Agenda and minutes

to approve as a correct record and authorise the Chairman to sign the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 14 September 2017;

E.29/17          

The minutes of the Executive meeting held on 14 September 2017 were confirmed as a true and correct record and signed off by the Chairman.

Members are invited to declare any personal or disclosable pecuniary interests, including the nature and extent of such interests they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting;

E.30/17          

Members and officers were invited to declare any interests in the items of business to be considered during the course of this meeting but none were made.

a period of up to 15 minutes is available to deal with questions submitted to the Council in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules;

E.31/17          

It was noted that two public questions had been received as follows:

From Mr Steve Arblaster:

Within the Alternative Concept Option there is still a “potential community facility”.

One of the key items identified in the independent survey was:

A significant area of green space should be included on the quayside, plus dedicated space for creativity (workshops, studios) and community use (eg picnic area, wide promenade, community rooms for youth groups/public gatherings/ concerts/exhibitions). To neglect

these in favour of residential buildings will not benefit the current community.

I argue that this theme is essential to support the key objectives of the master plan. Failure to quantify this now, showing empathy with all those you represent, will adversely affect the chances of improving local support for the project.

Can you assure us all that in parallel with the supply of truly affordable and community housing, that the above, via proper and thorough engagement with the entire community, will be a priority over the controversial 28 residential apartments at the southern end of the quay?

If you are unable to do so, please can you explain how you think that the predicted marginal return on these 28 apartments, and the permanent loss of this public open space, could ever benefit the South Hams, let alone Kingsbridge.

From Kingsbridge Town Council:

Given the Quayside report at 4.7 states that “neither scheme is currently viable (…) when considering delivery risks” will Members support the wishes of Kingsbridge Town Council, and 80% of the Kingsbridge community, that the only sensible route forward is to pursue your proposal at 7 for an Exit Strategy?

In acknowledging these questions, the Leader requested that item 6 – Kingsbridge Quayside Masterplan Update, be presented to Members, prior to responding to the questions presented.  He felt that the debate would allay some of the concerns raised.

Following the presentation of Item 6 – Kingsbridge Quayside Masterplan, Mr Arblaster felt that his question had not been sufficiently responded to and he sought further detail. 

The Leader then stated that the green space area referred to in the question would not go forward as it was part of Area 2 that had now been removed.  In terms of the part of the question relating to housing, the Leader confirmed that this would be a community led project and in consultation with the community.  It would be important to ensure that there were people to take on the houses built.  In addition, development on Area 3 would be in consultation with the Planning department. 

Mr Arblaster then asked how the people in the houses would be ‘entertained’.  Another Member responded that the area set aside as such had now been removed following the consultation exercise.

The Senior Specialist Assets added that officers would be working with Kingsbridge Town Council and there would be an element of managing expectations.

Cllr Chris Povey, Kingsbridge Town Council thanked the Leader for his response and stated that the Town Council would be open  ...  view the full minutes text for item E.31/17

E.32/17          

Members were presented with a report that provided a summary of the work that had been undertaken as part of the Kingsbridge Master Plan project and recommended how the master plan should be taken forward.

The Leader introduced the report and began by advising that he wished to propose an alternative recommendation so that only Areas 3 and 4 were included in Stage 2 of the project. 

The local Ward Members thanked the Leader for the revised recommendation and felt this was a better outcome and that the people of Kingsbridge and Kingsbridge Town Council had been listened to.

Another Member accepted the revised recommendation but felt that opportunities were being missed.

One Member noted that, following the consultation exercise, the Council did not seem to be engaging with young people and this was an area that should be improved.

The Leader concluded by asking officers to consider how the end of the car park and the slipway could be improved.

It was then:

RESOLVED:

1.      That the outcome of the Master Planning exercise be noted;

2.      That officers proceed to stage 2, which would seek to improve financial viability through more detailed design work, determine the best project delivery and funding options and secure planning approvals for Areas 3 and 4 only;

3.      That Stage 2 be delivered in two phases, referred to herein as Stages 2A and 2B;

4.      That the delivery of community housing as identified for Area 4 be prioritised;

5.      That the full Stage 2 process be funded, at a cost of £30,000, for Stage 2A and

E.33/17          

Members were presented with a report that set out the Council’s Medium Term Financial Position (MTFP) based on a financial forecast over a rolling five year time frame to 2022/23.

The Leader introduced the report. The s151 Officer responded to a number of questions of clarity. 

It was then:

RESOLVED that:

1.       The contents of the Member Survey on the Budget options at presented Appendix E were considered;

2.       The views arising from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 12 October have been considered; and

3.       The views of the Executive be reflected in the draft Budget setting proposals report that will be introduced to the Executive at its meeting on 7 December 2017.

E.34/17          

Members were presented with a report that asked them to consider the proposed anti-social behaviour policy and recommend to Council its adoption, that the Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) were adopted, that the penalty set for a fixed penalty notice be set at £100 and the a budget of £5,000 be made available for the advertisement of the PSPOs.

The Lead Executive Member for Customer First introduced the report, and in doing so advised Members of an updated document and maps relating to the Public Space Protection Order covering the consumption of alcohol.  

During discussion on this item, one Member asked how the new Orders would be policed.  In response, the Senior Specialist Environmental Health advised that both PCSOs and council officers who had attended the appropriate training would be able to enforce the Orders. 

Members then discussed the reducing number of PCSOs, and whilst it was accepted that they would be replaced by police officers, Members were concerned that the number of police officers was smaller and that police officers tended to be diverted to areas of high crime.   

A local Ward Member advised that instances of Anti-Social Behaviour had reduced as a result of the installation of CCTV, which enabled the identification of culprits and could be used in court as evidence.

Finally, in response to questions from another Member, the Senior Specialist Environmental Health confirmed that homeless people would not be criminalised by the introduction of the Orders, but anti-social behaviour associated with homelessness would be tackled.

It was then:

RESOLVED

That Council be RECOMMENDED:

E.35/17          

Members were presented with a report that set out the position with the Insurance Contract and sought authority for the contract award decision to be taken by the s151 officer in consultation with the Leader and Executive Member for Support Services. The Council had appointed Insurance specialists as consultants to support the procurement process and an invitation to tender would be published in October 2017 with a contract award planned for late November 2017.  The next meeting of the Executive was not until December 2017.

The Lead Member for Support Services introduced the report and asked that the presented recommendation (2) be amended to include the Lead Executive Member for Support Services, in line with the detail set out in paragraph 1.3 of the presented report.

It was then:

RESOLVED

1.   That the progress of the procurement be noted; and

2.   That authority be delegated to the s151 Officer, in consultation with the Leader and the Lead Executive Member for Support Services to award the Insurance contract for a period of 3 years from 1 January 2018 with the option to extend up to 4 further years.

E.36/17          

Following the request made at the recent meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel, the Leader advised that this item would be deferred for consideration to the next meeting of the Executive.

“That in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business in order to avoid the likely disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”;         

E.37/17          

RESOLVED

That in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 3 of Schedule 12A to the Act is involved.

E.38/17          

Members were presented with an exempt report that set out a proposal to reduce the cost of placing homeless households in temporary accommodation.

The Lead Member for Customer First introduced the report.  In doing so he asked that the Specialist – Housing and her colleagues be thanked for the work they undertook in relation to tackling homelessness.

It was then:

RESOLVED

That Council be RECOMMENDED:

(NOTE: THESE DECISIONS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF E.32/17 (6), E.34/17, E.36/17 AND E.38/17 WHICH ARE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL MEETING TO BE HELD ON 14 DECEMBER 2017, WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM 5.00PM ON MONDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2017 UNLESS CALLED IN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SCRUTINY PROCEDURE RULE 18).