Decision details

Within the Council Budget approved on 16th February 2016, a capital fund of £150,000 was provisionally allocated for the River Corridor Fund 2016-17.

In order to bring forward the River Corridor Fund it is necessary to draw down against the allocated £150,000 capital funding.

The Cabinet Members agree that £80,000 of the provisional allocation of £150,000 within the 2016/17 capital programme be allocated to three specific river corridor projects:

a.  Up to £10,000 for a feasibility/viability assessment for mooring Investment on Council owned land, including Pulteney Moorings;

b.  £50,000 on Strategic Flooding Project: to provide essential partner match funding towards Environment Agency Strategic Outline Business Case for major repair of Twerton gates (maintain current  standard) and explore and implement improvement options at Pulteney gate; and

c.  £20,000 on a Bat Habitat Strategy for River Corridor Development Sites (Bath Enterprise Area: Bath Quays).

The recommendation for the funding allocation has been determined through consultation with key external stakeholders including the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Canal & River Trust and the members of the Council’s Strategic River Group.

The allocated £150,000 could have been taken as a saving or reallocated to other projects. However, these options were discounted due to two overriding factors:

·  The River Corridor, Flood Risk and delivery of Bath Enterprise Area are corporate priorities set out in the Council’s Core Strategy and Green Infrastructure Strategy;

·  The Strategic River Group and B&NES Placemaking Plan have highlighted these projects as priority areas for a number of the key partners (including the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Canal & River Trust).