Cabinet - Tuesday, 24th July, 2018 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 29th May, 2018 (copy attached).  

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 29th May, 2018 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

To consider Report No. FIN1821 (copy attached), which sets out proposed amendments to the existing Discretionary Relief Policy to reduce business rates liabilities to those businesses worst affected by the 2017 national revaluation.

The Cabinet considered Report No. FIN1821, which set out a proposed amendment to the Council’s Discretionary Rate Relief Policy to reduce business rates liabilities to those businesses that had been worst affected by the 2017 Business Rates national revaluation.

Members were informed that the proposed amendment was in respect of the percentage reduction to be awarded to qualifying businesses for the 2018/19 financial year in line with the reduced funding available from central government for the second year of this four-year scheme.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that, for qualifying businesses, where the increase in Business Rates payable between 2016/17 and 2017/18 was greater than 10%, the application of relief at a rate of 17% for 2018/19, as set out in Report No. FIN1821, be approved.

To consider Report No. CEX1802 (copy attached), which provides an update on the process to appoint an Investment Partner to support the ‘Regenerating Rushmoor’ programme.

The Cabinet considered Report No. CEX1802, which provided an update on the process to appoint an Investment Partner to support the ‘Regenerating Rushmoor’ programme and to set out the proposed next steps.

Members were informed that the selection process had produced a shortlist of three strong applicants. It was confirmed that the two companies that had not been selected at the final evaluation stage would be held as reserves should it prove difficult to secure agreement with the preferred provider on the required business plan and legal agreements. It was confirmed that Hill Investment Partnership Limited had performed strongly during the selection process and was considered to be best placed to provide the expertise and investment required to deliver a joint venture of this type.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           the appointment of Hill Investment Partnership Limited as the Council’s preferred Investment Partner, as set out in Report No. CEX1802, be approved;

(ii)          the commencement of a period of due diligence with the preferred partner be approved, with a further recommendation to be presented to the Cabinet and the Council in due course, with the Chief Executive authorised in the meantime to undertake necessary preliminary actions and to incur expenditure as required, within the budget agreed at (iv) below, to enable the effective establishment of an Investment Partnership;

(iii)         the establishment of a Shadow Partnership Board and Shadow Investment Team to oversee the development of the proposals be approved, the make-up of which in terms of Council representation being delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Council’s Monitoring Officer; and

(iv)         a supplementary estimate of up to £50,000 for the next phase of the process, as set out in Report No. CEX1802, be approved.

To consider Report No. PLN1817 (copy attached), which provides a summary of the comments to be submitted in response to the Surrey Heath Draft Local Plan Issues and Options / Preferred Options consultation.

The Cabinet considered Report No. PLN1817, which sought agreement to submit comments in response to the Surrey Heath Draft Local Plan Issues and Options/Preferred Options consultation.

The Report set out the context of this consultation in terms of the National Planning Policy Framework and explained how Surrey Heath, Rushmoor and Hart Councils together formed a Housing Market Area. It was predicted in the document that Surrey Heath Borough Council would fall short of its objectively assessed housing need within its administrative area. The Council’s proposed response encouraged Surrey Heath to explore further potential opportunities to increase capacity for housing and to continue to work proactively to address this unmet need within its area.

The Cabinet discussed several elements of the consultation, including whether the changes just announced by the Government to the National Planning Policy Framework would have implications for the proposed response to the consultation. It was agreed that this would be investigated prior to the response being submitted.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the Council makes representations on the Surrey Heath Draft Local Plan Issues and Options/Preferred Options consultation, based on the response set out in Report No. PLN1817 and subject to any alterations as a result of the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, with any proposed amendments to the response being agreed by the Head of Planning, in consultation with the Planning and Economy Portfolio Holder.

To consider Report No. EHH1821 (copy attached), which sets out  proposals to revise the Council’s current Statement of Licensing Policy.

The Cabinet considered Report No. EHH1821, which outlined a number of proposed changes to the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy in relation to the Licensing Act 2003.

Members were informed that there had been some legislative changes and changes to associated guidance issued by the Secretary of State since the Policy had been last reviewed in 2010. The Report set out the proposed changes to the Policy which included the withdrawal of neighbourhood notifications and how the Council’s Cumulative Impact Policy in relation to Aldershot town centre had lapsed and was not being proposed to be reinstated. It was confirmed that, following a period of consultation, any material representations would be reported to the Cabinet prior to the Policy being submitted to the Council for approval.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy be approved for public consultation.

To consider Report No. COMM1806 (copy attached), which sets out details of applications for grants from the Farnborough Airport Community Environmental Fund.

The Cabinet considered Report No. COMM1806, which sought approval to award grants from the Farnborough Airport Community Environmental Fund to assist local projects. 

The Operational Services Portfolio Holder had considered two applications and had recommended that both awards should be made.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that grants be awarded from the Farnborough Airport Community Environmental Fund to the following organisations:

To consider Report No. IT1801 (copy attached), which provides an update on the Council Offices Improvement Programme and seeks approval for accessing funding for associated projects.

The Cabinet considered Report No. IT1801, which set out a summary of the Council’s Council Offices Improvement Programme and sought authority to access the current Capital Programme budget to implement the associated projects. The Report also set out the associated costs of Citizens Advice Rushmoor relocating to the Council Offices.

The Report set out proposed expenditure on a number of routine maintenance issues, including the repair of the passenger lift. It was confirmed that most of the cost of repairing the lift would be recoverable through the Council’s insurance policy. In considering the proposal for the Council to install an electrical connector to enable connection to an externally provided mobile electricity generator in the event of a major power failure, Members requested that further consideration should be given to the risks associated with this approach compared with the Council purchasing its own generator. In response to a question, it was confirmed that the Council already owned a generator capable of providing emergency power to an Emergency Control Centre and other essential services. The Report also set out further costs associated with various proposed improvements to the Council Offices.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           the improvement projects, as set out in Report No. IT1801, be approved;

(ii)          the release of £95,000 from the Council’s Capital Programme in respect of the projects, as set out in the Report, be approved, subject to the preferred option in respect of the Council’s business continuity provision being agreed by the Head of IT and Facilities, in consultation with the Customer Experience and Improvement Portfolio Holder; and

(iii)         variations to the Council’s Capital Programme of £10,000 in respect of the relocation of Citizens Advice Rushmoor and £27,000 in respect of repairs to the passenger lift, as set out in the Report, be approved.

NOTE:  Cllr Barbara Hurst declared a personal but non prejudicial interest in this item in respect of her involvement as a Board member and the Council’s representative with Citizens Advice Rushmoor and, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, remained in the meeting during the discussion and voting thereon.

To consider Report No. LEG1807 (copy attached), which seeks approval for funding for urgent works at No. 168 High Street, Guildford, which is owned by the Council.

The Cabinet considered Report No. LEG1807, which requested funding for urgent repair works at No. 168 High Street, Guildford, which was owned by the Council.

The Report explained that works totalling £65,000 were required to repair the external render to several parts of the property. Members were informed that the cost of the works was fully recoverable, in due course, from the tenants but that the works would need to be funded, initially, by the Council. It was anticipated that the full cost of the works would be recovered from the tenants by 2020.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that a supplementary estimate of £65,000 to fund the works, as set out in Report No. LEG1807, be approved.

To consider Report No. LEG1806 (copy attached), which seeks approval for the sale of former highway land at Pegasus Avenue, Aldershot form the Council to VIVID, following the redevelopment of North Town Phase 6.

The Cabinet considered Report No. LEG1806, which sought approval to sell former highway land at Pegasus Avenue, Aldershot to VIVID, following the redevelopment of North Town – Phase 6.  

The Report explained that the redevelopment had involved the redesign of the site and that this had led to areas of former highway and footpath land remaining in the ownership of the Council. Where this was the case, VIVID would require a transfer of ownership to them to enable the letting or sale of the newly constructed properties. Whilst Savills had placed a valuation of nil on the land, the District Valuer had been asked to value the land and VIVID had committed to pay the District Valuer’s valuation, along with the cost of the District Valuer’s report and any associated legal costs relating to the transfer of the land.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the Executive Director, in consultation with the Major Projects and Property Portfolio Holder, be authorised to sell the former highways land at North Town Phase 6, shown on the plan at Appendix 1 of Report No. LEG1806, to Vivid for a price to be determined, based on advice from the District Valuer.