Purpose

Proposed
decision:
 
The Cabinet Member for Highways
& Transport is asked to give approval to accept the capital
grant from Ebbsfleet Development Company (EDC) and to take the EDC
Landscaping scheme through the stages of development and delivery
specifically for:
 
1.   
Approval to enter into a funding agreement with EDC
subject to the approval of the Corporate Director of Finance,
Corporate & Strategic Services;
2.   
Approval to progress the detailed design and surveys
for the project.
3.   
Approval to progress all statutory approvals or
consents required for the schemes;
4.   
Approval to carry out any additional consultation
with stakeholders required for the schemes;
5.   
Approval to enter construction contracts as
necessary for the delivery of the schemes;
6.   
Approval for any further decisions required to allow
the scheme to progress through to delivery to be undertaken by the
Corporate Director of Growth Environment and Transport under the
Officer Scheme of Delegations following prior consultation with the
Cabinet Member.
 

Reason for the decision
 
KCC Landscaping are
working with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) to enhance the
habitat and planting at highway verge and roundabout sites across
Ebbsfleet Garden City. The scheme is fully funded by Ebbsfleet
Development Corporation with Kent County Council (KCC) acting as
the delivery arm for the project.
 
The scheme requires a
Key Decision due to meeting the following decision
criteria.
 

-     
Savings or expenditure of more than £1m:
Whilst the scheme is fully externally funded the full cost exceeds
£1m.

-     
Affects two or more Electoral Divisions: The
Ebbsfleet area is situated across the boundaries of both Dartford
and Gravesham.
 

Background
The
scheme aims to demonstrate Kent County Council's (KCC) and
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation's (EDC) commitment to high
quality, sustainable placemaking across Ebbsfleet Garden City. The
project proposes to deliver an exemplar approach to design and
maintenance of green infrastructure and the creation of ecological
value at key gateways into the Garden City, to include roundabouts,
verges and along primary road environments. The project is
championed and funded by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation but will
be delivered in partnership with KCC, with KCC leading the delivery
of the landscaping improvements on highway land to ensure that the
proposals are to adoptable standard.
 

Options (other options considered but
discarded)
EDC has considered a
number of site options for the sites to be investigated as part of
the landscaping programme. The long list of sites comprised several
off-highway and developer sites, which are not being delivered by
KCC. This list was reduced to a shortlist by removing all sites
which are expected to come forward through developers or Ebbsfleet
will directly deliver.
 
Various scheme options
for each site will be developed through further design
work.
 

How the proposed decision supports
Framing Kent’s Future 2022-2026: (https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/corporate-policies/our-council-strategy)

 
The EDC
Landscaping scheme fully supports the priorities of Framing
Kent’s Future, namely Environmental step change and providing
infrastructure for communities. The scheme will improve access for
our residents to green and natural environmental in urban areas and
works with partners to deliver quality biodiversity Net Gain across
Ebbsfleet. This further supports continuing work to establish new
trees across the county to deliver Plan Tree’s ambitions of
1.5 million trees and a 19% canopy cover over the next ten years to
support the recovery of wildlife, provide nature-based climate
solutions, and enrich people’s lives.
 

How the proposed decision supports
Securing Kent’s Future:
Securing Kents Future - Budget Recovery
Strategy.pdf

 
This
decision will be taken with Securing Kent’s Future in mind.
This scheme is championed by EDC. The funding for the scheme will
be provided by EDC. KCC is not providing any capital funding to
deliver the scheme. This will also cover the resource associated
with this project.  The terms and
conditions of the proposed grant agreement will be subject to
financial scrutiny and be aimed to protect the financial interests
of KCC.
 
KCC, as
the highway authority, has control over the landscape asset. As
such, through acting as the delivery arm for EDC, KCC have ensured
there will be no ongoing financial burden to KCC through the
maintenance of these sites. All maintenance costs will be included
within the existing landscaping maintenance budgets.
 

Decision

As Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport I
agree to:
 
give approval to
accept the capital grant from Ebbsfleet Development Company (EDC)
and to take the EDC Landscaping scheme through the stages of
development and delivery specifically for:
 

i)                           
Approval to enter into a funding agreement with EDC
subject to the approval of the Corporate Director of Finance,
Corporate & Strategic Services;

ii)                          
Approval to progress the detailed design and surveys
for the project.

iii)                         
Approval to progress all statutory approvals or
consents required for the schemes;

iv)                        
Approval to carry out any additional consultation
with stakeholders required for the schemes;

v)                          
Approval to enter construction contracts as
necessary for the delivery of the schemes;

vi)                        
Approval for any further decisions required to allow
the scheme to progress through to delivery to be undertaken by the
Corporate Director of Growth Environment and Transport under the
Officer Scheme of Delegations following prior consultation with the
Cabinet Member.