Agenda item

Cabinet Member Sustainability

Cabinet Member Built Environment

The Cabinet Member Built Environment told that following the marketing of North Place and Portland Street to potential developers at the end of January, over 100 proposals to regenerate the site against the project brief had been received.   This was very encouraging and following the deadline next week, all would be asked to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire.   From 2 finalists the Cabinet agreed matrix would be followed which balanced cost and environment.  He hoped to have a preferred developer by the end of the year, ready to enter into a contract as it would be a great success and step forward.

Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) were continuing with traffic modelling on Boots Corner to assess the feasibility of closing it, which would require diversions elsewhere.

GCC were looking to undertake an experiment with the traffic light system on St. Margarets Road.  This was very delicate and engineers were currently reviewing safety issues.  The Cabinet Member Built Environment did feel that the traffic along the road in question was very slow and congested.  He would keep Members informed given the importance of the issue for the town.

The Council continued to encourage the owners of the Brewery site to link it with the lower high street, which would be a considerable improvement and revitalise the area.  The Council were keen to see this happen but this was a commercial decision and as such he would only be able to keep Members informed of any developments.  Were the proposals to be taken forward there would be a need for statutory consultation. 

He had recently embarked on the commissioning review of ‘Sustainable Communities’ which included Planning, etc.  At present an assessment of the needs of the town and residents was underway and he was keen to involve members.  He suggested that a Cabinet  Working Group including members from the committee as well as members of the Planning Committee and preferably cross party would be useful in guiding the process.

The following responses were given by the Cabinet Member Built Environment to questions from members of the committee;

• The experiment on St. Margarets Road and Boots Corner were in the hands of the traffic engineers at Shire Hall.  Traffic modelling had identified benefits in some areas and the opposite in others and they were now looking at how to address the issues. Modelling and projections had revealed problems as traffic levels increased which would over load a number of junctions.  He personally felt that there were opportunities to make better use of road capacity in Cheltenham and its wide one way roads but no changes would be made at the expense of safety. 
• Phase 2 of the Brewery development was crucial to the town but some issues were commercially sensitive. 
• Potential developers were issued with a development brief which set out various requirements for housing, open space, transport infrastructure, etc, but this was relatively flexible between residential and commercial.  The ultimate aim was to achieve a development which was judged as highly against environment criteria as financial. 

The Cabinet Member Sustainability had a small number of points to make in addition to some of the other items scheduled for discussion on the agenda.

With regards to plastic recycling in narrow streets in the town he was able to confirm that this would be possible by Autumn 2011, perhaps before depending on delivery of the new vehicle.

In relation to the Corporate Strategy and carbon emissions he noted that he was minded to agree a 30% reduction from 2005 to 2015.

The following responses were given by the Cabinet Member Sustainability, with assistance from the Assistant Director – Operations, to questions from members of the committee;

• Food caddies were being delivered on mass at the moment in preparation for the new food waste scheme.  Admittedly, some may have been delivered to some properties for which, at present, a storage solution had not yet been achieved. 
• Theft of brown bins was not an issue of epidemic proportions and bins would be replaced where necessary.  The Cabinet Working Group would look at this matter in greater detail.
• Friends of the Earth had suggested a reduction to carbon emissions of 40% by 2020 and consideration would be given to the recommendations of the Internal Carbon Reduction Working Group in relation to the target that was being proposed.

The Chair introduced the Cabinet Member Corporate Services, who whilst not scheduled on the agenda, would be permitted to address the committee.

The Cabinet Member Corporate Services hoped all members had taken the opportunity to read his email dated the 22 February 2011, in which he had outlined the current position of the Council in its move to become a strategic commissioning authority.

A members working group had been established some time ago and was originally tasked with assessing the rationale behind the move to strategic commissioning. 

In December 2010 Council agreed the move to strategic commissioning and associated changes to the Council structures.

The working group were now focussing on member roles and he was attending the meeting in this instance to seek the views and comments of the committee on who should be involved, when and how.  He had attended Social and Community O&S earlier in the week and would be attending Economy and Business Improvement O&S on Monday 7 March.

He was confident that this was an opportunity to enhance the role of all members.  Commissioning required knowledge of needs of the community and members had a role in feeding back from their wards, constituents and the town in general. 

The relevant Cabinet Member(s) would sit on the Programme Board for each commissioning exercise and maintain a dialogue with all Councillors to ensure that they were all fully engaged.  He was also keen to see Cabinet Working Groups established to support these reviews.

Whilst Cabinet Members were accountable, Overview & Scrutiny (O&S) had a role in monitoring services and ensuring the outcomes were being delivered. 

Establishing member roles and a way of approaching commissioning exercises with which all members were comfortable was crucial.  No decisions had yet been made, it was an evolving process and as such he urged members to respond to his email. 

The working group had discussed the current three committee O&S structure and whether this was the right way forward and whether there was an opportunity to change the structure, though it was not for Cabinet to decide how scrutiny was organised.  The County had a different model for O&S, elements of which could be used. 

Working groups were focussed, interesting and could prove more effective, enabling more open dialogue on options.  The Budget Working Group could prove a useful example.

He assured members that this was merely an introduction to strategic commissioning and more detail would be provided next time.  The next few months would be important in establishing a successful process of member involvement. 

The Chair asked that all members respond to the Cabinet Member Corporate Services’ email.  This was an initial opportunity for members to offer their opinion and help shape the process for member involvement.