The Leader of the Council:
1. Approved the changes in the governance model of the Basingstoke Canal Authority (BCA) as detailed in the report.
2. Approved the removal of the BCA’s Joint management Committee from Surrey County Council’s constitution.
3. Delegated authority to the Executive Director of Environment, Infrastructure and Growth, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and the Head of Legal Services, to agree and enter into the necessary Memorandums of Understanding, Memorandums of Agreement, Agreements and arrangements with partners to deliver the updated governance.
4. Delegated authority, subject to the usual limits on officer decision making authority, to the Executive Director of Environment, Infrastructure and Growth in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment to exercise all functions in relation to the management and maintenance of the Basingstoke Canal as an environmental navigational asset and the balancing of the interests of all users of the Basingstoke Canal and the conservation of the natural environment
This decision is made in the context of Surrey County Council’s role as one of two landowning authorities for the Basingstoke Canal (alongside Hampshire County Council) and following the approval of a parallel decision by the Executive Member of Hampshire County Council these changes shall come into effect from 1st April 2024.