Decision details

Following the recent call for proposals for the 2019 S106 funding round, to assess which proposals received for improving play areas and open spaces meet the S106 selection criteria and to identify which ones should be allocated funding (subject to appropriate conditions) from the relevant S106 contributions available.

Public Speakers

Catherine Rowland and Linda Frost addressed the Committee in support of the Consort Way play area boundary fencing and made the following comments:

 

·       Spine Road traffic was fast moving.

·       An unfenced play area left children vulnerable to moving vehicles.

·       Signage in the area was inadequate and did not prevent dogs or cyclists from using the area.

·       Older children use the play area to play football.

·       30mph signs had recently been erected in the area and local people were current engaged in getting this reduced to 20mph.

·       Fencing was needed urgently to prevent an accident.

 

Executive Councillor Response:

 

Councillor Thornburrow thanked the speakers for their comments and undertook to ask the County Council for their comments. She would also ask officers to consider this item as a priority.

 

Matter for Decision

The Council uses S106 contributions paid by developers to mitigate the impact of developments on facilities and amenities in Cambridge. In line with the arrangements agreed by the Executive Councillor in March 2019, the Council had invited proposals for improving play areas and open spaces within the city as part of its 2019 S106 funding round. Thirty applications had been received and assessed against the S106 selection criteria. The report summarised those applications and assessments and made 17 recommendations for S106 funding.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces

 

Resolved:

       i.          to allocate S106 funding to the following projects, subject to business case approval (see Section 4 and Appendix A of the Officers report for project details).

 

		S106 funding types
	Project	Play provision	Informal open space
N01	Logan’s Meadow: provide more benches and bins	-	£7.5k
N02	Bramblefields local nature reserve: more planting	-	£7.5k
N05	Arbury Court play area improvements (landscaping & equipment)	£15k	£15k
N07	Jubilee Gardens: improved access, landscaping, planting and seating	-	£40k
N08	Chestnut Grove Play Area: benches and bins	-	£7.5k
E07	Robert May Close play area: new play equipment and the replacement of two park benches	£5k	£35k
S01	Cherry Hinton Hall play area improvements: including accessible play equipment, plus landscaping	£90k	£60k
S02	Holbrook Road play area improvements (additional equipment and extra bench)	£46k	£1k
S03	Nightingale Avenue Rec Ground: new all-weather footpath between car park and community garden	-	£15k
S05	Consort Way play area (Trumpington Meadows): boundary fencing	-	£30k
WC1	Jesus Green ditch: landscaping and biodiversity improvements	-	£53k
WC2	Jesus Green: new wildflower meadow	-	£18k
WC3	Jesus Green: ecological/ educational space	-	£7k
WC4	Jesus Green barbecue area (and associated signage) plus drinking water fountain	-	£12.5k
WC5	Midsummer Common Community Orchard: drinking water fountain	-	£2.5k
WC6	Sheep’s Green local nature reserve: biodiversity bank improvements at Mill Pond	-	£22k
X01	Biodiversity enhancements (e.g. ‘Bee banks’) at parks in in East Chesterton, Coleridge, Trumpington & Market	-	£5k
E01	Thorpe Way Rec Ground: new footpath		£15k
S04	Nightingale Avenue Rec community garden: accessible polytunnel		£1.5k

 

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Development Manager.

 

The Development Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

       i.          The needs of elderly residents would be considered when benches were installed in Logan’s Meadow and other sites and benches with arms would be used where possible.

     ii.          Wheelchair user’s needs would be taken into account when drinking water facilities were installed.

   iii.          The budget allocation for the water fountain included wider costs such as officer time and any consultation work needed.

   iv.          Confirmed that lighting costs had been removed from a number of projects as S106 funding could only be used for capital cost and not on-going maintenance or utilities charges. This could be reconsidered at a later date for other funding sources.

    v.          Requests for litter bins that had been unsuccessful could be directed to alternative funding streams such as the next round of Environmental Improvement Projects.

   vi.          Confirmed that the definition of Informal Open Spaces for S106 purposes related to soft landscaping. Public Realm funding might be available for hard surfaces areas.

 vii.          Confirmed that the S106 pot was diminishing and that officers were endeavouring to make the most positive contribution with the reduced funds.

 

Members were disappointed that the £50,000 Informal Open Spaces funding for Chesterton Recreation Ground was being withdrawn. Officer’s confirmed that the funding for this project was not time sensitive and suggested deleting this recommendation to allow further consultation work to be completed.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to delete recommendation (i)

De-allocate £50,000 of informal open space S106 funding for previously prioritised project for a skate park at Chesterton Recreation Ground (see paragraph 3.9);

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendation (ii):

to allocate S106 funding to the following projects, subject to business case approval (see Section 4 and Appendix A of the Officers report for project details).

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.