Agenda item

To receive the Minutes of the Executive held on 10 July 2018 (coloured grey) [to follow], and approve the recommendations within.

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED        that the Minutes of the Executive held on 10 July 2018 be received and noted.

 

The Leader reported that there were four items under Part I for consideration by Council:

 

Minute EXE 18/18, Corporate Strategy 2018-23

 

The Leader introduced the draft Corporate Strategy for 2018-23. The new Strategy for the Council had been developed through consultation with key stakeholders, and it emphasised the importance of collaborative working with partners to achieve outcomes for Waverley communities and residents. Service Plans, budgets and staff performance agreements would all align with the high-level objectives set out in the Corporate Strategy, and it would be monitored by the Executive, Overview & Scrutiny and Management Board.

 

Cllr Follows noted the goals for increasing the amount of affordable housing in the borough, but noted that there needed to be a range of housing options that were genuinely ‘affordable’ for key workers.

 

Cllr Hyman welcomed the new Strategy, but questioned how traffic improvements from the Brightwells regeneration scheme would deliver improvements to air quality in Farnham. Cllr Hyman also welcomed the commitments set out under ‘how we work’, and asked that the Council demonstrate this in relation to information he had requested with regard to Brightwells planning applications.

 

Cllr Goodridge commended the new Strategy, which he felt was clear, readable and easily understood. Cllr Gray similarly commended the Strategy which was clear, incisive, and would enable the Council to be held to account.

 

In summing up, the Leader welcomed the support of Members for the new Corporate Strategy. She acknowledged Cllr Follows’ concerns about delivering truly affordable housing and the challenge this would be for the Council, and this was not something that the Council would be able to tackle alone.

 

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED      that the draft Corporate Strategy 2018-23 including the amendments (below) proposed by the Executive, be adopted.

1) bullet point 4, page 2, to read, “Extreme and hidden disparities in economic, social and health experiences”,

2) ‘Place’ goal 3: “Encourage our residents to improve the quality of recycling and the DEFRA recycling rate to 56% by 2023.

                            (Minute reference CNL 22.1/18)

                       

Minute EXE 19/18, Statement of Licensing Policy 2018-23

           

The Leader introduced the revised Statement of Licensing Policy for 2018-23. The Council was required to have a Statement of Licensing Policy and to review this at least every 5 years. The current Policy had been adopted in 2013, and the revised version reflected changes in legislation and latest guidance.

 

Cllr Bolton commented as Portfolio Holder for Licensing, that there were only minor changes to the Licensing Policy, and there had been no substantive feedback to the consultation. The emphasis continued to be on promoting the four Licensing objectives.

 

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED      that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy for Waverley, 2018-2023, be adopted and implemented with effect from 1 August 2018.

                            (Minute reference CNL 22.2/18)

 

 

Minute EXE 20/18, Leisure Centre Investment: Farnham, Godalming and Cranleigh

 

The Leader outlined the proposals and business case for a new round of investment in Waverley’s leisure centres. The outcomes of the feasibility study carried out by SLC consultancy had clearly showed a need for further investment to meet the demands and expectations of Waverley’s increasing population. The leisure centres were also vital to delivering Waverley’s health and wellbeing objectives, and it was important to offer an attractive and affordable alternative to private gyms and leisure centres.

 

The Council had promised that the Brightwells capital receipt would be used to benefit residents, and the Leader was delighted to see that the Council would be building on the success of the previous investment in the leisure centres. There was still a lot of work to be done to determine the best approach for investment in Cranleigh but the Executive was absolutely committed to delivering outstanding facilities for the residents.

 

Cllr Follows questioned whether there was any risk to the Brightwells capital receipt, given the changes in the housing market and the leisure and retail markets, and the potential impact on Surrey County Council’s investment. He also asked if the Feasibility Study was a public document, and whether users of the current facilities were consulted on the proposed improvements.

 

Cllr Beaman said that as a regular user of Farnham Leisure Centre he was excited to learn of the proposed investment, but he had a number of questions about the proposed funding arrangements and use of the Brightwells capital receipt that he would like to have answered before giving his support to the proposals. Cllr Beaman noted that there had not been sufficient time between the publication of the Executive minutes for the Council agenda and the deadline for Council questions for him to submit his questions earlier.

 

Cllr Beaman proposed a motion that the Council defer its decision on the investment in Waverley’s Leisure Centres until his questions had been answered and there was more clarity about the financial implications of the proposals.

 

Cllr Follows seconded the motion to defer the decision in order to obtain additional information, and echoed Cllr Beaman’s point about the deadline for questions to Council.

 

The Leader advised Cllr Beaman that he had received a response to his questions by email earlier in the afternoon. The capital receipt from Crest Nicholson had already been received and it was important that it started to earn a return. It had been a long-held intention that the receipt would be used to benefit Waverley residents, and using it to fund the leisure centre improvements would achieve both goals.

 

Cllrs Ramsdale, Mulliner and Band all opposed delaying the decision on investing in the leisure centres, on the basis that it would provide a good return on investment and benefit Waverley residents directly.

 

In response, Cllr Beaman stated that he not want to frustrate the investment in the leisure centres, and he would therefore withdraw his motion to defer the decision; but he reiterated his concerns about the timing of the publication of the Council ‘to follow’ papers and the deadline for Members’ questions.

 

Returning to the substantive recommendations as set out in the Council agenda, Cllr Hyman expressed concern about the expansion of Godalming leisure centre without provision of additional parking, the inference that investment was being funded from the Brightwells receipt, and the vagueness of the commitment to Cranleigh when the identification of an acceptable site for a new leisure centre would be highly contentious. He asked that the recommendations be put to Council separately.

 

Cllrs Else, Wheatley, Leigh and Byham all spoke in support of the investment proposals. Cllrs Gray and Townsend also spoke in support, and specifically welcomed the commitment to investing in facilities in Cranleigh, and the proposed engagement with local stakeholders to understand community concerns. And, Cllr MacLeod added his support to the proposals, highlighting the health and well-being benefits to users of having access to high quality and affordable facilities.

 

There being no further comments, it was moved by the Leader of the Council, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED that:     1. A capital budget of £3.22m be agreed and officers progress with more detailed specification and procurement of the Farnham and Godalming leisure centre schemes, subject to negotiations with Places for People on future management fee payments (PfP).

                                    [Cllr Hyman abstained from voting]

 

2. The Farnham and Godalming schemes be funded as per the table included in the financial implications section and the final funding arrangement be delegated to the Strategic Director (S151 Officer) and the Deputy Leader.

 

3. Officers be given the delegated authority to negotiate the management fee terms for the remainder of the contract with PfP, on the basis that the extended facilities are delivered. 

 

4. Authority be delegated to the Strategic Director in consultation with the Deputy Leader to enter into appropriate lease and/or contractual arrangements to enable the car park lease extension at Godalming Leisure Centre.

 

5. The Council commits to a multi-million pound investment in leisure facilities in Cranleigh and agree that officers begin a detailed consultation, with the support of external consultants, to identify a potential location for the Cranleigh Leisure Centre and report back to Executive. [Cllr Hyman abstained from voting]

 

                                    (Minute reference CNL 22.3/18)

 

 

Minute EXE 22/18, Property Matter – Right to Buy Property Buy-backs

 

The Leader advised Council that the opportunity had arisen to purchase two properties that had previously been sold under Right to Buy. The purchases would increase the Council’s stock of housing for affordable rent and improve the efficiency of estate management.

 

it was moved by the Leader of the Council, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED:     that the recommendations set out in the Exempt Annexe to the Executive Minutes be approved.

 

                            (Minute reference CNL 22.4/18)

 

 

The following Members had given notice to speak on matters of report set out in Part II of the Executive Minutes of 10 July 2018:

 

EXE 23/18, Community Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee Review into factors affecting health inequalities in Waverley - Cllr Knowles expressed his concern about inequalities in access to health services in Waverley, which were outside Waverley’s power to affect. Residents in the south of the borough were greatly disadvantaged when it came to access to primary health care and acute services, and it was time for the Council to put pressure on health care providers to address these inequalities.

 

Cllr Jenny Else thanked the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for their work in producing such a wide-ranging and thought-provoking report, which would provide the starting point for discussions with partners in health and social care.

 

EXE 24/18, Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee Review of Housing Design Standards – Cllr Seaborne said what a pleasure it had been to lead the O&S Task & Finish Group, and to work with such enthusiastic colleagues, officers and tenants in developing improved design standards for Waverley.

 

Cllr King thanked the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for their work, which had developed from a site visit to Ockford Ridge to see the progress on the regeneration of the estate.

 

EXE 27/18, Procurement of a new Waste, Recycling and Street Cleaning contract – Cllr Bolton advised that the procurement was at a very sensitive stage and work was continuing to develop the approach agreed by the Executive in February 2018.

 

There were no further statements from Members and the Leader concluded her presentation of the Minutes of the Executive of 10 July 2018.