Issue - meetings

Presented by Tim Wetherfield, Urban Growth Project Manager

8.50 – 9.30

The Committee received a report from Tim Wetherfield, Urban Growth Projects Manager regarding S106 Devolved Decision Making and Grant Applications.

 

The Urban Growth Projects Manager responded to questions as follows:

 

Q1. Councillor Manning: Could left over play equipment form the Vie development be reused in Discovery Way?

 

A. It was suggested that the Assets Manager (who was due to introduce the next report) might wish to provide an update on the play equipment from the Vie development. More widely, an update on the availability of S106 play area funding devolved to North Area was due to be reported to the Community Services Scrutiny Committee in March 2015 – and members of this Area Committee would be made aware of the details relating to the North Area. Previous reports to the Area Committee had highlighted that the level of devolved play area funding available was small. However, the main message, being emphasised to all area committees was the S106 contributions funding is tapering off and running down.

 

Q2. Councillor Scutt: The funding allocated to Milton Road Library should be retained as the facility was badly needed.

 

Q3. Michael Bond: Supported retaining the funding for Milton Road Library community room because it was needed. Community facilities are good for community cohesion.

 

A. The importance of community facilities was well recognised. The report had highlighted the need for some applications to provide more details about how proposed facility improvements would be used simply to provide the area committee with more information, to help it make priority-setting decisions about the best use of limited resources.

 

Q3. Ian Anderson: A successful development had been achieved at Rock Road using joint funding. The result community space was well used and had improved library use. A similar result would be possible for Milton Road.

 

Q4.   Mike Kemp: Welcomed Scout hut proposal. Suggested the Milton Road proposal was over ambitions and would be problematic for its neighbours. Suggested improvement to the existing building would be a better approach.

 

Q5. Councillor Scutt: It was wrong to view the scout hut proposal as competition for Milton Road Library. Both projects had merit.

 

A. Made a distinction between the development of community space at Milton Road library (which had already been identified as an Area Committee priority last February) and the other applications which were not yet prioritised but under consideration. The original allocation of funding to Milton Road Library highlighted the need for an update on progress and that is why it was featured in this report. The committee had options, but needed to be aware that the limited devolved funding available could not deliver everything.

 

Q6. Mike Sargeant: How was community use of facilities that had received funding monitored?

 

A. Community facilities funded by S106 contributions were monitored to ensure that they were available for use by all sections of the community. The council’s Community Development service plans to provide more information online about which community facilities have been funded and are available for community use.

 

Q7. Had any progress been made regarding Chesterton Recreation Ground Sport Pavillion?

 

A. The Urban Growth Projects Manager undertook to investigate this matter.

 

Action

 

Q7. Councillor Bird requested that the Committee supported the Chesterton Methodist Church project as their work with Camsight was badly needed.

 

A. Clarified that it would be useful to receive more information about this proposal from the applicant, to enable the Area Committee to re-consider this application in the fourth S106 priority-setting round later in 2015.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved unanimously to

 

     i.        agree a £30,000 devolved community facilities S106 grant for the refurbishment of the community facilities at St Luke’s Church on Victoria Road, subject to project appraisal approval and a community use agreement ;

    ii.        encourage updated applications from 12^th Cambridge Scout Group and Chesterton Methodist Church as part of the next S106 priority setting round later this year, given that their current allocations are not yet ready to be considered;

   iii.        withdraw the £35,000 devolved informal open space S106      contributions currently allocated to the Alexandra Gardens trim trail proposal in the light of the response to the local consultation on the design proposals; and

  iv.        withdraw the £20,000 devolved informal open space S106 contributions currently allocated to the lighting of Nun’s Way multiuse games area, as the immediate issue relates to repairs not eligible for S106 funding.