Meeting documents

Venue: Council Chamber

Contact: Catherine Mackenzie 

Items
No. Item

12.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors G Hall (Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment) and  D Watson (Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources)

 

13.

Minutes

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

 

 

RESOLVED: That the first paragraph within the exclusion of press and public section be amended to read Minute Nos 10 and 11; and

Cllr Peart be removed from the attendance section due to the fact that he had tendered his apologies.

 

That subject to the amendments above, the notes of the last meeting be agreed as a true record.

 

14.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Councillor D Johncock declared an  interest in relation to Minute 16 by virtue of his son’s employment with DRF, and whilst commenting that there was no legal obligation to do so, withdrew from the meeting for the duration of this item.

 

Councillors Ms K Wood and L Wood declared a pecuniary interest in relation to Minute 17 due to living near to the site, and both withdrew from the Chamber for the remainder of the meeting at the commencement of this item.

 

15.

High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan: Next Phases

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The report before Cabinet detailed proposals under the High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan to regenerate the town centre, in particular the delivery of the schemes funded as part of the Local Growth Deal 2014. Cabinet approval was sought to agree to commence consultation with stakeholders and the wider public on the detailed infrastructure improvements for Queen Victoria Road and Easton Street, in preference to the Oxford Road element.

Members noted the importance of the High Wycombe Town Committee being consulted by the County Council, and felt this should be added to the agenda for the next Town Committee meeting.

The following decisions were made to support the delivery of the Local Growth Deal Major Scheme and regeneration of High Wycombe.

RESOLVED: That as part of the delivery of the High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan, approval be given to proceed with the Queen Victoria Road/Easton Street element of the High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan, funding for which had been approved in principle by Cabinet in June 2016, and was considered annually by Cabinet as part of the Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 Funding Allocations. 

 

 

At this point, the Deputy Leader, Cllr Barnes took the Chair as the Leader left the meeting.

16.

Gomm Valley and Ashwells Development Brief

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The report before Cabinet set out and provided an assessment of the consultation responses received in relation to the Gomm Valley and Ashwells Development Brief. Cabinet approval was being sought to adopt the Development Brief as a planning document, to ensure greater control was maintained by the Council over the development of the site.

 

It was noted that the Development Brief contained detailed planning guidance that would be a material consideration when planning decisions were made on planning applications in this area. The brief would help co-ordinate future development and the provision of infrastructure.

 

The following decisions were made as land at Gomm Valley and Ashwells was reserved for future development under the Council’s Core Strategy. Cabinet had previously agreed that the reserve sites needed to be released for development to meet the current development needs of the District, particularly for housing.

 

RESOLVED: That the the Gomm Valley and Ashwells Development Brief: Draft for Adoption (Appendix A of the report) be adopted as planning guidance for the area.

 

 

 

17.

Referral from the High Wycombe Town Committee - Cemetery Security

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Councillor A Green, Chairman of the High Wycombe Town Committee, presented the Committee’s recommendations in relation to the proposed enhanced Cemetery security arrangements. He confirmed that the following options had been proposed at the High Wycombe Town Committee:

 

1.    Additional fencing on the northern footpath side - £20,000

2.    Additional planting along the eastern and southern edges – existing maintenance budget as minimal cost

3.    Installation of locally recorded CCTV at the two main gateways and on the rear entrance to the Snowdrop Garden - £3,000

4.    Installation of higher gates at the Lodge, Office and Snowdrop entrances - £9,000

5.    Permanent closure of the Hampden Road/Snowdrop entrance – no cost.

 

The High Wycombe Town Committee had considered the above options and endorsed the below recommendations for implementation at its meeting in June 2017.

 

The following decisions were made as there had been resident concern about suspected incidents of vandalism at the Cemetery.  A few incidents had been reported to Wycombe District Council and the Police. Two residents, whose children had been buried in the Cemetery, had written to the Bucks Free Press about their concerns. One of these residents presented a recent petition to the Council seeking 24/7 CCTV coverage. 

 

RESOLVED: That (i) options 2, 3 and 5 as set out in paragraph 11 of the report be agreed; and 

 

(ii)       delegated authority be granted to the Head of Community to implement options 1 and 4 should the need arise following a review to be held in the Autumn 2017; to release up to a maximum of £32k from the Special Expenses Reserve.

 

 

18.

File on Action Taken Under Delegated Authority

Minutes:

Cabinet received the following files on actions taken under delegated powers:

 

Community    C/19/17 – C/25/17

Finance    F/19/17 – F/20/17

Planning & Sustainability   PS/53/17 - PS/59/17

 

 

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

 

RESOLVED: That pursuant to Regulation 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Minute Nos 19 and 20, because of their reference to matters which contain exempt information as defined as follows:

Minute 19 -    Baker Street Area Renewal Phase E (Desbox)

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A, Local Government Act 1972)

(The need to maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure, because disclosure could prejudice the Council’s position in any future tender process or negotiations)

Minute 20 - File on Action taken under Exempt Delegated Powers

Community sheet nos: C/04/17- C/05/17

Economic Development and Regeneration sheet nos: EDR/25/17 – EDR/37/17

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A, Local Government Act 1972)

(The need to maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure, because disclosure could prejudice the Council’s position in any future tender process or negotiations)

 

 

19.

Baker Street Area Renewal Phase E (DesBox)

Minutes:

Cabinet were asked to recommend to Council the provision of funding from the Major Projects Capital Programme to enable further regeneration of the Baker Street area, which was largely owned by the Council.

An addendum to the report was circulated at the meeting.

The following decisions and recommendation were made as it was proposed that DesBox would be a ‘container village’, subject to planning permission, that could provide small workspace, specifically aimed at artists/craftsmen and small businesses in the creative design sector.

 

RESOLVED: That (i) the funding and development of Phase 3 of Baker Street Area Renewal (‘DesBox’) in accordance with Paragraph 17 of the report be agreed; and

(ii)    Delegated authority to enter into a construction contract for the proposed development detailed in paragraphs 8 & 9 of the report within the budget limit as set out in Paragraph 19 of the addendum be granted to the Corporate Director of Growth and Regeneration, Major Projects Executive, Head of Finance and Commercial and the Head of Democratic, Legal & Policy Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Economic Development and Regeneration and Finance and Resources.

 

Recommended: That a new allocation to the Major Projects Capital Programme to fund the proposed development as detailed in paragraph 17 of the report be approved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20.

File on Action Taken Under Exempt Delegated Powers

Minutes:

Cabinet received the following files on exempt actions taken under delegated

powers:

 

Community: C/04/17 – C/05/17

Economic Development & Regeneration: EDR/25/17 – EDR/37/17