Cabinet debates High Speed Rail plan
Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet today debated the High Speed Rail (HS2) preferred route announcement and exceptional hardship scheme.
Members agreed to the recommendations in the report (listed below), and added an extra recommendation (number 3) to provide information and advice to local communities.
The recommendations are:
1 - That Warwickshire County Council engages with HS2 Ltd during the pre consultation period to help achieve maximum benefit from the formal public consultation planned for the High-Speed Rail proposals to start in Autumn 2010.
2 - That the Portfolio Holder responsible for transport leads a ‘HS2 Working Group’ of County Councillors as described in paragraph 2.10 of the Director’s Report.
3 - That, as far as possible, officers ensure that information and advice on HS2’s preferred route and the council’s engagement with HS2 Ltd is available to the public, especially the communities directly affected, including those without internet access, working through parish and town councils as well as borough and district councils.
4 - That the Portfolio Holder – Environment be authorised to finalise the response to the Government’s consultation on its proposed Exceptional Hardship Scheme on behalf of the Council. In finalising that response on 30 April 2010, the Portfolio Holder shall include the views of Cabinet, supporting the principle of the Scheme subject to it extending the scope to include small businesses and urging that it be brought into effect as soon as possible, and have regard to the views of Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 28 April 2010.