Agenda and minutes

(a)        This meeting is to be webcast;

(b)        Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking; and

(c)        the Chairman will read the following announcement:

I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of subsequent repeated viewing, with copies of the recording being made available for those that request it.

By being present at this meeting, it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in your image becoming part of the broadcast.

You should be aware that this may infringe your human and data protection rights. If you have any concerns then please speak to the Webcasting Officer.

Please could I also remind Members to activate their microphones before speaking.

The Chairman reminded everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the Internet and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

(Director of Governance) To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Director of Governance reported that Councillor A. Lion had been appointed as substitute for Councillor W. Breare-Hall at the meeting.

(The Director of Governance) To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made by members of the Committee, pursuant to the Council’s Code of Conduct.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Cabinet Committee held on 30 June 2016.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 30 June 2016 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(Director of Communities) To consider the attached report AMED-005-2016/17.

The Committee was reminded that it had previously considered and adopted a Broadway Regeneration Action Plan, setting out the Council’s planned approach to the development of various sites in the Broadway area of Loughton.

The Director of Communities presented a report relating to five separate areas of Council-owned land at Vere Road, Loughton, to the north of The Broadway, which were currently used to provide either Council garages or public car parking spaces. Members were advised that, in accordance with the development agreement for the site of the former Sir Winston Churchill Public House, the Council was required to provide sufficient land for 58 car parking spaces to be constructed by the developer of that site (Higgins Homes) on one or two of the specific sites at Vere Road, at the developer’s expense. The report provided various options for future car parking arrangements and the development of affordable housing schemes on the sites at Vere Road, which were considered by the Committee.

The approach recommended by the report of the Director of Communities offered a balanced approach to car parking and the provision of new affordable homes in the area, providing around 96 public parking spaces (compared to the current 63 spaces) and 10 new affordable rented properties. Members were advised that Higgins Homes had offered to meet the cost of the re-construction of some of the public car parking spaces, and that it was proposed that the costs of re-constructing the remaining public car parking spaces be assessed, with a view to appropriate budget provision being made to undertake the works within the Capital Programme for 2017/18. The Director of Communities advised the Committee that the Council would receive an annual income from each of the 58 car parking spaces to be constructed by Higgins Homes at Vere Road, even in the event that any of the spaces were not actually utilised by residents of the new residential development on the former Sir Winston Churchill Public House site.

The Committee noted that the ward members in attendance at the meeting were generally in favour of the option proposed in the report, subject to the completion of scheme designs to ensure the continued provision of access to the rear of the shops along The Broadway by local traders and the grant of planning permission where necessary. One of the ward members in attendance raised concern with regard to parking on the footpath at front of the shops along The Broadway by traders and those making deliveries to the shops. The Director of Neighbourhoods advised the Committee that the ongoing Debden Parking Review would address a range of parking-related issues for the area and that he would draw the issues of pavement parking at The Broadway to the attention of relevant officers for investigation.

Recommended:

That Option 3 set out within the report be pursued, in order to provide a cohesive Car Parking and Affordable Housing Plan for Vere Road, Loughton and that:

(a)         the previous decision of the Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, together with paragraphs 6 and 25 of the Council Procedure Rules contained in the Constitution require that the permission of the Chairman be obtained, after prior notice to the Chief Executive, before urgent business not specified in the agenda (including a supplementary agenda of which the statutory period of notice has been given) may be transacted.

In accordance with Operational Standing Order 6 (non-executive bodies), any item raised by a non-member shall require the support of a member of the Committee concerned and the Chairman of that Committee. Two weeks’ notice of non-urgent items is required.

The Director of Governance reported that there was no other urgent business for consideration at the meeting.

Exclusion: To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Background Papers:  Article 17 - Access to Information, Procedure Rules of the Constitution define background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)        disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

The Council will make available for public inspection for four years after the date of the meeting one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers.

RESOLVED:

That the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on the grounds that they would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:

Agenda                                                                       Exempt Information

Item No.          Subject                                               Paragraph Number

9                      Epping Forest Shopping                                     3

            Park – Progress Report

(Director of Neighbourhoods) To consider the attached report AMED-006-2016/17.

The Council’s Asset Management Development Consultant, Mr. C. Pasterfield, presented a report on current progress with regard to the development of the Epping Forest Shopping Park. Mr. Pasterfield was accompanied by Mr. T. McLaughlin of White, Young and Green, the Council’s appointed consultants for the management of the highway works related to the development of the shopping park, pursuant to Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980.

Mr. McLaughlin advised the Committee that the highway works were due to commence from the third week of September 2016, for a period of 39/40 weeks duration, and that this timescale included provision for weather-related delay. Members noted that all necessary works (including road closures) were to be undertaken during the hours of 8.00pm to 5.30am as a requirement of Essex County Council (the Highway Authority), in order to maintain traffic flows in the area of the shopping park site. A letter outlining the works to be carried out, including contact arrangements for complaints, had been issued to local residents by the works contractor and further communications would be made with residents at key stages in the works programme. The Committee requested that the letter already issued to local residents be provided to the local members for the Loughton Alderton and Loughton Broadway wards, and that monitoring of the progress of the highway works be included as a standing element of the regular report on overall scheme progress.

Mr. Pasterfield reported that the contract for the construction of the Shopping Park had been awarded to McLaughlin and Harvey Construction, who were due to take possession of the site and commence work in early September 2016. The Committee was advised that the marketing of the Shopping Park had  continued and that strong interest was being expressed by a number of parties. Mr. Pasterfield reported that legal agreements for the lease of various units were currently awaiting completion by external solicitors. Members noted that the Council’s Grounds Maintenance and Fleet Operations services had substantially relocated to the new depot at Oakwood Hill in Loughton and that the Langston Road Depot would shortly become fully vacant.

Mr. Pasterfield reported that a combination of the delay in the commencement of the highway works and the need to re-tender the main construction contract, had led to the opening date for the shopping park to be revised to August 2017. The Committee was advised that it was possible that any delays in the completion of the highway works could adversely affect the planned opening date of the shopping park.

The Director of Neighbourhoods reported to the Committee on the results of an analysis undertaken by the Council’s Economic Development Section with regard to the potential impact of the shopping park on business operating in its locality and elsewhere within (and outside) the Epping Forest District. The Committee requested that the analysis also be provided to local members for their information.

Resolved:

(1)       That current progress with regard to the development of the Epping Forest Shopping Park, including the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.