Agenda item

The Director for Corporate services to update the Committee on the progress of schemes within Capital Programme to 30 September 2018 and to determine the Committee's 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.

 

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.