Information

To consider South Lakeland District Council acting as the accountable body for the South Lakeland Pathfinder Places Project.

NOTE - The agreement of the Chairman of the council has been sought that due to urgency of this decision the matter be exempt from Call In. This is under paragraph 16(j) of the Overview and Scrutiny Rules within Part 4 of the Constitution. Pursuant to those rules, a decision will be urgent if any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would for example, seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public’s interests. The decision being taken is urgent because the project is due to commence on 01 April 2023. Any delay with implementing the proposed decision would prejudice the Council’s ability to conclude the necessary agreements before 01 April. Furthermore, as a result of local government reorganisation in Cumbria and pursuant to The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022, SLDC will be dissolved on 01 April 2023 prior to the expiration of the call-in period and so in all of the circumstances it is in the council’s interest for call in to be waived. On 29th March, the Chairman of the council gave written consent to waive the call in.  

-This matter is being included as an urgent item of business under Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Director of Strategy, Innovation and Resources and the Leader have been consulted and they are of the opinion that the decision requires consideration without delay. A decision is required urgently because the project is due to commence on 01 April 2023. Any delay with implementing the proposed decision would prejudice the Council’s ability to conclude the necessary agreements before 01 April. Furthermore, as a result of local government reorganisation in Cumbria and pursuant to The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022, SLDC will be dissolved on 01 April 2023. Copies of the agenda were circulated ahead of the meeting and were available for inspection by the public in accordance with Regulation 7 (Access to agenda and connected reports for public meetings) of the 2012 Regulations.

Summary

Consideration was given to the Council agreeing to act as accountable body for the South Lakeland Pathfinder Places Project (Project).

The report explained that the Project was a partnership between the Council, Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS), University of Cumbria and eight local businesses which had been awarded grant funding of £74,625 via a successful funding application to Innovate UK’s Zero Living Programme to deliver a feasibility study, full details of which were set out in the report. The Council would receive £2,172 of the funding towards travel and subsistence costs associated with the Project and would act as lead partner, project oversight and liaise with Innovate UK on behalf of the Project.

If agreed, CAfS would receive £52,855 of the funding to procure research consultants to deliver the feasibility study, which will design projects, interventions and finance mechanisms to overcome the rural barriers to achieving Net Zero. The University of Cumbria and the eight local businesses would receive the remainder of the funding as set out in the report.

The  ...  view the full minutes text for item DEX/14