Agenda item

A public question had been received from Mr Ken Pollock for the Leader. In the absence of Mr Pollock and at his request, the question was read out in full. 

“You spoke to the EBI Scrutiny, instead of the advertised “45 minutes presentation” by Cllr. Whyborn (Cabinet member for Sustainability), and said that “Option 2 is the more likely” choice, (as Option 1 is unacceptable to Cheltenham Festivals).

Although you claimed that Option 2 contained “a hell of a lot of permutations”, its full extent (as drawn) would effectively hand the layout of these gardens ‘carte blanche’ to the organisers of the four Festival events.

However it appears that both Scrutiny Committees felt unable to recommend either of the two wide-apart Options offered, asking instead for more investigation/analysis of the detailed requirements, detailed landscaping schemes, and more “involvement” by themselves and presumably the public.

Do you therefore feel that it is either necessary or good practice to reserve this irrevocable choice to a 7-man Cabinet, and then delegate tendering/implementation to officers (after a “public consultation” which is not scheduled to feedback to any decision by all councillors), when that decision is likely to commit to Option 2 and thereby  transform Cheltenham’s crucial Imperial Gardens greenspace from lawns and flowers into a largely hard-surfaced square ?”

Response from the Leader

Since Cllr Whyborn had a clash of meetings, he had previously discussed the draft report with Cllr Stennett, as chairman of Economy & Business Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee (E&BI O&S). Cllr Stennett had agreed that no presentation was needed on this occasion. Cllr Whyborn had in any case presented the same report to the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Env O&S) the previous week. My only role was to assist by answering a few questions raised by members of E&BI O&S.

My reference to option 2 seeming the more likely option was more based on that option being broadly acceptable to the Friends of Imperial Gardens than option 1 being unacceptable to Cheltenham Festivals.  It was also the view of Env O&S as shown by the draft minutes of the meeting, "Whilst not tasked with making a decision, members had indicated their preference towards Option 2 and she [i.e. the Chair] looked forward to hearing the issue discussed at Cabinet - the matter was hugely important and at the point of agreeing a way forward to the future."

It is clearly not the case that option 2 ‘would effectively hand the layout of these gardens ‘carte blanche’ to the organisers of the four Festival events’ since any design work would be managed by the council and would be subject to agreement by the Cabinet later in 2011. The Cabinet is seeking to provide improved facilities in Imperial Gardens. This will assist Cheltenham Festivals but there will be clear limits on the duration and space used so the whole public can benefit from the improvements.     

Once the Cabinet has decided a preferred option, detailed design work can be carried out, which will be subject to further public consultation. Both the scrutiny committees involved meet in May, and if they have more to say, they can take that opportunity.