Melton Council ‘hugely frustrated’ by withdrawal of funding for south bypass link

Councillor Joe Orson, leader of the borough council, said he was ‘hugely frustrated and disappointed’ by the decision taken by Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet.

County councillors decided it was too risky for the authority to pay £13million up front towards the £28million cost of the road because there was no adequate masterplan in place for its outlay to be recouped from developer contributions from housing due to be built in the coming years.

Melton Borough Council had approved a masterplan only on Wednesday - including provisions for more than 2,000 homes and three new schools on a strip of land between Kirby Lane and the planned south section of the bypass - but county councillors said this was inadequate and not detailed enough for them to risk releasing the funds for the road.

As a consequence of that decision, the county council have decided not to take up promised government funding for the remaining £15million cost of the south bypass link.

Councillor Orson denied his council’s masterplan was inadequate and said the authority could not have done more to satisfy County Hall that it could confidently invest in the southern section of the road.

After today’s meeting, he said: “The county council’s decision to turn this funding down feels like a massive opportunity missed.

“I recognise their financial challenge but they simply need to take responsibility for their own decision rather than seeking to blame the borough council.

“Melton Borough Council have done everything that has been asked of us.

“We delivered the Local Plan.

“We have been prepared to enter a multi-million pound risk share agreement and have developed a credible and robust masterplan to support the southern neighbourhood.”

Councillor Orson pointed out that the borough council had already secured over £16million for road and education infrastructure from developers and have made commitments to secure the remaining funding the county council requires.

He said Melton Council had offered to work with the county council, Homes England and the developers to agree a way forward but that County Hall refused.

“We have worked tirelessly to create a credible and robust masterplan, which the county council’s own portfolio holder for finance and resources acknowledges was ‘good and interesting’,” he added.

“We have gone above and beyond what has been asked of us, but the idea that we could provide guaranteed funding to the county council is frankly nonsense and no masterplan, and no planning authority could ever give such a guarantee.

“We will continue to work with the developers and county council as we have been to secure the necessary infrastructure for Melton, but for now, the county council just need to accept this is their decision and they have to live with it.”

The decision also dismayed Melton MP, Alicia Kearns, who said on her Twitter account: “I am deeply disappointed by this decision.

“After months of hard work, and a good masterplan.

“I will continue to work to secure the development of the southern link - something the people of Melton want and need.”