Agenda item

This report seeks the recommendationof Cabinet to Council for allocation of up to £2.6m from BCP’s Future Fund to improve Pokesdown Railway Station through a jointly agreed financial arrangement with South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail (NR). 

Subject to approval of the business case with the Department for Transport (DfT) both SWR and NR are committed to sourcing £3.1M towards the overall project cost of £5.7m to deliver this essential and long-awaited infrastructure with the Council thencovering the shortfall up to a maximum of £2.6m.

The anticipatedscope of work is shown in the outline business case included within this report at Appendix 1. The content is subject to further detailed design and legal consideration.

This investment shall provide essential access benefits to all users but especially for wheelchair users.

The Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'E' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report sought the recommendation of Cabinet to Council for allocation of up to £2.6m from BCP’s Future Fund to improve Pokesdown Railway Station through a jointly agreed financial arrangement with South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail (NR). 

In relation to this Cabinet advised that subject to approval of the business case with the Department for Transport (DfT) both SWR and NR are committed to sourcing £3.1M towards the overall project cost of £5.7m to deliver this essential and long-awaited infrastructure with the Council then covering the shortfall up to a maximum of £2.6m.

Cabinet was informed that the anticipated scope of work is shown in the outline business case included within this report at Appendix 1, and that the content is subject to further detailed design and legal consideration.

Cabinet was further informed that this investment shall provide essential access benefits to all users but especially for wheelchair users.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet advising that at their recent meeting the Board had comprehensively discussed the report expressing their concern and questioning why council tax payers should provide finance for such a scheme for which the asset isn’t owned by the Council. In relation to this the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board advised that the Board had proposed the following recommendation in respect of this item:

1. The Overview and Scrutiny Board recommended to Cabinet that it approves the following recommendation as part of the Pokesdown Railway Station Improvement Report:

“That funding options with the Dorset LEP in terms of infrastructure funding are considered and failing that, that BCP Council fully investigates the option of a long term loan to SWR before committing to making this funding allocation”.

2. The Overview and Scrutiny Board recommended to Cabinet that it does not proceed with recommendations as outlined in the report.

The Portfolio Holder advised that he appreciated the depth of discussion at the recent Board meeting but stressed that this was a good idea and urged the Cabinet to reject the recommendations of the Board.

In relation to this the Portfolio Holder advised that alternative ways in which this could be funded had been explored and that there were no funds available from the LEP and no option of providing a loan to SWR.

Councillor Farquhar addressed the Cabinet as Ward Member and expressed that whilst he was supportive of the proposed improvements to Pokesdown Railway Station he had serious concerns with regards to the council financing the improvement and providing the funding to SWR who have failed to fulfil their requirement. In relation to this Councillor Farquhar highlighted that it had been indicated that the council should be the funder of last resort and that there had been no documentation provided by officers demonstrating that all other avenues had been explored, and that this would prove helpful particularly for the debate at Council.

Cabinet and Lead Members spoke in support of the item stressing the importance of the improvements.

A statement of support was submitted on behalf of Councillor Jones as Ward Member, Councillor Jones expressed his support of the use of the money to part fund the scheme.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)           approve £2.6m from BCP’s Future Funds be allocated towards the improvement of Pokesdown Railway Station;

(b)           approve that delegated joint authority be given to the Director of Transport and Engineering and the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability to finalise a legal agreement with partners to cover the forthcoming arrangement;

(c)           approve that governance is delegated to the Regeneration Board to monitor and manage project progress including decision making related to any minor variation; and

(d)           note that the Future funds allocation if approved shall include for any BCP costs to progress the technical, financial and legal work required.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Sustainability and Transport