Decision details

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for the Economy, 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 report provided an update to members on the revised approach to the Worthing Coastal Protection Scheme following the Environment Agency (EA) peer review of the submitted Outline Business Case (OBC) and subsequent consultation with Senior WBC Officers.

The revised approach would amend the implementation of a large scale coast protection scheme for the Worthing frontage in favour of a two phased approach; a more immediate capital maintenance project (Phase 1) to repair and extend the life of existing groynes as well as shingle beach nourishment in the Town Centre area, followed by revisiting the Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for a larger scale groyne replacement scheme (Phase2) within ten years time.

The Committee welcomed the proposals, acknowledging that it had been a statutory requirement to undertake the earlier survey work in 2019 which had helped to inform future work with the Environment Agency to benefit the town through the protection of the coastline and homes.

Decision

The Joint Strategic Committee

I)             noted the progress and revised approach for delivery of the Worthing Coastal Protection Scheme;

II)            recommended that Worthing Council amend the 2021/22 Capital Investment Programme to include the revised Phase 1 capital project for structural works to the groynes and shingle nourishment work; and

III)           approved the delegation to the Head of Facilities & Technical Services in consultation with the Executive Member for Regeneration to enter a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Environment Agency, following Phase 1, to commence works on revisiting the Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for the Phase 2 larger scale groyne replacement scheme.

Call In:

The call-in deadline for decisions I and III will be 5.00pm on 17 September 2021.

There is no call-in for recommendation II to Worthing Council.