Agenda and minutes

To approve the record of the Cabinet meeting held on 6^th June 2005.

                                                                                                            (attached)

The minutes of the meeting held on 6^th June 2005 were confirmed as a correct record.

Councillor John Smith declared a personal interest in any item that included redevelopment of Bourne Town Centre by virtue of his membership of a club which met within the identified core area.

Councillor Paul Carpenter declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 8 – Land in Grantham – by virtue of him knowing personally a party to which the report on the item referred. He therefore withdrew from the meeting for this item.

Report number PLA514 by the Head of Planning Policy & Economic Regeneration.                                                                     (attached)

DECISION:

(1)   To distribute the draft Economic & Community Development Strategy 2005-2008 to partners for consultation and amendment;

(2)   The Team Leader for Economic & Community Regeneration to present the draft to scrutiny in July 2005 and to present the final copy to Cabinet for endorsement in September 2005;

(3)   Authority be delegated to the Director of Community Services to make the following amendments to the draft strategy document prior to consultation:

·          That the document be clearly marked as a Consultation Draft;

·          Page 5: Further research be undertaken and an estimate included on average grass roots earner income;

·          Page 10: “a” be amended to “at” on the thirteenth line;

·          Page 17: “South Kesteven District Council & The Local Strategic Partnership” – first line to include reference  to member input in the development of the strategy and the fourth line to be rewritten to clarify that the action plan will be updated annually;

·          Page 18: “Enabling & Developing Sustainable Communities” be amended to “Encouraging Communities to Become Sustainable” and subsequent sentence to be revised;

·          Timescales be included in the Economic Development Action Plan.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)   Report number PLA514 by the Head of Planning Policy and Economic Regeneration presenting the Economic & Community Development Strategy for South Kesteven for 2005-2008 for consultation;

(2)   The draft Economic Development Strategy seeks to support and develop the local economy of South Kesteven, which would contribute to the quality of life within the district. Town centre redevelopment, regeneration and Grantham as a sub-regional centre is a category A priority for the Council;

(3)   Information provided within the draft strategy on national, regional and local economic issues.

Report number DCS24 by the Director of Community Services. (attached)

DECISION:

(1)   To authorise the Director of Community Services to obtain competitive tenders for the construction of a multi-storey car park on the existing Welham Street Car Park;

(2)   To approve expenditure of £37,000 outlined in paragraph 4.1 of report number DCS24 by the Director of Community Services to complete the survey work and the Traffic Impact Assessment;

(3)   To submit an outline planning application for the construction of the multi-storey car park on the Welham Street site;

(4)   To authorise the Director of Community Services to obtain competitive tenders for the immediate demolition of the buildings on the East Street Site. Cabinet to review approval should the lowest tender submitted be substantially higher that £400,000;

(5)   To approve expenditure of £55,000 for the temporary surfacing and layout of an open car park on East Street once tenders have been accepted for the construction of the car park on Welham Street;

(6)   To defer the sale of Watergate Car Park until further consideration can be given to this matter in the future.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)   Report number DCS24 by the Director of Community Services detailing the feasibility of moving forward with the development of Welham Street and East Street car parks;

(2)   Cabinet’s identification on 11^th April 2005 of the retention of Watergate car park, sale of East Street and development of Welham Street car park as the preferred option subject to the outcome of a feasibility study; 

(3)   Preliminary findings of a traffic impact study reported at the meeting by the Director of Community Services, which indicated that the current road allignment would not be substantial;

(4)   Welham Street as a multi-storey and East Street as a temporary open car park would provide estimated car parking spaces of 345 and 200 respectively;

(5)   Two-level tendering for the demolition of buildings on the East Street site to enable review of expenditure and impact on the value of the site; 

(6)   Business rates would be reduced significantly for the East Street site following demolition of buildings; 

(7)   Minutes of the meeting of the Grantham Town Centre Management Partnership on 4^th July 2005 supporting report number DCS24 but with additional recommendations in relation to the development of Welham Street Car Park.

Other options considered and assessed

To sell the East Street site immediately.

As the report identified, this was rejected because it was thought necessary to provide alternative provision on East Street for car parking during the construction of the multi-storey car park on Welham Street.  A cost benefit analysis showed that estimated income from the proposal would be £35,000 in a full year rising to an estimated £80,000-£100,000 once Welham Street is closed. The cost of demolition at East Street will be recovered when sold for development.

Report number PLA508 by the Head of Planning Policy & Economic Regeneration.                                                                                   (attached)

DECISION:

To publish the Draft Town Centre Action Plan for consultation purposes, prior to re-presentation to Cabinet, subject to amendments discussed previously with the officers and the following:

·          Each page be clearly markes as a Consultation Draft;

·          Page iii: “timescales” be ommited;

·          Page 1: first line - “subject to review” to be inserted after “Town centre development and enhancement” and “subject to annual review” be inserted at the second paragraph after “activities over the coming years”;

·          Terms of Reference of the Town Centre Management Partnerships be updated to include reference to the current Development and Scrutiny Panels and any incorporation of Stamford Vision;

·          New Terms of Reference for Stamford Vision be included when adopted;

·          Appendices two and six and any reference to them throughout the document be removed.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)   Report number PLA508 by the Head of Planning Policy and Economic Regeneration presenting the draft Town Centre Action Plan for referral to consultation, prior to re-presentation to Cabinet;

(2)   Examplar approach undertaken by Stamford Vision moving to become established as a company limited by guarantee using the model of a Community Interest Company. This requires the company to produce a detailed community statement, which could be used as a basis for the remaining Town Centre Management Partnerships in the district. Town Centre Co-ordinators will become employees of the companies. Companies will be able to draw down, bank and manage its own finance;

(3)   Relevant Heads of Service have been working together on the Town Centre Action Plan elements of the spending plan for the Planning Delivery Grant.

Report number DCS25 by the Director of Community Services.  (attached)

DECISION:

To note the position regarding the Lincolnshire Assembly and await the minutes of its first meeting.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)   Report number DCS25 by the Director of Community Services informing on an identified need for a strategic partnership body to promote and co-ordinate joint working across Lincolnshire. The Lincolnshire Assembly had been established in response to this;

(2)   A paper prepared by Lincolnshire County Council as considered by the Lincolnshire Local Government Association and the terms of reference of the Lincolnshire Assembly appended to the above report;

(3)   Feedback from a Cabinet member on attendance at the first meeting of the Assembly as an observer and awaited minutes from this meeting.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, it was resolved that the public be excluded because of the likelihood in view of the nature of business to be transacted that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 7,8 and 9 of Schedule 12A of the Act. With the public excluded, the following two items were considered.

Report number PLA509 by the Head of Planning Policy & Economic Regeneration.                                                    (Exempt report attached)

DECISION:

To defer consideration of this item to allow submission of a further report.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)   Exempt report number PLA509 by the Head of Planning Policy and Economic Regeneration accompanying report PLA508 considered above and setting out a broad indicative profile of expenditure and receipts over the term of the Town Centre Action Plan and thus the financing of land acquisition;

(2)   Further discussions required with a Town Centre Management Partnership on the increased anticipated costs of a particular project.

Report number DOS289 by the Management Accountant.

                                                                        (Exempt report attached)

DECISION:

To proceed with the purchase of land in Grantham identified in the plan appended to report DOS289 by the Management Accountant, subject to the terms and price agreed by the District Valuer.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)   Exempt report number DOS289 by the Management Accountant detailing the position regarding the potential purchase of land in Grantham.

Non Key Decisions

(1)   Councillor Peter Martin-Mayhew

Decision: That approval be granted to transfer the land and buildings at Newton Court, Colsterworth (3,070m²) to Muir Group Housing Association Limited at District Valuer’s valuation with the District Council granting the Association financial assistance in respect of the whole purchase price in accordance with S.25 of the Local Government Act, 1988 and the General Disposal Consent 2005,  to develop 10 bungalows for rent in partnership with SKDC.  The Council to have 100% nomination rights to the bungalows as prescribed in the nomination agreement for this site. To salvage all equipment, furniture and fittings to be used at other sheltered schemes.  

[Decision made on 11.07.05]

(2)   Councillor John Smith

Decision: That approval be given to the name of ROCK COURT for the development to the rear of Nos. 17 & 18 Scotgate, Stamford to provide a new postal address for the new residential development.

[Decision made on 11.07.05]

Decision: That consultation and advertisement be undertaken with a view to producing a shopfront design guide for Bourne.

[Decision made on 04.07.05]

Decision: That approval be given to the following names in order to provide new postal addresses for new residential developments within the district:-

1.      COLTSFOOT DRIVE, DOG-ROSE DRIVE, HEATHER COURT, PERIWINKLE WAY, PIMPERNEL WALK and WATER-LILY WAY for phase 3 of The Pollards Development at Elsea Park off South Road, Bourne;

2.      BOUNDARY TERRACE for the development on the former Three Tuns Car Park, Bridge Steet, Deeping St James and

3.      THE CHASE for the development at Old Post Office Farm, Billingborough Road, Horbling.

[Decision made on 04.07.05]

Decision: To approve the restricted tender list of the four companies listed below as advised by the Council’s specialist consultant Capita Symonds for remediation works to Wharf Road Car Park, Stamford:-

          a)     Mowlems Remediations Ltd, Doncaster

          b)     Morrison Construction Services Ltd, Sutton Coldfield

          c)     VHE Construction plc, Leeds

          d)     Edmund Nuttall Ltd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

[Decision made on 04.07.05]

DATE DECISIONS EFFECTIVE

Key and Non key decisions made on 11^th July 2005 can be implemented on 20^th July 2005 unless subject to call-in by the relevant Development and Scrutiny Panel.

South Kesteven District Council, Council Offices, St. Peter’s Hill, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6PZ

Contact: Cabinet Support Officer – Tel: 01476 406119

                                                            Email:l.shuttlewood@southkesteven.gov.uk