Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Flood Mitigation Measures at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks, Ruislip - RELEASE NO: 1
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Democratic Services Location: Phase II Ext:7655 DDI: 01895 277655 CMD No: 523 To: COUNCILLOR MARTIN GODDARD CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE COUNCILLOR JONATHAN BIANCO CABINET MEMBER FOR PROPERTY, HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORT COUNCILLOR EDDIE LAVERY CABINET MEMBER FOR RESIDENTS’ SERVICES c.c. All Members of the Residents’ Services Select Committee c.c. Michael Naughton, Place Directorate c.c. Perry Scott, Director of Place Date: 28 June 2022 Non-Key Decision request Form D CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (June 2022) DEPARTMENT: Place SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Flood Mitigation Measures at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks, Ruislip RELEASE NO: 1 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 Inf ormation) (England) Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply. You should take a decision on or after Wednesday 6 July 2022 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 y ou have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published. Anisha Teji Democratic Services Officer Title of Report: Flood Mitigation Measures at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks, Ruislip RELEASE NO: 1 Decision made: Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report) Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report) Signed ………………………………………………………Date…………………….. Cabinet Member for Finance/ Cabinet Member for Property, Highways & Transport/ Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Capital Release Report – 28 June 2022 Part 1 Public CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (June 2022) DEPARTMENT: Place SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Flood Mitigation Measures at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks, Ruislip RELEASE NO: 1 Cabinet Members Councillor Martin Goddard Councillor Jonathan Bianco Councillor Eddie Lavery Cabinet Portfolios Finance Property, Highways & Transport Residents’ Services Officer Contact Michael Naughton, Place Papers with report Appendix A with capital release requests for approval Site Plan HEADLINES Summary To seek Cabinet Member approval for the release of capital funds for flood mitigation measures. Putting our Residents First This report supports the Council objective of strong financial management. Financial Cost This report seeks the release of £101k for the Flood mitigation measures at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks, Ruislip. The works will commence upon release of the funds and are due for completion by October 2022. Relevant Select Committee Residents’ Services Ward(s) affected Eastcote RECOMMENDATIONS That the Cabinet Member for Finance, Cabinet Member for Property, Highways & Transport and Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services agree to the capital release request of Capital Release Report – 28 June 2022 Part 1 Public £101k from the 2022/23 Flood Alleviation – Bessingby Park budget for the funding of flood mitigation works at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks, Ruislip (Appendix A). Reasons for recommendation Flooding within the area of these three parks has become too common and without intervention residents will continue to experience flooding in their homes and park users will not have regular access to the parks. Resolving this issue will ensure residents can continue to live safely and park users can use the facilities. Alternative options considered Not to progress with the works, this would lead to a recurrence of the issue of flooding which occurs every year resulting in on-going residents’ claims against the Council. Select Committee comments None at this stage. SUPPORTING INFORMATION Background Information In December 2020, the Council’s Flood & Water Management Specialist was informed of a flood risk concern at Bessingby Park due to a significant discharge of rainwater flowing from the park and Thames Water storm water drainage pipes which led to serious flooding of the properties to the southern boundary of the park. Bessingby Park, Pine Gardens and Cavendish Park are one combined recreation ground in Ruislip, bordered by Whitby Road and Field End Road as shown in the Site Plan. In Dec ember 2020, after torrential rain, some homes in Whitby Road were flooded; without some form of control this is likely to happen again. There were two key factors. The first being, the Thames Water storm drain was blocked allowing rainwater to discharge on to the recreation areas, this included some sewage from combined rainwater and sewage system connected to adjacent homes. Secondly, the surface of the parks and recreation areas are short grass on impervious clay, meaning that there was nothing to delay the collection of the rainwater as it flowed naturally towards the lowest point. Over many years natural drainage channels and field system ditches have been lost, and the rainwater flooded people homes Capital Release Report – 28 June 2022 Part 1 Public Phase 1 This phase is now complete and was for the Design, Survey and Investigation Works and allowed Thames Water to repair the blocked rainwater drains. They also part funded for the flood mitigation scheme. Phase 2 Proposal This is for the Civil Engineering implementation including installing additional holding ponds, drainage and earthworks that provides some ecological benefits. There is a longer -term aspiration for a Phase 3, that will include a broad range of regeneration, environmental and ecological improvement works to the parks, including an orchard. A breakdown of the costs is provided in table 1 below: - Table 1: Cost Plan for Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks Item Cost Estimate (£) Construction Cost 53,684 External Fees 17,050 Internal Capital Programme Fees 5,368 Surveys and Investigations 5,000 Asbestos/Contamination Allowance 15,000 Project Contingency (10%) 5,368 Total £101,470 Risks and Issues Proper flood risk assessment and design is required to ensure the flooding cannot recur. The implementation of the flood mitigation works will have implications for the long- term maintenance of the park, and diverse ways of land management such as more vegetation and reduced grass cutting. Underground structure remaining from World War Two means some ground contamination is highly likely and will be exposed once excavation commences, requiring specialist removal. This is due to the parks being close proximity to the RAF sites used during World Ward Two in Ruislip. The fees for the removal of any potential contamination is included within the £15k allowance being requested. Capital Release Report – 28 June 2022 Part 1 Public Financial Implications Flood Alle viation Bessingby Park Budget £ 283k, Previously Released £83k, Capital Release Requested £101k – Appendix A The 2022/23 capital programme approved by Cabinet and Council in February 2022, included a budget of £200k for flood alleviation measures at Bessingby Park, financed by Council resources. In addition, in 2021-22 £83k had been approved from the general capital contingency budget for phase one of the scheme. The report requests the capital release of £101k from the above budget to enable the progress of phase two flood mitigation works at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks. Phase one of the works was released in August 2021 for £83k and consisted of design works, site surveys and investigations and this has now completed. The cost plan for the project is based on quoted costs for the main works which were tendered for as part of the Elephant Park Flood scheme and includes external fees, asbestos removal, surveys and investigation fees, internal capital programme team fees and contingency both at 10% of the quoted main works costs. A phase three part to this project is planned to take place when phase two works have completed in Autumn 2022, the costs for phase three have not yet been obtained. These works would require to be funded from the remaining £99k 2022/23 Flood Alleviation – Bessingby Park budget, subject to the capital release process. RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION The benefit or impact upon residents, service users and communities? Without the issue of flooding being properly addressed, residents will continue to experience flooding and park users will not be able to access and use park facilities such as the football pitches, which are used regularly by local clubs such as Bessingby FC. Consultation carried out or required None at this time. CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS Corporate Finance Corporate finance concurs with the financial implications above, noting that the proposed works will be funded from the 2022- 23 Flood Alleviation – Bessingby Park budget within the General Fund approved capital programme. The project is financed by Council resources. Capital Release Report – 28 June 2022 Part 1 Public Procurement The Award of a contractor for these works at Bessingby Park is an extension of the Award to the successful bidder (Ground Control Ltd) for the Elephant Park and Court Park project as previously tendered. This approach was clearly advertised and formed part of the aforementioned tender. Legal Legal Services confirm that the Council is responsible for carrying out this function pursuant to Section 19 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and that this procurement exercise has complied with the Council’s Procurement Standing Orders. There are no legal impediments to the Council awarding this contract to Ground Control Ltd and to authorising the necessary capital release. Infrastructure / Asset Management Asset Management will be conducting the works which have been commissioned by the Planning/Flood and Water Management team. The Green Spaces team were contacted but the works were out of scope for their team. 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 – 28 June 2022 Part 1 Public APPENDIX A Flood Mitigation Works at Bessingby, Pine Gardens & Field End Parks (CR 1 2022-23) Location Project / Expenditure Title Information Funds Release Sought £000’s Approve Hold More Information Required Ruislip Flood Mitigation Works Bessingby, Pine Gardens & Field End Parks 101 Total seeking release 101 Previously released 83 Budget 283 Remaining budget 99 Capital Release Report – 28 June 2022 Part 1 Public Site Plan
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Executive Decision Notice – 7 July 2022 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 (June 2022) DEPARTMENT: Place SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Flood Mitigation Measures at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks, Ruislip RELEASE NO: 1 Reference No. 523 Date of decision Thursday 7 July 2022 Call-in expiry date 5pm, Thursday 14 July 2022 Relevant Select Committee Residents’ Services Select Committee Relevant Ward Eastcote Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision Councillor Jonathan Bianco – Cabinet Member for Property, Highways & Transport Councillor Martin Goddard – Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Eddie Lavery – Cabinet Member for Residents ’ Services Approved That the Cabinet Member for Finance, Cabinet Member for Property, Highways & Transport and Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services agree to the capital release request of £101k from the 2022/23 Flood Alleviation – Bessingby Park budget for the funding of flood mitigation works at Bessingby, Pine Gardens and Field End Parks, Ruislip (Appendix A). Reason for decision Flooding within the area of these three parks has become too common and without intervention residents will continue to experience flooding in their homes and park users will not have regular access to the parks. Resolving this issue will ensure residents can continue to live safely and park users can use the facilities. Alternative options considered and rejected Not to progress with the works, this would lead to a recurrence of the issue of flooding which occurs every year resulting in on- going residents’ claims against the Council. Classification Part 1 – Public Executive Decision Notice – 7 July 2022 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Link to associated report Report Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Michael Naughton, Place 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, Thursday 14 July 2022 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 Executive Decision Notice – 7 July 2022 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW