Issue - decisions

The Committee received a report from the Urban Growth Project Manager regarding devolved decision-making and developer contributions. The report provided a summary of the project ideas for new or improved local facilities suggested at the East Area workshop on 20 September 2012. The ideas were assessed in terms of their eligibility for developer contributions funding and their deliverability in the short-term (by the end of March 2014).

 

A list of three project proposals was identified as being eligible for the funding and deliverable in the short-term. The East Area Committee was asked to prioritise one, two or all three of these project ideas, within the developer contributions funding totaling £450,000 currently available to the East Area. Detailed project appraisals would be developed for priority projects.

 

The report contrasted existing / unallocated developer contributions in the East Area to the city’s three other Areas, with specific reference to limited play provision funding. It also highlighted project ideas raised at the East Area workshop which could also benefit other Areas, and projects on the ‘on hold’ list of the City Council’s Capital Plan: these will be reported to the Community Services Scrutiny Committee in January 2013 for the Executive Councillors to consider their priorities for city-wide funding.

 

The Committee received public comments.

 

(i)                Mr Goode expressed concern that short term projects may be prioritized over longer term ones (ie ones that take time coming forward), even though longer term ones may bring equal benefits.

 

Councillor Blencowe referenced funding available for projects (listed in Appendix B, P14, of the Officer’s report), which would limit projects that could be funded.

 

(ii)             Mrs Tait and Mr Bond spoke in favour of Cherry Trees Day Centres’ funding bid. This was for a well used community building that required urgent refurbishment and improvement.

 

The Urban Growth Project Manager said the 20 September workshop had identified a number of projects that attendees would like to see funded. Further information was required regarding project aims, contacts and timetables before they could be taken forward. Projects could then be assessed against eligibility criteria and directed towards appropriate funding streams (which may not be s106).

 

Councillor Blencowe said that he was liaising with Mrs Tait regarding the Cherry Trees application.

 

Action Point: Head of Community Development to undertake an assessment of Cherry Trees Day Centre funding bid and bring it to 10 January 2013 EAC.

 

The Area Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

 

(i)                The list of projects identified in Appendix D of the Officer’s report would be considered a working document from which projects could be considered and prioritised.

(ii)              Councillor Bourke proposed that EAC ask the Executive Councillor for Arts, Sport and Public Places to give funding from city-wide developer contributions to East Area children and family projects to take these forward as the East Area could not progress these projects with its own limited budget. Councillor Bourke suggested discounting children’s projects from EAC s106 projects and seeking city-wide funding for them instead.

 

The Executive Councillor for Arts, Sport and Public Places gave an overview of s106 process aims and undertook to consider any requests from EAC for city-wide funding.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Urban Growth Project Manager confirmed the following:

 

(i)                There were strict criteria governing the use of funding streams.

(ii)              Each city area had proposed a number of projects seeking s106 funding, these needed to be treated consistently.

(iii)            A report will be brought to 26 March 2013 EAC meeting, by which time it may have become clearer whether there is any further developer contributions funding available.

 

Following discussion, the East Area Committee resolved:

 

(i)                To note the summary of all consultation feedback arising from the East Area workshop and related emails.

(ii)              Identified the following projects as priorities for delivery, subject to project appraisals and the identification of appropriate funding to meet any related revenue and maintenance costs:

·       Increase biodiversity at Stourbridge Common [A09]

·       Improve access to Abbey paddling pools from Coldham’s Common [A11b].

·       Install adult gym equipment next to Ditton Fields play area [A12b].

(iii)            To urge the Executive Councillor for Arts, Sport and Public Places (via the Community Services Scrutiny report in January) to make funding available from the city-wide fund for children and young peoples’ projects.

 

Action Point: East Area Committee to ask the Executive Councillor for Arts, Sport and Public Places to supplement the East Area’s devolved funding for play provision with some city-wide funding in the event that the updated financial analysis in January 2013 does not identify an increase in funding available to the Area for this contribution type.

 

Action Point: Urban Growth Project Manager to liaise post meeting with Councillor Blencowe regarding initial assessment of feasibility of projects identified as eligible for s106 funding in Appendix D of Officer’s report. Initial assessment on the feasibility of the identified S106 projects to be brought to March EAC meeting.