Fiscal Stimulus Plan: Allocation of funds for Cheapside Regeneration Project

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A decision made on 13 May 2010 to allocate funds from the Fiscal Stimulus Plan to the Transport and Technical Services Department for the Cheapside regeneration project

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2010-0073
Decision Summary Title:	Fiscal Stimulus Budget Allocation – Transport & Technical Services Department		Date of Decision Summary:	10th May 2010
Decision Summary Author:	Chief Executive		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title:	Allocation of fiscal stimulus funding to the Cheapside Urban Renewal project		Date of Written Report:	10th May 2010
Written Report Author:	Acting Fiscal Stimulus Programme Manager		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Economic Stimulus Plan: budget allocation to the Transport and Technical Services department for the delivery of the Cheapside Urban Renewal project.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the allocation of £400,000 to the Cheapside regeneration project, which will be transferred to the department budget as soon as possible. This will enable the department to progress the public consultation and finalise the design of the scheme, which is scheduled to start on site in September 2010 and substantially complete the scheme by the end of the year. The Minister further instructed the civil infrastructure project group to report on spend of all stimulus monies, and project progress/performance, on a monthly basis in accordance with guidelines set by the Treasury, and return any unspent monies on completion of the project.
Reason(s) for Decision: A discretionary fiscal stimulus allocation from the Stabilisation Fund of £44m has already been approved. The project meets the key criteria for fiscal stimulus being timely, targeted and temporary and will benefit local business and individuals. The £400,000 allocation to the project will enable the civil infrastructure project group to deliver the scheme in accordance with the critical path.
Resource Implications: No financial resource implications other than those explained above and in the accompanying report. No manpower resource implications.
Action required: Treasury to be informed of decision to release necessary funds to the Transport and Technical Services budget.
Signature:		Position: Senator P F C Ozouf, Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Fiscal Stimulus Plan: Allocation of funds for Cheapside Regeneration Project

Treasury and Resources

Ministerial/Treasurer’s Decision Report

Allocation of fiscal stimulus funding to the cheapside urban renewal project

1. Purpose of Report

The detailed cost estimate and analysis, together with the programme have now been submitted by the Transport and Technical Services department (“TTS”) and has been subject to review by the Fiscal Stimulus Steering Group (the “Steering Group”) to ensure that the Fiscal Stimulus criteria are met. This paper summarises the resulting recommendation.

2. Background

A number of urban renewal schemes have been undertaken as joint initiatives of the Transport and Technical Services and Planning and Environment departments together with the Parish of St Helier. However, due to funding constraints there are a number of projects which cannot be completed as part of that programme.

The regeneration of the Cheapside area is one of those schemes, and the project is designed to provide pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvements to Cheapside and the surrounding area, including pedestrian improvements at New St Johns Road. The scheme also creates the opportunity to add value to the West Park - Cheapside resurfacing project which has also been funded with fiscal stimulus monies. The final phase of that resurfacing scheme is intended to be completed once the Cheapside urban renewal project has been substantially delivered.

3. Scheme details

The scheme does not necessitate the tendering of a main contract and to ensure that the whole scheme can be delivered with a lower contribution from the fiscal stimulus fund, TTS will oversee the on site work and allocate some of its own labour at nil cost. The benefits to the Jersey economy will arise through spend on materials, equipment hire and specialist subcontract elements of the project. Additional sources of funding of c. £230k have been identified so there is expected to be a multiplier effect on the fiscal stimulus fund contribution of around 50%.

The project’s design will be finalised following the outcome of a public consultation, which is the first phase of the project once the funding has been committed. The project meets the timely criteria of fiscal stimulus schemes because it will be substantially complete by the end of the year, and provide benefit in 2010 to businesses throughout the supply chain for construction work, and to the people employed in that area.

4. Recommendation from the Fiscal Stimulus Steering Group

The Steering Group recommends that the Minister for Treasury and Resources allocates funding of £400,000 to TTS for the Cheapside Urban Renewal project and approves the transfer of that amount to a new capital head of expenditure.

5. Reason for Decision

A discretionary fiscal stimulus allocation from the Stabilisation Fund of £44m has already been approved. The project meets the key criteria for fiscal stimulus being timely, targeted and temporary and will benefit local business and individuals. The £400,000 allocation to the project will enable the civil infrastructure project group to deliver the scheme in accordance with the critical path.

6. Resource Implications

No financial resource implications other than those explained above.

No manpower resource implications.