Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from the Urban Growth Project Manager regarding S106 priority-setting and devolved decision-making.

In response to member’s questions, the Urban Growth Project Manager said the following:

       i.          Preparations for taking forward the Bath House play area improvement project had identified the potential for a better way to utilise the space. Further scoping work was therefore required by officers before the project could progress (and it was possible that some further funding might be needed for this project).

     ii.          The design development and consultation for the Romsey ‘Town Square’ project was under way. The project is not expected to be completed until autumn 2015 because there are some legal issues need to be agreed.

   iii.          Streets and Open Spaces officers will be asked to give Romsey local councillors more details of the design of the Romsey ‘Town Square’ project and an update on the Cavendish Road project (involving improved seating and pacing, as well as public art).

   iv.          Further advice for local groups seeking grant-funding was available on the city council’s Developer Contributions web page (www.cambrige.gov.uk/s106). More details of the S106 grant-funding application process will also be made available on this page.

    v.          Following an application process for S106 grant-funding (from early November 2014), officers would then assess the eligibility, viability and practicality of any proposals for grant-funding. Links to Council policies and strategies would also be highlighted. Officers from Community, Arts and Recreation were helping to finalise the arrangements for the applications and assessment processes.

   vi.          S106 developer contributions funding is set to taper off and run down in future, in the context of the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) system.

 vii.          The process for the 3^rd and 4^th S106 priority-setting rounds (as detailed at Appendix C of the officer’s report) will be simpler than in previous rounds – with priority-setting decisions being made in a single meeting. As part of this, councillors from each ward will be asked to identify the short-listed proposals for their ward at the start of that priority-setting discussion.

In response to member’s questions the Executive Councillor for City Centre and Public Places said the following:

       i.          It was important that additional scoping work be undertaken to ensure that the Bath House Play Area project was a success. Ditton Fields play provision could be looked at as an alternative if it became apparent in future that the Bath House play area project was no longer viable.

     ii.          Councillors would be given access to the S106 project updates, which would be posted on the council’s Developer Contributions web page (www.cambridge.gov.uk/s106) in due course.

   iii.          Bringing together S106 funding from across the city for indoor sports, public art and public realm (with a separate ‘pot’ per contribution type) would help to ensure that more projects could be delivered. Local communities would retain a voice in the process through the consultation and/or application processes.

   iv.          In order to manage public expectations it was important to deliver the S106 projects already prioritised before adding more to the list.

Councillor Robertson spoke strongly in support of progressing with the original Bath House play area improvement project.

The Executive Councillor for City Centre and Public Places confirmed that she was in email correspondence with ward councillors and local residents regarding an improved project.

The Executive Councillor offered to meet with Councillor Robertson outside the meeting to discuss this in more detail.

Councillor Baigent and Councillor Moghadas expressed frustration with the lack of progress on the Romsey Town Square and Cavendish Road projects.

The Executive Councillor agreed to provide a full update to Councillors Baigent and Moghadas outside the meeting.

 The Committee:

Resolved (unanimously):

       i.          To note the proposed arrangements for the third and fourth priority-setting rounds in 2014/15 and 2015/16.

     ii.          To note the progress being made on S106-funded projects that had been prioritised by the East Area Committee in 2012/13 and 2013/14.