Issue - meetings

The report and Appendices B & C are attached to the agenda

Appendix A is available here

The Council received a written challenge that it failed to follow its legal obligations under the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, in relation to a report referred to in Appendix A (Market Square Project Concept Design) of the above agenda item.  The basis of the challenge is that this report should have been made available as a background document to the agenda item.

The report referred to in Appendix A of the agenda item relates to an assessment, currently being undertaken by consultants, of how the associated capital and revenue investment needs of the Project could be met; and how the operational management of the outdoor market could be improved through the Project.  At the time of agreeing the current agenda item, this outstanding consultancy work was assessed by officers as not being directly material to the Consultation Draft Vision and Concept Design agenda item.   The officer’s plan was to bring it to the July 2021 Scrutiny Committee, as part of the agenda item reporting back on the concept design consultation and, subject to the outcome, the adoption of the recommended design/ plan to go forward to the detailed design stage of the Project.

In the interests of maintaining openness and transparency, officers have reviewed whether or not to proceed with the current agenda item, and have taken the decision to temporarily withdraw it, pending completion and sign off of the consultant’s report referred to in appendix A.   Officers aim to bring this item back, together with the additional background report, to Scrutiny Committee on 25th March 2021.  

The Council apologises for any inconvenience or disappointment caused by having to make this late deferral decision.