Meeting documents

Councillor Mrs Paternoster

Cabinet Member for Growth Strategy

To consider the attached report.

Contact Officer:  Clare Manders (01296) 585620

(a)          Decision(s)

(1)  That, subject to the final documents making reference to the fact that the District comprises two Parliamentary Constituencies and therefore has two Local Members of Parliament, and reference to surrounding parish Councils as well as the Town Council, approval be given to the governance arrangements for the Aylesbury Garden Town project as set out in the Cabinet report and accompanying Appendix and that the Leader of the Council be appointed as AVDC’s representative on the Board.

(2)  That the Director with responsibility for Community Fulfilment, after consultation with the Leader of the Council be authorised to finalise the governance arrangements/documents taking into account the above and any other matters considered necessary and/or appropriate having regard to the aspirations of the project.

(b)          Reason(s) for Decision(s)

To ensure that the Authority has the appropriate level of governance in place to actively manage and contribute to the project.

(c)        Alternative Options Considered

None as such.  No other governance arrangements were considered suitable within the context of the specific focus required.

(d)       Relevant Scrutiny Committee

Environment and Living.

(e)        Conflicts of Interest / Dispensation(s)

None.

In October 2016, AVDC had co-ordinated the preparation and submission of a bid to the Government’s Garden Towns and Villages Programme.  In January this year, Aylesbury had been announced as one of the successful town bids.  The first step had been to bring together the key partners responsible for the development of the Vale and to form a local Aylesbury Garden Town Partnership.  This group comprised AVDC, BCC, the two Local Enterprise Partnerships and Buckinghamshire Advantage.  This would probably expand as the project matured to include engagement with Town/Parish Councils, local residents and developers.

A project team had been established to carry the initiative forward and included a Garden Town Project Manager.  Other support staff would be recruited in due course.  Advice was being received from expert consultants with strong experience in running similar projects.  The consultants had reviewed the overall project plan, the governance arrangements and the stakeholder strategy.

A clear project plan, identifying key work streams had been put together and the emerging Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP) included clear guiding principles and commitments to enable the project to progress.  Work was soon to begin on a series of supplementary planning documents to support the Local Plan and the delivery of Aylesbury Garden Town, focussing on issues such as infrastructure and high quality design principles.  Work would also start on a vision for the future and planning beyond the period covered by the VALP.

Cabinet was advised that one of the early tasks was to put in place a formal delivery board that would provide leadership and oversight of the general strategy of the project.  Draft governance arrangements had been formulated and copies of these documents were submitted.  They set out the governance structure, membership and key functions of the delivery board, programme delivery team and the relationship with key forums (yet to be established).

Active engagement and communication would be a key component of the work and it was proposed that there would be regular briefing notes for Councillors and stakeholder groups.

By way of reminder, Members were advised that the Council had secured £810k of funding from Central Government to support the initiative and this would be used to support the development of the Garden Town Group approach, master planning, the development of supporting evidence and dedicated staff.  This initial funding would also be used to help further refine the total infrastructure requirements and bidding opportunities to help achieve the garden Town ambitions.  AVDC was the accountable body for these funds.

RESOLVED –

(1)  That, subject to the final documents making reference to the fact that the District comprised two Parliamentary Constituencies and therefore had two MPs and reference to surrounding Parish Councils as well as the Town Council, approval be given to the governance arrangements for the Aylesbury Garden Town Project, as outlined in the papers accompanying the Cabinet report and that the Leader of the Council be appointed as the AVDC representative on the Board.

(2)  That the Director with responsibility for Community Fulfilment, after consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to finalise the governance arrangements/documents taking into account the above and any other matters considered necessary or appropriate having regard to the aspirations of the project.