Decision Maker: Place Committee
Decision status: For Determination
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
The Corporate Services Manager
(a)
submitted
a report on behalf of the Director for Corporate Services which updated the
committee on the progress of schemes within the Capital Programme to 30
September 2018 and requested the committee approve its Capital Programme for
2018-23 based on a review of spending in the current year’s programme and
schemes included in the programme for later years;
(b)
tabled
Appendix H at the meeting which was a business case for enhancement projects
following the preparation of a comprehensive masterplan and action plan for
management, enhancement and development of the country park.
There
was a discussion around housing priorities and it was noted that as a result of
the recent corporate prioritisation exercise, the Fairmead
refurbishment had been deferred. It was
noted that this scheme was still included in longer term plans whilst looking
at a range of other options for maximising
availability of housing stock both in the affordable and private sector.
With
regard to play equipment at the country park, it was asked whether this was to
be replaced like for like or whether there was scope for increasing the offer
whilst doing the work.
The
Director for Growth and Regeneration responded that a previous committee
decision had agreed on like for like however the country park business case at
appendix H provided more scope for now and in the future and if improvements
could be made they would be added.
It
was queried how the project scoring matrix worked on the business cases and it
was responded that it was a mechanism of scoring a project against set criteria
and the resulting score level helped officers to ensure appropriate monitoring
for the complexity/priority of a project.
The
Corporate Services Manager advised that there was a replacement and renewal
fund which annually reviewed asset maintenance and there was enough in the fund
to ensure existing play areas were well maintained.
A
member queried whether the ecological study had been commissioned for the
country park as this had been mentioned previously and it needed to be available for when planning applications
started to come in. The Assistant
Director responded that this was in progress and had been delayed due to the work
on the Local Plan.
It
was also queried that contributions be requested from developers for repairs and maintenance of play equipment
etc. The Assistant Director advised that
he intended to revisit the question of s106 on revenue budget maintenance
arrangements for developers and needed to research how this could work and
whether it was possible.
There
was a question as to whether the play equipment at Kirby Fields would be the
only play area for the southern SUE and if so would it be expanded and should
budget be allocated for repairs etc. The
Assistant Director advised that due to the expected size of the southern SUE,
it would have its own facilities.
Councillor
Higgins moved the recommendations in the report. He referred to a scheme which helped young
people attain homes in their own communities and how this had worked at
Somerby. He considered that there could
be a future committee report to make this more widely known and available in
other wards. He felt that this was a
helpful route for social housing in villages.
The
Chief Executive explained that the Council was developing a scheme to improve
housing delivery by means of a collaborative development company. He added that this involved a complex
business case and a report was scheduled for the next Corporate Committee to
provide an update to members on the outline business case with consideration
about whether to move to a full business case.
It
was commented that planning applications do not usually make provision for play
areas and green spaces and facilities such as these, including maintenance
arrangements, should be included at the application stage.
Councillor
Glancy seconded the motion.
On
being put to the vote, the motion was unanimously carried.
RESOLVED that the committee
(1) notes the progress made on the capital schemes for
2018/19 as attached to the report as follows :
Appendix A – HRA
Appendix B – General Expenses
Appendix C – Special Expenses
(2) approves
the revised Capital Programme for 2018-23 as attached to the report as follows
:
Appendix
D – HRA
Appendix E – General Expenses
Appendix F – Special Expenses
(3) approves
the business case as outlined at Appendix G attached to the report in relation
to installation of new play
equipment at a Kirby Fields & Melton Country Park Climbing forest Play
Areas and recommends to the Corporate Committee that this scheme is funded from
Repairs & Renewals Fund;
(4) approves the business case as attached to the report
at Appendix H relating to the preparation of a comprehensive masterplan
and action plan for management, enhancement and development of the country
park.
Publication date: 31/10/2018
Date of decision: 31/10/2018
Decided at meeting: 31/10/2018 - Place Committee
Accompanying Documents: