Agenda and minutes

Up to 15 minutes are allowed for public participation.  Participants are restricted to 3 minutes each.

There was no public participation.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21^st September 2023.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee held on Thursday, 21 September 2023 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Members may make declarations of Interest at this point or may make them at any point in the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest declared at this juncture.

Setting out current position of previously agreed actions as at 4^th October 2023.

With no comments or questions from Members, and no requirement for a vote, the Matters Arising Schedule, setting out the position of previously agreed actions as at 4 October 2023, was DULY NOTED.

With no comment or questions, the work plan was DULY NOTED.

To resolve that under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

RESOLVED that under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Note:  The meeting entered closed session at 6.35pm.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Commercial and Operational Service which sought approval to fund and prepare a competitive bid, the nature of which was set out in detail in the report along with a full Business Case.

Members were made fully aware that monies required to develop the bid would only be recovered if the bid was successful.  The Committee were in agreement that the rewards, benefits and future potential opportunities out-weighed the risk of bidding, and Members across the Chamber spoke highly of the Officers and the services delivered in this area.

The rational for the delivery mechanism proposed was fully explained and supported by Members with some commenting this alleviated any concerns they had previously had regarding impact on in house-services.

Finally in response to questions, it was confirmed that it was the contracting organisation who determined the scope for the bid.

Having been proposed and seconded it was unanimously

RESOLVED that: -

(a)      Officers be authorised to prepare and submit a competitive bid as detailed in the report;

(b)      the proposal to deliver the service via a West Lindsey District Council fully owned arms-length trading company, and to add this company to the existing West Lindsey District Council owned company structure be approved; and

(c)      £50,000 from the Invest to Save Reserve be utilised to support the submission of the Bid.

Members considered the report of the Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities which sought approval for spend and delivery of the Levelling Up Fund, in respect of Whitton’s Gardens, Baltic Mill and Phase 1 Market Place public realm interventions.

As part of the almost £17.5 million LUF programme, the delivery of improved public realm across the town centre was a key priority, with a focus on improving access to and creating more green space, together with improving the town centre public realm.

The three interventions that would be delivered to achieve such outcomes where, Whitton’s Gardens, Baltic Mill and the Market Place.

Members were reminded that the Council were contracted to a number of outputs across these interventions which included the planting of trees, creating new green space, improving green space, the redevelopment of Whitton’s Gardens toilets and improved public realm.

As a result of the Committee, earlier in the month, approving the revised funding profile for the Cinema and Leisure scheme the revised funding for each of the three remaining intervention sites were outlined to the Committee and detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report.

Appendix 1 of the report included proposed designs for the revamped Whitton’s Gardens including proposals for redeveloping the toilet block, as well as Plans for the Baltic Mill, which would provide  a new pocket park, with green and open space.

Members also noted that community consultation on the schemes had highlighted the delivery of a pedestrian crossing at the foot of Silver Street as an emerging priority.  Whilst this was not within the scope of the LUF monies, work continued with the Local Highways Authority in respect of this.

In respect of the Market Place, section 7.5 of the report indicated how it was proposed the remaining funds would be used.  Further work would then be developed as a phase two, to consider future designs for a more transformative design, and would be the subject of future reports to the Committee.

Finally, the monitoring regime that the Council were contracted to with the Department for Levelling Up Homes and Communities was outlined to Members, with the next return due by 27 October.

Debate ensued and Members considered there had been ample engagement and delivery was now imperative to maintain public confidence.  Members were also assured the desire for a crossing was being looked at positively.

In responding to comments regarding the need for investment and funding for the wider District, the Chairman whilst acknowledging the comments, reminded the Committee of the prescriptive nature of this specific Levelling Up Funding. He also outlined recent meetings with a number of parishes where he had been pleased to learn of the work being undertaken in the wider district.

It was also acknowledged that a thriving Gainsborough would in turn generate benefits realised wider than just the town.

Having been proposed and seconded it was unanimously

RESOLVED that: -

(a)    the revised budget, detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report, for the delivery of the Whitton’s Gardens public  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.