Policy and Project Advisory Board - Wednesday, 10th June, 2020 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

Venue: Remote Meeting - link to view the meeting will appear below

Contact: Administrator, Kathy Flatt  Tel. (01252) 398829, Email.  kathy.flatt@rushmoor.gov.uk

Link: Click here for the Live Stream

Items
No. Item

1.

APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIRMEN

To appoint two Vice-Chairmen of the Board for the 2020/21 Municipal Year.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That Cllrs P.I.C. Crerar and C.J. Stewart be appointed Vice-Chairmen for the 2020/21 Municipal Year.

 

2.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE POLICY AND PROJECT ADVISORY BOARD

Minutes:

It was advised that, following the appointments to committees made at the Extraordinary Council Meeting on 14th May 2020, a change had been made by the Conservative Group to its membership of the Board.   It was noted that Cllr Jacqui Vosper had replaced Cllr Veronica Graham-Green as Standing Deputy.

3.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 84 KB

The confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 22nd January, 2020 (copy attached).

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 22nd January 2020 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

4.

ALDERSHOT TOWN CENTRE STRATEGY - UPDATE pdf icon PDF 58 KB

To receive an update from the Head of Economy, Planning and Strategic Housing on the progress on the development of the Aldershot Town Centre Strategy and receive the results from stage 1 of the Town Centre Uses Study and other data gathered (covering report attached).  The Board are asked to agree the process and the proposed way forward. 

 

The Board will also receive an update on the support and guidance from the High Streets Task Force.  Aldershot has been selected as a pilot area to receive expert support and funding to help with town centre regeneration.

Minutes:

The Board received the Head of Economy, Planning and Strategic Housing’s Report No. EPSH2019, which provided an update on the Aldershot Town Centre Uses Study that had been commissioned by the Council in December 2019 to provide evidence to support an updated Strategy for Aldershot Town Centre.  

 

The Chairman welcomed Dr. Steven Norris (Director and National Head of Planning, Development and Regeneration) and Blathnaid Duffy (Director, Planning, Development and Regeneration) from the Council’s consultants, Lambert Smith Hampton, who had joined the meeting to give a presentation on the Study.  The Study had been carried out to provide evidence to enable the Council to determine the likely level of need for retail, office, cultural and leisure floorspace in Aldershot Town Centre from the current baseline looking ahead five years, ten years and beyond. The forecasts would take account of the development proposed both within the town centre and beyond to advise how demographic changes associated with development of this scale were likely to influence demand. 

 

A copy of the presentation had been circulated to the Board in advance of the meeting.  The presentation covered:

 

·         the scope of the work

·         core study outputs

·         key trends and challenges

·         the impact of Covid-19 (accelerating trends)

·         headline findings of Part 1 of the study (market research)

·         population and expenditure

·         shopping patterns/market shares for food shopping and non-food shopping

·         retail floorspace capacity forecasts

·         an assessment of commercial leisure needs

·         Aldershot town centre health check (diversity of uses, market position and perception of town centre (household survey v in-centre survey)

·         emerging strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the town centre

·         an outline of the next steps of the Study (Part 2 – potential to support new office floorspace, strategy for managing future change and growth, potential steps to recovery following Covid-19)

 

During discussion, questions were raised regarding:

 

·         convenience retail and food/beverage offers being “strengths” for Aldershot town centre and how the Council could build on these going forward

 

·         the possibility of developing the area around the train station

 

·         the repurposing of space/buildings for leisure uses

 

·         the use of the “strengths” identified in the development of the Union Street East and Galleries sites

 

·         how to make the best use of the town centre’s heritage offer

 

·         the cost of the provision of open space

 

·         the impact of an increased population on security

 

·         the profile of the sample of residents used in the market research and the need to ensure that the thoughts and aspirations of young people were captured

 

·         the findings of the market research on residents’ thoughts on Aldershot Town Centre’s unique selling point

 

·         what the Council can do to retain the Borough’s young talent to stay in the area

 

The Head of Economy, Planning and Strategic Housing outlined the next steps of the Study (Part 2) to the Board, which would be continued over the following two months.  It was anticipated that an interim Aldershot Town Centre Strategy would be published in the autumn.  Due to the changing situation as a result of Covid-19, the finalised Strategy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

PROCUREMENT STRATEGY pdf icon PDF 355 KB

To consider the Council’s Procurement Strategy 2019-2023 which sets out the Council’s vision for procurement and the priorities for the next four years (copy attached).  The Board is asked to recommend the Strategy to be submitted to the Cabinet.

Minutes:

The Board considered the Draft Procurement Strategy 2020-2024, which set out the Council’s vision for procurement and its priorities for the following four years to 2024 and was consistent with the latest government procurement legislation and initiatives.  It was a statement of the procurement commitments of the Council.  The success of the Strategy relied on the commitment of Members, senior managers and staff undertaking procurement activity following processes set out in the document and could have a positive impact on a range of socio-economic factors.  These included a successful local economy, a thriving voluntary sector, community empowerment, environmental issues and value for money.  

 

The Executive Head of Finance encouraged Members to give feedback via email so that comments could be taken into account before the final draft Strategy was submitted to the Cabinet for approval. 

 

During discussion, proposed changes were submitted by the Chairman in respect of

 

·         the need to have regard to the Climate Change Statement, strategic framework and action plan, with the aim of achieving the Council’s objective of becoming carbon neutral by 2030;

 

·         amendments to the current outcome measures under “Definitions of Economic, Social, Environmental Outcomes”

 

which the Executive Head of Finance agreed to include and build upon in the final draft.    Questions were also raised regarding: break clauses in large scale contracts; the use of in-house and consultants for contract negotiations; combatting procurement fraud; the impact of Brexit on public procurement regulations; collaborative procurement; the assessment of the financial standing of suppliers; and, missing timescales in the current draft Strategy.

 

Action to be taken

 

By whom

When

Board Members to submit comments on the draft Strategy to the Executive Head of Finance, to be taken into account when finalising the draft Strategy for submission to the Cabinet (including the Chairman’s comments submitted at the meeting)

Board Members

July 2020

 

    

6.

APPOINTMENTS TO GROUPS FOR 2020/21

(1)      Progress Group

 

To appoint the Membership of the Progress Group.  Membership of the Group includes the Chair and Vice-Chairmen of the Policy and Project Advisory Board.  In addition, nominations are requested for one Conservative Group representative, two Labour Group representatives and one Liberal Democrat Group representative from the Policy and Project Advisory Board.

 

(2)      Strategic Housing and Local Plan Group

 

To appoint the Membership of the Strategic Housing and Local Plan Group.  Representatives of other groups:

 

·      Leader of the Council

·      Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Local Plan

·      Chairman of Development Management Committee

·      Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Policy and Project Advisory Board

 

(3)      Leisure Facilities and Contracts Task and Finish Group

 

To appoint the Membership of the Leisure Facilities and Contracts Task and Finish Group.  Membership of the Group includes Chairman or Vice-Chairman of Policy and Project Advisory Board. 

 

(4)      Transformation Task and Finish Group

 

To appoint the Membership of the Transformation Task and Finish Group.  Representatives of other groups:

 

·      Cabinet Member with responsibility for Customer Experience and Improvement

·      Chairman or Vice-Chairman of Policy and Project Advisory Board. 

 

(5)      Regeneration Sustainability Group

 

To appoint the Membership of the Regeneration Sustainability Group.  Representatives of other groups:

 

·      Cabinet Member with responsibility for Customer Experience and Improvement or Major Projects and Property

·      Chairman or Vice-Chairman of Policy and Project Advisory Board. 

 

(6)      Elections Group

 

To appoint the Membership of the Elections Group. Representatives of other groups:

 

·      Cabinet Member with responsibility for Electoral Issues

·      Chairman of Licensing, Audit and General Purposes Committee

Chairman or Vice- Chairman of Policy and Project Advisory Board. 

Minutes:

(1)      Progress Group

 

RESOLVED: That the following members be appointed to serve on the Policy and Project Advisory Board Progress Group for the 2020/21 Municipal Year:

 

PPAB Chairman

Cllr J.B. Canty

PPAB Vice-Chairmen

Cllr P.I.C. Crerar

Cllr C.J. Stewart

Conservative Group

Cllr P.J. Cullum

Labour Group

Cllr Nadia Martin

Cllr M.J. Roberts

Liberal Democrat Group

Cllr T.W. Mitchell

 

(2)      Strategic Housing and Local Plan Group

 

RESOLVED: That the following members be appointed to serve on the Strategic Housing and Local Plan Group for the 2020/21 Municipal Year:

 

PPAB Vice-Chairman

Cllr P.I.C. Crerar

Leader of the Council

Cllr D.E. Clifford

Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Local Plan

Cllr Marina Munro

Chairman of Development Management Committee

Cllr J.H. Marsh

Conservative Group

Cllr P.J. Cullum

Cllr C.J. Stewart

Labour Group

Cllr C.P. Grattan

Cllr M.J. Roberts

Liberal Democrat Group

Cllr T.W. Mitchell

 

(3)      Leisure Facilities and Contracts Task and Finish Group

 

RESOLVED: That the following members be appointed to serve on the Leisure Facilities and Contracts Task and Finish Group for the 2020/21 Municipal Year:

 

PPAB Chairman

Cllr J.B. Canty

Conservative Group

Cllr Sue Carter

Cllr Mara Makunura

Cllr C.J. Stewart

Labour Group

Cllr C.P. Grattan

Cllr Sophie Porter

Liberal Democrat Group

Cllr T.W. Mitchell

 

(4)      Transformation Task and Finish Group

 

RESOLVED: That the following members be appointed to serve on the Transformation Task and Finish Group for the 2020/21 Municipal Year:

 

PPAB Chairman

Cllr J.B. Canty

Cabinet Member with responsibility for Customer Experience and Improvement

Cllr K.H. Muschamp

Conservative Group

Cllr Sophia Choudhary

Cllr P.J. Cullum

Labour Group

Cllr Gaynor Austin

Cllr Sophie Porter

Liberal Democrat Group

One vacancy

 

(5)      Elections Group

 

RESOLVED: That the following members be appointed to serve on the Elections Group for the 2020/21 Municipal Year:

 

PPAB Vice-Chairman

Cllr C.J. Stewart

Cabinet Member with responsibility for Electoral Issues

Cllr A.R. Newell

Chairman of Licensing, Audit and General Purposes Committee

Cllr S.J. Masterson

Conservative Group

Cllr P.I.C. Crerar

Labour Group

Cllr T.D. Bridgeman

Cllr K. Dibble

Liberal Democrat Group

Cllr T.W. Mitchell

 

(6)      Regeneration Sustainability Group

 

During discussion on the establishment of this group, it was agreed that the best way forward for Member input on regeneration and sustainability issues would be to hold a series of all Member webinars where different experts would join the discussions, therefore providing all Members with an earlier opportunity to have an input, rather than a small working group.

 

RESOLVED:   That the establishment of a Regeneration Sustainability Group be not progressed, for the reasons set out above.

7.

WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 98 KB

To discuss the Policy and Projects Advisory Board Work Programme (copy attached).

Minutes:

The Chairman gave an update on the current situation with regard to the Playground Action Plan.  It was noted that, in future, this would be dealt with by the Cabinet Member with responsibility for playgrounds.

 

The Board was also advised that the issue of a consultation on the Byelaws Review of Aldershot and District Military Lands had been added to the work programme, pending publication of the document.

 

The Board NOTED the Work Programme and that it would be developed through the Progress Group.