Issue - meetings

A.                 That the Memorandum of Understanding relating to The Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Rolling Infrastructure Fund (attached as Appendix 1 to the report) be agreed and its submission to Homes England by the end of November 2021 as required of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Authority partners and specifically Hertfordshire County Council be agreed (as accountable body for the Housing Investment Grant funding to which the Memorandum of Understanding relates).

B.                 That the set up and operation the Rolling Infrastructure Fund ‘in principle’ be agreed subject to more detailed work and approval of the appropriate governance and operational arrangements for its management.

C.                 That the Rolling Infrastructure Fund is governed initially in accordance with the approved Memorandum of Understanding as required by Homes England as a condition of the Housing Investment Grant funding and subsequently in accordance with any further governance arrangements that may be put in place following further agreement between the HGGT partners.

D.                That the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to agree any further non-material amendments.

The Leader of the Council presented a report on the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Rolling Infrastructure Fund Memorandum of Understanding. She said that the Garden Town was able to achieve an infrastructure fund from the Housing Infrastructure Grant of £172 million to be spent on infrastructure. The Memorandum of Understanding set out how the grant, once reclaimed from developers, would be spent through a Rolling Infrastructure Fund. The three planning authorities, East Herts, Harlow and Epping Forest and the two county councils, Hertfordshire and Essex would all be signing up to the Memorandum of Understanding.

The Garden Town Lead Officer said that the proposals being put in place would govern how the initial government funding, once repaid by the developers and would be used by the Garden Town Partners and assigned to additional infrastructure requirements.

Councillor Buckmaster said that he felt the document was very impressive and a sensible approach. Although it was not legally binding, he said that it lays out the process for the five councils to manage the contributions as they come in. He said that the document safeguards and does not negate any statutory duties and avoids any misunderstandings.

Councillor Haysey said that residents often criticise that infrastructure was late coming to new developments so the document anticipated infrastructure that would be key and integral to the Garden Town.

Councillor Haysey proposed, and Councillor Buckmaster seconded a motion supporting the recommendation in the report. On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) The Memorandum of Understanding relating to The Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Rolling Infrastructure Fund (attached as Appendix 1 to the report) be agreed and its submission to Homes England by the end of November 2021 as required of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Authority partners and specifically Hertfordshire County Council (as accountable body for the Housing Investment Grant funding to which the Memorandum of Understanding relates) be agreed;

(B)       The set up and operation the Rolling Infrastructure Fund ‘in principle’ be agreed subject to more detailed work and approval of the appropriate governance and operational arrangements for its management;

(C)       The Rolling Infrastructure Fund is governed initially in accordance with the approved Memorandum of Understanding as required by Homes England as a condition of the Housing Investment Grant funding and subsequently in accordance with any further governance arrangements that may be put in place following further agreement between the HGGT partners; and

(D)      The Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to agree any further non-material amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding.