Decision details

Accept supplementary Environment Agency grant funding of £9,778,988 for the budget of the Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill Flood Defence Scheme, increasing the total Environment Agency grant in aid to £22,175,988 including £2,380,252 contingency which can be claimed when needed.

Officer Decision is required because BCP Council does not have time to follow EA4 and CP1 within the financial regulations, and doing so would incur significant delay and additional cost on a large works contract.

The service needs to appoint the contractor for the Zone A works by 4 July so that they have enough time to mobilise for a 4 August start date. If the council misses the August start date then works will have to be delayed until April 2026.

The option of not accepting the supplementary grant funding, would mean the project budget falls short of that for delivery. This is not a viable option. Grant funding is the best means of securing additional funding.