Issue - meetings

That (A) capital funding of £124k is made available in 2019/20 to bridge the funding gap to enable the HLF project at

Castle Park to proceed.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability submitted a report seeking support for the allocation of additional expenditure to meet a funding gap between the existing Council contribution and the final value of the Heritage Lottery Fund grant to carry out improvement works to Castle Park.

Councillor McAndrew said that since receiving the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2016, and confirmation in 2018 that the application to move to Stage 2 of the project had been successfully, revised designs to enable the budget to be met involved repurposing existing structures.  He referred the Executive to the detail of the report setting out these works and the efficiencies that had been identified.  Despite these efficiencies, there remained a shortfall of £124,000 .

Councillor Williamson confirmed his approval of the figures set out in the report.

Councillor Haysey said the Castle Park project was a very important initiative, adjacent to Old River Lane and forming part of the rejuvenation of Bishop’s Stortford.  She congratulated the Head of Strategic Finance and Property and Interim Head of Operations on her team in obtaining Heritage Lottery Funding.  It was important that the Council delivered what it had promised. 

Councillor G McAndrew proposed, and Councillor G Cutting seconded, a motion to support the recommendations now detailed.  After being put to the meeting, and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED. 

The Executive supported the proposals as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) capital funding of £124k be made available in 2019/20 to bridge the funding gap to enable the HLF project at Castle Park to proceed.