Councillor S Roberts (Chair); Councillors P K Butterill, R Cartlidge, P A Hallett, M A Hollins, A C Johnson, A Moran, S J S Mottram and L T Wood     

 

Councillor D Brickhill              Portfolio Holder for Economic Development  

Councillor J Hammond           Portfolio Holder for Local Environment 

 

P Ancell            Executive Director, Environment and Development

P Burns            Business Development Manager, Direct Services 

B Dyson            Dunlop Hayward (for item 26)

C Henshall        Borough Solicitor (for item 26)

D Moulson        Democratic Services Officer

S Mantle           Principal Accountant, Treasury and Corporate Support              

A Wenham       Chief Executive   

 

Apologies:      Councillors D N Bebbington, A Crawford and R Stafford 

           

15.         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

No Member declared any personal or prejudicial interest in respect of any item of business on the agenda.          

 

16.         RECORDS OF MEETINGS

 

 

17.         WHIPPING DECLARATIONS

 

In accordance with Paragraph 18 of the Performance and Overview Procedure Rules, Members were invited to declare in respect of items where the whip had been applied.  No such declarations were made. 

 

18.         "CALL IN" OF BOARD DECISION NO. 3 (15^TH JUNE 2006) RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL/BOARD   

 

The Committee considered Board Decision No. 3 (Municipal Square, Crewe - Suspension of Certain Works) on 15^th July 2006 and reached the conclusion that valid grounds had been established to refer the decision to Council for review on the grounds that it (the decision) was "of high local significance and of public interest".   

 

At the Council meeting held on 28^th June 2006 the following motion was carried:

 

a)                  recognises the Board's commitment to re-consultation;

b)                 wishes to minimise the impact of possible abortive and/or additional

c)                  views it as imperative that the Crewe War Memorial is located in an

 

 

Members noted that the Board was due to reconsider the recommendations of both the P & O Committee and Council at its meeting on 27^th July 2006. 

 

19.         BOARD REPORTS  

 

The Committee discussed the following report which would be considered by the Board at its meeting on 27^th July 2006 -   

 

 

The draft development brief for Stapeley Water Gardens had been published for the purpose of consultation on 16^th February 2006.  The site had been allocated as a mixed use regeneration area encompassing the Water Gardens, B1 employment land and residential development.  The report outlined the comments received and recommended amendments to the brief. 

 

Access for the site was proposed to be taken from both Peter de Stapleigh Way (for the Water Gardens and the employment site) and from London Road (for the residential development).  At the Board briefing, concern was raised about this arrangement and an approach had been made to the Highway Authority to establish whether there were other viable options for access routes.  It was confirmed that a response would be provided at the Board meeting. 

 

COMMENT TO THE BOARD:   The Committee expressed its concern regarding the proposed access for the residential element of the development from London Road and supported the Board's request to investigate alternative accesses with the Highways Authority.              

                       

 

The Committee received the Board's Forward Plan for 7 September, 19 October, 9 November and 30 November 2006. 

 

21.         LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - UPDATE                           

 

The Chief Executive gave a short presentation to the Committee which illustrated the level of economic growth experienced by the Borough during a three year period.  The presentation covered -

 

§         Employment growth

§         Hotel and Leisure growth       

§         Retail growth  

§         Hard and soft infrastructure

§         Housing growth   

§         Regeneration areas

§         Future development hotspots

§         The role of the business community

§         Future developments to 2009   

 

The Committee made reference to a number of developments taking place within the rural areas and commented on the success of several festivals held throughout the year in the Borough.  The contribution of the community and various agencies through partnership working was acknowledged.            

 

22.        FINANCIAL OUTTURN 2005/2006

 

The Committee received the report of the Executive Director, Treasury and Corporate Support which outlined the financial outturn for 2005/2006 compared with revised budgets.  The Principal Accountant reported on the main variances. 

 

23.         BUDGET MONITORING 2006/2007 (1^ST APRIL TO 30^TH JUNE)

 

The Committee received the report of the Executive Director, Treasury and Corporate Support which provided information in relation to actual expenditure and income in the current financial year for the period 1^st April to 30^th June, compared with profiled budgets.

 

24.         WORK PROGRAMME TASK GROUP UPDATE

 

Four Task Groups had been appointed by the Committee at its previous meeting: Affordable Housing, Town Centre and Retail Economy, Town Centre's Car Parks and Waste Management.  Of these, only the Town Centre and Retail Economy Task Group had met although it was reported that the Affordable Housing Task Group was due to meet on 1^st August. 

 

The Executive Director, Environment and Development reported to the Committee that the Town Centre and Retail Economy Task Group had met to consider the issue of public art.  Representatives from Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council had given a presentation to Members and officers on the procedures and policies Bolton had adopted in order to help facilitate the provision of public art within the town.  Key to its success had been its commitment to public art by way of

 

§         A public art strategy

§         The involvement of the community

§         The adoption of a planning policy which sought to seek 1% contribution towards public art on developments over an agreed threshold

§         Allocation of 1% of its capital programme for public art

 

Whilst some of the procedures were considered unsuitable for Crewe and Nantwich, valuable information had been obtained from Bolton's approach.  It was noted that a Public Art Strategy was currently being prepared for the Council by North West Arts Council, which would be presented to the Board later in the year before being published for consultation.                                

 

25.         EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC            

 

AGREED: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item on the agenda pursuant to Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Act. 

 

26.         CREWE TOWN CENTRE DEVELOPMENT           

 

 

Negotiations between Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council and Modus had progressed sufficiently for the Council to consider the Heads of Terms of a Development Agreement for Crewe Town Centre redevelopment.  The report was to be submitted to the Board at its meeting on 27^th July prior to consideration by full Council on 2^nd August 2006.

 

To provide Councillors with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the content of the document before Council, an invitation to attend the meeting had been issued to all elected members.  The Executive Director, Environment and Development and Mr Dyson representing Dunlop Heyward, the Council's external advisors addressed the meeting and provided those present with an overview of the Heads of Terms.        

 

Members raised a number of points for clarification which were responded to by the Executive Director and Mr Dyson.  At the conclusion of the item, Mr Dyson was thanked by the Chairman for his presentation. 

 

 

.........................  Chair