Issue - meetings

To consider whether to recommend to the Council that linked supplementary budget approvals should be granted to allow environmental enhancements as part of the beach hut replacement project at Milford on Sea.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)     That to enable the contract to be awarded to the most advantageous contractor the following two supplementary capital budgets be approved, together, to achieve the integrated scheme as approved following the public consultation exercise:

(i)               Original hut replacement scheme -  £170,560; and

(ii)             Public and environmental enhancements, following public consultation - £861,271 (allowing an offsetting revenue contribution of £70,000 to the scheme)

(b)     That authority be given to the Executive Head of Operations to award the contract for the construction of 119 beach huts and associated environmental improvements to the most economically advantageous contractor following the recent tender exercise.

Cllr Mrs Beeton disclosed a non-pecuniary interest as a member of Milford on Sea Parish Council.  She concluded that there were no grounds under common law to prevent her from remaining in the meeting to speak and to vote.

Cllr Rickman disclosed a non-pecuniary interest as a beach hut owner elsewhere in the District.  He concluded that there were no grounds under common law to prevent him from remaining in the meeting to speak and to vote.

The Cabinet was addressed by Mr Holdsworth, the Milford on Sea representative of the New Forest Beach Hut Owners’ Association who spoke in support of the report. The beach hut owners were now experiencing their third year without their beach huts and while it was regrettable that the predicted cost of the project had increased, the current scheme would offer enhanced views for owners and visitors alike and was therefore welcomed by the Association.  The Association hoped that the scheme would now be able to move ahead swiftly to the satisfaction of all concerned.

The Cabinet recalled that on 6 August 2014 (minute 19 refers) they had approved a budget of £1,259,070 to allow the replacement of the 119 beach huts which had been damaged by the storm of 14 February of that year.  Since that time there had been further research to achieve the best option for the future of this area of the coastline at Milford on Sea, and there had been a thorough public consultation exercise.  This had established a preferred option, which included a number of environmental enhancements, in particular using a fully integrated scheme that incorporated an inhabited roof to the terraced beach huts, allowing uninterrupted views across to the Isle of Wight, along with improved access for all users of the area.

The tender process had now been completed and, in order to implement the fully integrated scheme with environmental enhancements, a further budget allocation was required.  Full details of the additional work proposed and the consequent financial implications were set out in Section 3 of Report Item 5 considered by the Cabinet.

The Cabinet considered that it was important to take advantage of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure a scheme that would benefit the community and the local economy for many years to come.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)     That to enable the contract to be awarded to the most advantageous contractor the following two supplementary capital budgets be approved, together, to achieve the integrated scheme as approved following the public consultation exercise:

(i)               Original hut replacement scheme -  £170,560; and

(ii)             Public and environmental enhancements, following public consultation - £861,271 (allowing an offsetting revenue contribution of £70,000 to the scheme)

(b)     That authority be given to the Executive Head of Operations to award the contract for the construction of 119 beach huts and associated environmental improvements to the most economically advantageous contractor following the recent tender exercise.