Agenda item

A report seeking approval and acceptance of an additional £600,000 United Utilities Green Recovery Fund (UUGRF) grant allocation following confirmation of an award from United Utilities Plc in February 2025. 

The Cabinet received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that was seeking approval to accept an additional £600,000 United Utilities Green Recovery Fund (UUGRF) grant allocation, following confirmation of award from United Utilities Plc in February 2025. 

Oldham Council’s Highways and Engineering Team had submitted applications seeking financial support with increasing the National Capital Value (NCV) of Oldham. The previous successful submissions were:-

All initiatives were to be delivered by the end of March 2025 and were works supplemented and match funded by the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund.

Options/alternatives considered:

Option 1: To do nothing. Failure to accept the grant allocation of United Utilities Green Recovery Fund would reflect negatively on the perception of the town and its ambitions. It would have significant implications for delivery on the project budgets and, therefore, the achievement of regeneration ambitions and objectives.

Option 2: To formally accept the additional UUGRF award allocation for £600,000 and enter the FCA as set out in this report.

Preferred Option - Option 2 is the preferred option to help ensure delivery of the projects in the agreed timescales and budgets and, therefore, achieve the regeneration ambitions and objectives.

Resolved:

1.    That the Cabinet approves the acceptance of the £600,000 UUGRF grant against the increased National Capital Value criteria specified by Ofwat in collaboration with United Utilities Plc.

2.    That the Cabinet approves the Snipe Gardens – allocation £600,000 – Increase sustainable urban drainage capacity and reduce surface water volume entering the combined sewerage system, increase amenity space i.e. dwell space, pedestrian/cycle provisions and increase soft landscaping infrastructure.

3.    That the Cabinet delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) or their nominated representative to agree the terms of the Legal Agreement in respect of the grant award in consultation with the Interim Borough Solicitor and approve appointments of professional teams and contract award in respect of the agreed budgets.

4.    That the Cabinet delegates authority to the Interim Borough Solicitor, or their nominated representative, to finalise and enter into the Legal Agreement issued by United Utilities Plc in respect of the grant award subject to the completion of any necessary due diligence on subsidy control compliance and authority to agree and complete any project change requests under the Agreement.

5.    That the Cabinet agrees to delegate authority to the Director of Environment, or their nominated representative, to agree monitoring and evaluation of defined outputs and negotiations thereupon as required over the grant delivery period of 2024/2025.

6.    That the Cabinet notes that as accountable body for UUGRF, United Utilities Plc has issued a Legal Agreement in respect of the grant, along with supporting documentation, which is currently under review by the Council’s Legal Services Team.

7.    That the Cabinet note and endorse that the internal governance and administration for the UUGRF grant will be performed via the Creating a Better Place Programme Board (CAPB) structures alongside a dedicated Delivery Group for which Terms of Reference will be agreed by the Director of Environment or their nominated representative.