Decision details

To receive information from an audit and decide which local centres to proceed with to be part of the Local Centres Improvement Programme.

Matter for Decision

At its meeting on July 11, 2014, Community Services Committee agreed that an audit be prepared which would examine all local centres based on specific criteria and for a report to be brought back with the outcomes of that audit.  Funding had been agreed already by resolution of full Council in February, 2014, for targeted improvements to select local centres with a total, phased-in budget of £635,000.00 to 2017/18.  The purpose of the report is to set out the results of that audit and the proposed centres to be included in the programme. 

Decision of Executive Councillor for City Centre and Public Places

The Executive Councillor resolved to note the findings of the Local Centres Improvement Programme audit and to approve the following:

     i.        the selection of Cherry Hinton High Street and Arbury Court centres for inclusion in the Local Centre Improvement Programme for the reasons set out in the officer’s report;

    ii.        the retention of a third priority project to be added to the programme, after debate at scrutiny committee, at a later date pending the outcome of progress with planned work related to the Mitcham’s Corner District Centre as part of City Deal implementation; and

   iii.        that the detailed funding, design and delivery of improvements to Cherry Hinton High Street and Arbury Court be the subject of Project Appraisals to be approved by the Executive Councillor for City Centre and Public Places at a future committee meeting.

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 Urban Design and Conservation Manager regarding the Local Centre Improvement Programme.

The Committee welcomed the report and requested that subsequent decision be brought back to Committee for scrutiny. The Executive Councillor confirmed that a commitment had been made to bring future decision back to Community Services Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Reiner proposed additional wording to be added to recommendation b) as follow, additional wording underlined and in italics:

b) the retention of a third priority project to be added to the programme, after debate at scrutiny committee, at a later date pending the outcome of progress with planned work related to the Mitcham’s Corner District Centre as part of City Deal implementation.

The Committee agreed the amendment (nem com).

The Committee resolved unanimously to endorse the amended recommendations.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.