Agenda and minutes

          The Minutes of the meeting held on 31 July 2013 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Chief Executive which provided an update on the progress in establishing the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board.

The Board was advised that at previous meetings the Board had approved the creation of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board Ltd and delegated authority to the Chief Executive in respect of the appointment of staff and consultants.  It was envisaged that the MGCB would commence “shadow running” from early October and be operationally capable from Financial Close.

The Board was further advised that the team had focused on five key areas of work required in order to deliver the Mersey Gateway Crossing Board, Legal, Human Resources, Finance, ICT and the Governance Agreement.  In order to ensure the objectives were delivered on time an issues document had been prepared to capture the numerous activities which needed to be completed in order to achieve both shadow running form and fully operational form.

RESOLVED: That the progress that had been made in establishing the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board Ltd be noted.

The Board received a verbal update on the progress towards achieving Financial close with the Preferred Bidder.

The Board was advised that Merseylink were raising their profile in the Borough. It was reported that they had delivered a presentation on the project in the community this week.  Further presentations would also take place in various areas of the community over the next few months and it gave the community the opportunity to get to know Merseylink, see the plans in detail, and ask questions.

The Board was further advised that on Monday 23 September 2013, at 10 am in the Select Security Stadium the first of the ‘Meet the Buyer’ event would take place. It was anticipated that there would be considerable interest in the event as over 1000 companies had been informed.  This represented the first stage of a series of opportunities for employment for people in the local community.

It was reported that good progress had been made on the contract process which would be in place by December 2013.  The Board also noted that a media strategy was being developed and would undergo a procurement process.  This also gave the opportunity for local people, schools. Colleges and universities to engage with the project.

RESOLVED: That the verbal report  be noted.

The Board considered a report of the Chief Executive which informed Members that prior to achieving Financial Close (when contracts had been awarded to the Preferred Bidder and all project funding was committed in contractual terms), the Council was required to submit the Final Business Case (FBC), which included the Final Funding Submission, leading to confirmation that Ministers (Department for Transport and Treasury Ministers) had approved these submissions.  The report explained the key issues to be addressed in these submissions so that Members could influence the preparation of the documents at an early stage.

The Board was advised that the current funding agreement with Ministers was expressed in the Conditional Funding Approval letter received in October 2011 and agreed by Full Council on 19^th October 2011. A copy of the Conditional Funding Approval letter was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The Board was further advised that the current funding agreement had been secured through the approval of the Outline Business Case prepared in 2011. The approval was conditional because the confirmation of funding was subject to several requirements, all of which were in the process of being satisfied and reported in the Final Business Case (FBC).

        The Board noted the executive summary of the developments that had taken place.

          RESOLVED: That the Board support the approach being taken in preparing the Final Business Case and Final Funding Submission.

MINUTES ISSUED: 23 September 2013

CALL-IN: 27 September 2013

Any matter decided by the Mersey Gateway Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00 pm on 27 September 2013