to substation on Whiteheath Avenue Ruislip, HA4 7PR. Release No9
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Non-Key Decision request Form D
CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT July 2021
DEPARTMENT: Residents Services
SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Property Works Programme (PWP) Capital Budget
2021/2022; Miscellaneous Programme – New Access Route to substation on
Whiteheath Avenue, Ruislip HA4 7PR
RELEASE NO: 9
Dear Cabinet Member
Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet
Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such the Local
Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England)
Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply.
You should take a decision on or after Wedn esday 21 July 2021 in order to meet
Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You
may wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please
indicate your decision on the duplicate memo supplied, and return it to me when you
have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be
published.
Neil Fraser
Democratic Services Officer
Title of Report: Property Works Programme (PWP) Capital Budget 2021/2022;
Miscellaneous Programme – New Access Route to substation on Whiteheath Avenue,
Ruislip HA4 7PR - RELEASE NO: 9
Decision made:
Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report)
Democratic Services
Location: Phase II
Ext: 0692
DDI: 01895 250692
Ref: CMD 221
To: COUNCILLOR JONATHAN BIANCO
CABINET MEMBER FOR PROPERTY AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
COUNCILLOR MARTIN GODDARD
CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE
c.c. All Members of Corporate, Finance & Property
Select Committee
c.c. Perry Scott, Corporate Director of Infrastructure,
Transport and Building Services
c.c. Carmel Hynes, Infrastructure, Transport &
Building Services
c.c. Ward Councillors for West Ruislip
c.c. Conservative and Labour Group Offices
(inspection copy)
Date:
13 July 2021
Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report)
Signed ………………………………………………………Date……………………..
Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure / Cabinet Member for Finance
Capital Release Report – 13 July 2021 Page 1
(Part 1 Public)
CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT July 2021
DEPARTMENT: Residents Services
SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Property Works Programme (PWP) Capital Budget
2021/2022; Miscellaneous Programme – New Access Route to substation on Whiteheath
Avenue, Ruislip HA4 7PR
RELEASE NO: 9
Cabinet Members Councillor Jonathan Bianco
Councillor Martin Goddard
Cabinet Portfolios Property & Infrastructure
Finance
Officer Contact Carmel Hynes, Infrastructure, Transport & Building Services
Papers with report Appendix A with capital release requests for approval
HEADLINES
Summary
To seek Cabinet Member approval for the release of capital
funds.
Putting our
Residents First
This report supports the Council objective of strong financial
management.
Financial Cost This report seeks the release of £ 25k from the Property Works
Programme 2021/22 capital budget, for the works to relocate the
access to the substation on Whiteheath Avenue, Ruislip.
The works will commence upon release of the funds and are due
for completion by December 2021.
Relevant Select
Committee
Corporate, Finance & Property.
Ward(s) affected West Ruislip.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure and the Cabinet Member for
Finance agree to the following capital release request of £ 25k from the Property Works
Programme (PWP) Capital Budget 2021/2022; Miscellaneous Programme for the works to
relocate the access to the substation on Whiteheath Avenue, Ruislip. (Appendix A)
Capital Release Report – 13 July 2021 Page 2
(Part 1 Public)
Reasons for recommendation
To proceed with the approved disposal of the site adjacent to the Whiteheath Junior School, the
access route to the substation to the rear of the site will need to be moved to a new position.
Approving the release of funds will enable these works to proceed.
Alternative options considered
Ensuring these works are carried out enables access to UK Power Network to the substation as
required to maintain electrical supply to the local area.
Select Committee comments
None at this stage.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Cabinet approval was obtained on 23rd July 2020 for the disposal of the site adjacent to
Whiteheath Junior School HA4 7PR, and planning consent was granted for the development of 2
x 4 bed 6 person homes.
There is a substation at the rear of the site which has two rights of access across the development
site and therefore , the site cannot be developed without moving the access routes to a new
position. Cabinet approval was obtained for the construction of an access track, fencing and
vehicle crossover to the substation.
The proposal is to relocate the access routes to the new access position and to grant UK Power
Networks a new lease of the substation and new access. The Council will retain the freehold of
the substation and access track.
Procurement have reviewed and confirmed that these works could be procured under existing
services and agreement s in place for Highway and Fencing Works. Officers have obtained
quotations from O'Hara Brothers Surfacing Ltd and Drayton Fencing (Table 1). External
Consultants will be utilised for the role of Principal Designer. The works will be project managed
by Council Officers. Capital release is requested for all projects costs as outlined in Table 1.
A breakdown of the project costs are provided in Table 1 below:-
Table 1 – Cost Plan
Item Budget (£)
Crossover Track and Fencing Construction
Costs
Trackway 11,000
Arboculturist 714
Fencing 5,095
Sub-total Construction 16,809
CDM Principal Designer 750
Surveys and Investigations 1,974
Capital Release Report – 13 July 2021 Page 3
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Statutory approval and Legal Fees 1,500
Capital Programme Team Fees 2,780
Project Contingency 1,100
Total 24,913
Project Risk and Contingency
To elim inate risk, o fficers surveyed the area and identified that the crossover area is heavily
congested with services/utilities. Trial holes were carried out in advance to establish the depths
and the Highways design team have confirmed a suitable design to align with this information. A
contingency sum for specialist root treatment has been included as there are established trees in
the vicinity of the crossover.
Financial Implications
Property Works Programme Revised Budget £2,574k, Previously Released/Pending
Release £1,117k, Capital Release Requested £25k – Appendix A
The 2021/22 capital programme, approved by Cabinet and Council in February 2021, included a
budget for the Property Works Programme (PWP) of £1,152k. Cabinet, in June 2021 approved
the re-phasing of £1,389k of the unspent 2020/21 budget into 2021/22. £33k allocation from the
S106 Carbon Saving Contributions is in the process of being requested, to give a revised budget
of £2,541k, funded mainly from Council resources.
Previously, £1,117k has been released or is included in a release report in preparation (up to
Release No.8) from the Property Works Programme 2021/22 capital budget.
This report seeks the release of £25k for the construction of an access track, fencing and vehicle
crossover to the substation at Whiteheath Avenue. These works are required to enable the
planned sale of the vacant land site at auction, as the existing access is within the site to be sold
for residential development. In July 2020, Cabinet approved the disposal of the site which has
planning consent for the development of 2 x 4 bed houses. The site is included in the General
Fund capital receipts forecast with a sale price valuation of £452k based on the existing planning
consent. Following completion of the access works, the site will be sold at auction during 2021.
The trackway costs of £11k is based on a quote from the Council’s highways term contractor
O’Hara Brothers. The fencing costs of £5k is based on a quote from the Council’s fencin g term
contractor Drayton Fencing, with other costs amounting to £9k covering surveys, internal fees
and project contingency. The remaining £1,432k of the PWP 2021/22 budget will be allocated to
projects as and when required, subject to the capital release procedure.
RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION
The benefit or impact upon residents, service users and communities?
To ensure that UK Power Network has accessibility to the substation to maintain the electrical
supply to the residents in the locality of West Ruislip.
Capital Release Report – 13 July 2021 Page 4
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Consultation carried out or required
Formal consultation was not required to undertake wor ks on this programme, however detailed
discussions were held with UK Power Network and consultation of proposals to the site would
have been available through Planning Consultation.
CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS
Corporate Finance
Corporate finance concurs with the financial implications above, noting that the expenditure is
necessary to enable sale of the vacant land which will generate a significantly higher capital
receipt to the General Fund. The recommended action to agree a release of £25k for the
construction of an access track, fencing and vehicle crossover to the substation at Whiteheath
Avenue will be funded from the 2021/22 approved Property Works Programme capital budget.
Legal
The Borough Solicitor confirms that the Council is responsible for carrying out this function
pursuant to Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972.
Thus, there are no legal impediments to the capital release being authorised, although any
contract that is entered into must comply with the C ouncil's Procurement and Contract Standing
Orders.
Infrastructure / Asset Management
Asset Management officers authored the report.
Capital Release Protocol
The release of all capital funds, and certain revenue funds, held by the Council is to be made by
a formal democratic decision. No expenditure can be placed or committed by officers until this
formal approval is given by Democratic Services. Release of funds must be for identified projects
only and strictly not for the general release of funds for projects to be identified at a later date. No
block releases of capital or funding will be allowed, except if authorised by the Leader of the
Council in advance to Corporate Finance. The release of funds will only be made if previous
Council, Cabinet or Cabinet Member agreement has been given to the project and only if there is
an approved budget.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
NIL.
Capital Release Report – 13 July 2021 Page 5
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APPENDIX A
Property Works Programme (PWP) Capital Budget 2021/2022; Miscellaneous
Programme - New Access route to substation on Whiteheath Avenue Ruislip,
HA4 7PR. Release No9
Location
Project /
Expenditure
Title
Information
Funds
Release
Sought
£000’s
Approve Hold
More
Information
Required
Whiteheath
Avenue,
Ruislip
New access
route,
fencing and
vehicle
cross over
Appointment of
contractors and
associated project
management costs
25
Total seeking release 25
Previously released 1,117
Budget 2,574
Remaining budget 1,432
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 22 July 2021 Page 1 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon: Title of decision CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT July 2021 DEPARTMENT: Residents Services SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Property Works Programme (PWP) Capital Budget 2021/2022; Miscellaneous Programme – New Access Route to substation on Whiteheath Avenue, Ruislip HA4 7PR RELEASE NO: 9 Reference No. 221 Date of decision 22 July 2021 Call-in expiry date 5pm, on 29 July 2021 Relevant Select Committee(s) Corporate, Finance and Property Select Committee Relevant Ward(s) West Ruislip Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision Cllr Martin Goddard - Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Cabinet Member for Property & Infrastructure DECISION APPROVED That the Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure and the Cabinet Member for Finance agree to the following capital release request of £25k from the Property Works Programme (PWP) Capital Budget 2021/2022; Miscellaneous Programme for the works to relocate the access to the substation on Whiteheath Avenue, Ruislip. Reason for decision To proceed with the approved disposal of the site adjacent to the Whiteheath Junior School, the access route to the substation to the rear of the site will need to be moved to a new position. Approving the release of funds will enable these works to proceed. Executive Decision Notice – 22 July 2021 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Alternative options considered and rejected Ensuring these works are carried out enables access to UK Power Network to the substation as required to maintain electrical supply to the local area. Classification Part 1 - Public Link to associated report Click here. Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Carmel Hynes - Infrastructure, Transport and Building Services Any interest declared by the Cabinet Member(s) / dispensation granted N/A Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in [Internal Use only] When can this decision be implemented by officers? Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is: 5pm, on 29 July 2021 However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold. Councillor scrutiny call- in of this decision Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above. Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought from Democratic Services if required: Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure) Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive decision, including links to the reports where applicable. If you would like more information on this decision, please contact Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email: democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk. Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the Council’s website. Democratic Services London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Centre Executive Decision Notice – 22 July 2021 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW