RESOLVED:
That Cabinet recommend to Council that delegated authority is given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Leader of the Council, to sign the final Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Council as part of the Freeport designation process.
REASONS FOR DECISION:
As set out in the report.
KEY DECISION:
Report to Cabinet and Council.
PORTFOLIO:
Leader.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:
As set out in the report.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST(S):
Cllr E Heron declared, for transparency purposes, his membership of the Solent Freeport Consortium Ltd. He did not vote on this item.
DISCUSSION:
The Leader introduced the item and proposed a minor amendment to the recommendations, accounting for a delegation to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and the Leader of the Council, to sign off the final version of the MoU, allowing flexibility in the event of any minor amendments to the final document. The Cabinet accepted this minor amendment and agreed that delegated authority is given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Leader of the Council, to sign the final Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Council as part of the Freeport designation process.
The Section 151 Officer reported that as the New Forest District Council was a required signatory of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). He explained that the document reaffirmed the objectives of the Freeport and was consistent with the full business case submission which was nearing the final stage of Government review. The signing and return of the MoU would leverage the release of the £25million worth of seed capital, which in turn would give tax incentives to those businesses operating within the freeport area. The latest version of the MoU supplemented the paper approved by Cabinet and Council at their March 2022 extraordinary meetings.
Members discussed the potential impact the Freeport would have on Dibden Bay. It was explained that there had been no change in relevant policies insofar as environmental designations or planning development were concerned. Traffic impacts resultant from the Freeport designation were discussed and Members acknowledged that the Freeport would be more of an import hub with the focus being on distribution of goods by sea.
Note - Cllr E Heron requested that his abstention from the resolution above, be recorded.