Issue - meetings

Councillors will review the projects received noting that the decisions will be taken by the Executive Councillor for Open Spaces in January 2023.

The Committee received a report from the Project Leader regarding the Environmental Improvement Programme (EIP). The report outlined new suggested schemes for 2022/23.

The Project Leader updated their report (paragraphs 3.1 and 3.3) to confirm that there was a total of £170,000 for EIP projects this was broken down into £100,000 allocated to Area Committees which would be split proportionately to each areas population and then £70,000 was set aside for strategic environmental improvement projects.

Current Project updates could be found at https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/media/11531/environmental-improvement-project-summary-2022-23.pdf.

It was noted that the Executive Councillor for Open Spaces, Food Justice and Community Development would ultimately make the decision on which environmental improvement projects would be taken forward.

In response to Members’ questions the Project Leader said the following:

      i.         Arbury Court projects were categorised as red (and were not proposed to be funded) as the focus for EIP funding was on areas managed by the Streets and Open Spaces Team. Project examples N9 and N10 may be better funded through Estates and Facilities Improvement funding. Officer would liaise with the Estates and Facilities Team to follow up.

    ii.         Project N16 was categorised as red as officers felt consent for works would be required from the Highways Authority. Improvements in response to parking issues was better suited to Local Highway Improvement funding (from the County Council).

   iii.         Confirmed that Project sN7 2023 was proposed to be funded through the strategic funding pot rather than the North Area Committee funding pot.

  iv.         Officers were not clear if project N15 would benefit the public realm generally as the proposal appeared to benefit a shared private communal space for specific residents. The project detail could be looked at further and the applicant advised on what may the project fit future EIP rounds.

    v.         With regards to project N21, the provision of play equipment was more suited to s106 funding rather than EIP funding.  Applications for s106 funding may be invited in due course.

  vi.         Officers would respond to all applicants whether the applications were successful or not.

The Chair noted that the EIP projects highlighted as ‘green’ within Appendix B, Table 1 (column ‘Cost Deliverability Eligible Rating’) would be presented to the Executive Councillor for Open Spaces, Food Justice and Community Development to take forward and also any ‘amber’ projects [in particular project N3 2023] which could be taken forward expediently, subject to local consultation within the North Area Committee funding allocation available.