Decision details

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Sustainability and Resources, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 11.

The Sussex Bay programme, initiated by Worthing Borough and Adur District Councils demonstrated the Council’s existing clear strategic commitment to ocean recovery and working both within the Council’s geographical boundaries and regionally: a fully externally funded, nature first, project of hope without Councils funds, attracting over £1M in the first year.

A report was presented to the Joint Strategic Committee on 8th June 2021 entitled “Sussex Bay: Restoring our marine and estuarine habitats, supporting our coastal communities”. This report set out the considerable progress being made to develop a significant strategic programme to drive marine recovery and including an agreement about next steps, including to actively seek external funding and to identify progress with marine restoration and recovery projects with partners, including The Crown Estate, seabed owners. The commitment to “Improve our Blue Space and Deliver Sussex Bay’ was identified as a Strategic Priority for Worthing Borough Council (JSC, June 2023) noting the successful application for additional bathing waters in Worthing, 175 Agenda Item 11 installation of publicly accessible litter picks along the foreshore at Sealane and East Beach to help citizens remove plastic pollution from the foreshore, in addition to the foundational work to help reuse and recycle ghost netting.

Members approved two additional technical recommendations in relation to refurbishment of the rotunda

Decision:

1.    That it be endorsed that the Sussex Bay approach to continue to build a delivery model for marine, coastal and estuarine habitat restoration at scale, creating the exciting prospect of Sussex Bay as a “destination” and new economic opportunity expressed via the three emergent work packages noted in 2.11 below. 

2.    That the external funding that the Sussex Bay programme has attracted to date  be accepted and the headline and ring-fenced areas for its expenditure be endorsed

3.    That the programme of future events be endorsed, including a quarterly Members forum with Leaders from each of the 11 Councils in the Sussex Bay programme area whilst balancing the need for ownership and the regional inclusivity.

4.    That the bringing forward of the capital budget of £49,632 from the proposed 25/26 programme and to accept the additional funding and subsequent variation as set out in Section 5.2 be approved

5.    To authorise the award of the contract to   Uprise Construction Limited for £89,000.00 exclusive of VAT to  implement the conversion works to the rotunda as set out in this report.

6.    To delegate authority to the director for Sustainability and Resources to enter into the agreement for lease with the Tenant and to execute all necessary legal documentation.

Call In: The call-in deadline for decisions will be 5.00pm on 18 February 2025