Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Pittville Room - Municipal Offices. View directions

Contact: Rosalind Reeves, Democratic Services Manager 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

None.

2.

Declarations of interest

Minutes:

None.

3.

Minutes of the last meeting pdf icon PDF 137 KB

Minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2016

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2016 were approved and signed as a correct record.

4.

Public and Member Questions and Petitions

These must be received no later than 12 noon on the fourth working day before the date of the meeting

Minutes:

There were none.

5.

Housing Revenue Account New Build- Garage site redevelopment pdf icon PDF 143 KB

Report of the Cabinet Member Housing

 

(**Please note that in accordance with paragraph 3 Part 1 Schedule 12A Local Government Act 1972 any discussion on appendices 2 and 3 should take place in EXEMPT session)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member Housing introduced the report which sought approval to enter into a JCT Design and Build Contract with J Harper and Sons with Total Scheme Costs not to exceed £1,405,150. The scheme would deliver up to 8 new homes on three HRA garage sites. The scheme would provide 5 x 3 bed dwellings; 2 x 2 bed dwellings and 1 x 4 bed dwelling.

 

The Cabinet Member Housing reported that over the last five years more than 100 new council houses had been built providing much needed affordable homes in the town for which there was an expanding waiting list. This was a significant achievement.

The Cabinet Member Finance added that maximising the use of Right to Buy receipts was facilitating new build in the town by ensuring there was a positive impact on the HRA as quickly as possible.

 

Members noted the fact that the number of new social housing being built                                                                                  represented the highest level of provision in a generation which was a major achievement in the current economic and political circumstances. They commended the excellent consultation CBH had undertaken during the process of this particular scheme which was appreciated by ward councillors and residents. CBH and CBC officers as well as the Cabinet Member Finance were congratulated on their achievement of providing much needed housing in the town.

 

In summing up the Cabinet Member Housing thanked the Joint Programme Group which comprised CBC and CBH officers for its work.

 

The Leader noted that the report would be submitted to Council to approve the financial elements of the scheme.

 

 

RESOLVED THAT

 

1.    Subject to subsequent Council approval, the Authority be authorised to accept the tender received from J Harper and Sons enter into a JCT Design and Build Contract for the construction of up to eight new dwellings with Total Scheme Costs not to exceed £1,405,150.

2.    Authority be delegated to the Head of Property and Asset Management, in consultation with the Borough Solicitor to:

2.1. Conclude the JCT Design and Build contract with J Harper and             Sons.

 

2.2          Take all necessary steps and undertake all necessary procedures, including entering into any legal agreements or other documentation as may be required to implement or facilitate the developments.

3.    the Authority be authorised to charge Affordable Rents to the 2 and 3 bed properties at 80% of Market Rents and at 70% of Market Rents for the 4 bed dwelling.

Council be recommended to :

 

4.    Authorise the allocation of up to £1,405,150 for the construction of eight new dwellings.

 

5.    Note that the Total Scheme Costs of £1,405,150 (broken down in further detail in exempt appendix 3) will be funded by circa £420k of RTB receipts with the balance funded by the most appropriate combination of the other funding streams noted within the report – this decision being delegated to the Section 151 Officer in accordance with Financial Rules B7 and B8.

 

6.    Approves the Authority sourcing loan finance of up to £1.0m from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Creating a new strategic approach to tourism pdf icon PDF 148 KB

Report of the Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles introduced the report and explained that Creative Tourist Consults had been commissioned by the council to develop a new strategic approach to tourism for the town. The key deliverable for the project was an outcomes proposition for Cheltenham’s tourism offer behind which all key stakeholders could align, that would boost the tourism economy and provide clarity on how the council delivers the proposition and how the council will measure success and the impact on public value in its widest sense.

 

The Cabinet Member reported that consultation formed a large part of the evidence gathering and had included 1-2-1 interviews with a wide range of stakeholders. Workshops were held with the Cheltenham Tourism Partnership and Cabinet Member working group. She reported that Overview and Scrutiny had also considered the draft report and endorsed its recommendations and they had also received a presentation from Creative Tourist Consults.

 

The Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles explained that the outcomes proposition included an action plan with a large number of measures within which the consultants were recommending some priority actions. These were as set out in paragraph 4.1 of the report. She highlighted that the stakeholders on the Cheltenham Tourism Partnership were key to the delivery of the action plan and their priorities moving forward were laid down in 4.3 of the report.

 

In conclusion the Cabinet Member welcomed the new and clear strategic evidence based approach which recognised the importance of tourism in its broadest sense to Cheltenham’s economy and residents. It was imperative that in moving forward links were made to the corporate plan, the Athey report and the BID to ensure the council’s activity was complementary and cohesive. She explained over the coming months the Managing Director Place and Economic Development would use these recommendations and action plan to work up a more detailed work plan with timescales and performance indicators that would be brought back to scrutiny and Cabinet for monitoring and review in October 2016.

 

Finally, the Cabinet Member gave thanks to all those who had contributed to the document, members, stakeholders, the commissioning group, Creative Tourist Consults and Gill Morris, Client Officer.

 

Members believed the strategy provided a focused message and a programme of marketing to target the right offers to the right people. It was a good basis to go forward and linked tourism with retail.

 

The Leader highlighted that in his Cabinet economic development role he had worked together with The Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles on the strategy and it was important that a strong base was built. Alongside the strategy ran the BID which would generate more investment in the town. He added that the LEP had agreed to look at the strategy in more detail going forward and would feedback in due course.

 

 

RESOLVED THAT

 

1.     the consultant’s report be accepted

2.     authority be delegated to the Managing Director, Place & Economic Development to further consider the delivery plan and the proposed delivery mechanism in consultation with the Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Corporate Strategy 2016-17 pdf icon PDF 121 KB

Report of the Leader

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader introduced the draft corporate strategy which was due to be considered by Council on 4 April 2016. He reminded Members that the strategy was developed in parallel with the budget. He wished to thank both officers and Members for their input including the Overview and Scrutiny committee which had considered the report at its last meeting and whose suggestions had been fully incorporated into the draft strategy.

 

The Leader commented that consideration was always given as to whether there was adequate resource to undertake what was identified in the strategy. He highlighted the following :

 

·         It was hoped that the JCS would be completed this year.

·         The Business Improvement District process had been very positive; the council had supported this in terms of supporting the voting process

·         The council was also driving the economic development and tourism strategy.

·         New tranche of affordable housing.

·         The Pittville Play area project was a positive enhancement of the town.

 

The Leader emphasised that this could not be achieved without the positive hard work of officers.

 

Members noted that key to the success of the strategy was working in partnership and the examples of the housing and homelessness strategy and the safeguarding strategy were given.

 

 

RESOLVED THAT

 

The draft corporate strategy 2016-17 be endorsed ahead of it going to full council for final approval.

8.

Briefing from Cabinet Members

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment informed Members of the following :

 

1.    Cemetery and Crematorium-work was continuing on this project and members of the cabinet member working group and officers had visited the cemetery and crematorium in Milton Keynes recently. He wished to put on record his thanks to the staff at Milton Keynes for their welcome.

2.    Clean for the Queen initiative-activities had already commenced and he was grateful for the enthusiasm from community groups. Cheltenham had registered the weekend of 18-21 March for this initiative for which there would be press coverage.

3.    Food Waste- at the last meeting of the Joint Waste Committee it was announced that Cheltenham had seen a 20% increase in take-up of the service following the targeted promotions in the 3rd quarter.

 

The Cabinet Member Housing announced that within the new build programme there would be provision for veterans accommodation which was welcome news.

 

The Leader noted that this was the last Cabinet meeting of Andrew North, Chief Executive. On behalf of the Cabinet he thanked him for his support to him as Leader and to the Cabinet as a whole over the last ten years.

9.

Cabinet Member Decisions taken since the last meeting of Cabinet

Minutes:

The following decisions were reported to Cabinet :

 

Cabinet Member

Name of decision

Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles

Public Art Budget

a)    To release £6, 000 from the Public Art Budget to commission a public art strategy

b)    To release £5,000 from the Public Art Budget to establish a public art maintenance fund

Cabinet Member Finance

Acquisition of Land at 49 Clyde Crescent

Cabinet Member Finance

To appoint Nationwide Windows and Masterdor as contractors to deliver a borough wide programme for the replacement of dwelling entrance doors

Cabinet Member Finance

To appoint Nationwide Windows and Wrekin Windows as contractors to deliver a borough wide programme for the replacement of PVC-u windows and PVC-u doors where required

 

10.

Virement of Funds To Pittville Park Play Area Project pdf icon PDF 90 KB

Report of the Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment

Minutes:

 

In introducing this as an urgent item on the agenda the Leader explained that any delay to making the decision on the virement of funds to the Pittville Park Play Area Project would be likely to expose the council to financial loss and would prejudice the public interest in cost effective delivery of the scheme. To that end the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny had agreed that on this occasion call-in be disapplied in view of urgency. The Leader thanked the Chair of O&S for waiving this.

 

The Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment introduced the report and explained that the Pittville Park Play Area Project was a major, ambitious scheme for the Council which would be more accessible for people of all ages and for those children with disabilities.

The Cabinet Member explained that there were two phases to the project with the council contributing up to £350 000 for Phase 1 with Phase 2 increasing the project value to £535 500. He said that visible progress was being made on site and public support for the project had been unprecedented throughout the process. The council was keen to progress the project which had received huge support from the Friends of Pittville in terms of fundraising and successful grant applications. He gave particular thanks to Adam Reynolds, Green Space Development Manager and his team for their significant contributions to date. As they were now approaching the second phase of works it was important that the contractors remained on site to complete the project within the desired timescales as a further closure of the park would not be desirable. In order to progress £99 500 comprising £37 500 from the council’s play enhancement and green space operational budgets and £62 000 from Section 106 contributions required authorisation to be vired into the Pittville Project before a contract variance could be issued.

 

The Cabinet Member wished to put on record his thanks to the council’s supplier EIBE. He had every confidence that they would deliver right from the outset. He also thanked the Green Space Development Manager and his team who had provided great leadership throughout the project.

 

Members supported the proposals and welcomed the unprecedented amount of public support for the scheme. They recognised that completing the works in full would be more cost effective as it would provide economies of scale and would enable the public to enjoy the new play area at the first possible opportunity. In terms of tourism they believed it would represent a destination in its own right and “fitted the bill” for families.

 

RESOLVED THAT

 

thevirement of funds from Section 106 contributions (£62,000) and Parks & Gardens operational revenue budgets (£37,500) into the Pittville Play Area budget be approved and the variation to the contract with our supplier EIBE be approved.