Referred direct by Cabinet

The report and appendices have been circulated to all Councillors with the Agenda for the Cabinet meeting on 2^nd December 2020.  The Minute of that meeting will be circulated in due course.

The Committee considered Minute 600 of the special meeting of Cabinet held on Wednesday, 2^nd December 2020, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny, together with the report of the Director of Regeneration and Growth concerning the submission of the new Business Plan for Porters Place Southend-on-Sea LLP.

Resolved:-

1.  That the matter be referred back to Cabinet for reconsideration, as the Committee felt that further clarity and information was required in respect of the highways’ issues and the possible highways implications on other redevelopment schemes including those at Fossetts Farm and Roots Hall.

Note:  This is an Executive function

Cabinet Member: Councillor Gilbert

Report of Director of Growth and Regeneration to follow

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Regeneration and Growth  concerning the submission of the new Business Plan for Porters Place Southend-on-Sea LLP. The matter had been considered by the Shareholder at its meeting held on 1st December 2020 and the recommendations from the Board were before the Cabinet for consideration.

Resolved:

1. That the submitted Business Plan (attached to the report to the Shareholder Board), be approved.

2. That the Director of Regeneration and Growth, in consultation with the Leader, be authorised to:

(a)   agree any non-adverse changes to the Business Plan whereupon any such matters shall be noted for information and reported to the following Shareholder Board; and

(b)   approve, agree or action any necessary outcome, or product of, or from, the Business Plan necessary to progress the Better Queensway regeneration project.

Reasons for decision

The review of the Business Plan by Council officers and the Council’s procured advisors concluded that the Plan provides an assurance that the LLP is following the agreed strategic direction and objectives and is delivering its service and financial performance.

Delegation of agreement of non-material updates to the Business Plan and progression of actions resulting from the Plan will ensure that the LLP can continue to progress the project at pace and with the necessary agility to meet funding and programme deadlines.

Other options

Not approving the Business Plan would mean that the Plan approved in November 2019 would remain in place until an amended Plan is approved. This would frustrate the progress of the project. The October 2019 Plan does not reflect the next years’ work on the project.

The £15m HIF funding from Homes England has a deadline for spend. Not approving the Business Plan will delay the project as an amended Plan will be required, which could result in non-expenditure by the deadline and therefore a gap in project funding.

If the Business Plan is compliant with the Partnership Agreement but is not approved by the Council, there is a risk to the goodwill established between the LLP Partners.  This would have a considerably negative impact on the relationship between the LLP Partners.

Note: This is an Executive Function

Referred direct to: Place Scrutiny Committee

Cabinet Member: Cllr Gilbert

Minute XX (Cabinet Agenda Item No. 3 refers)

Referred direct by Cabinet

The Committee considered Minute 104 of the special meeting of Cabinet held on 30^th June 2020, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny, together with a report of the Director of Regeneration and Growth providing an update following the consideration of a report to the Shareholder Board on the 25^th June 2020.  The Shareholder Board Report specifically considered the submission of the ‘final proposals’ alongside the progress being made in respect of additional affordable housing.

Resolved:-

1.  That the matter be referred back to Cabinet for reconsideration, in particular because of concerns about the intention to fill in the Queensway underpass and construct a new road at ground level.

Note: This is an Executive Function

Cabinet Member: Cllr Gilbert

Report of Director of Regeneration and Growth to follow

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Regeneration and Growth providing an update following the consideration of a report to the Shareholder Board on the 25^th June 2020.  The Shareholder Board Report specifically considered the submission of the ‘final proposals’ alongside the progress being made in respect of additional affordable housing.

Resolved:

1. That the progress made in relation to the Better Queensway project by Porters Place Southend-on-Sea LLP (the “JV”), as set out in section 4 of the Shareholder Board Report, be noted.

2. That the information provided by the JV, as set out in section 5 and Appendices 1 - 3 of the Shareholder Board report, be approved as the ‘final proposals’ (as provided in the Initial Business Plan agreed in November 2019 “the Business Plan”) prior to submission of the first planning application for the Better Queensway project;

3. That authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Leader to agree any non-material changes to the ‘final proposals’ whereupon any such matters shall be noted for information and reported to the following Shareholder Board.

4. That authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Growth, in consultation with the Leader, to review and assess any further documents that are submitted to the Council by the JV to consider as part of the final proposals process, and to sign off any of these that do not have a material impact on the final proposals appended to the report;

5. That where information in the final proposals is updated from  that in the Business Plan, this updated information will supersede the relevant information in the Business Plan  and be adopted as a revision to the Business Plan from the date of approval of the submitted report.

6. That authority be delegated to the Executive Director (Finance &  Resources) to:

a) Complete the Memorandum of Understanding to be made between the Council, the JV and Swan Housing Association that will document the JV’s commitment to offer the Council a minimum of 100 additional affordable homes for social rent;

b) finalise negotiations and settle the terms of a formal legally binding agreement (the “Agreement”) to capture the principles as set out in the Memorandum of Understanding; and

c) subject to approval of the Agreement by the Council, the JV and Swan Housing Association, to bring a report to the next available Cabinet to approve the completion and entering into of the Agreement.

Other Options

1. Not approving the final proposals would mean that the planning application could not be submitted in July. This would have a negative impact on the expedient delivery of the Project and will add to the whole cost of delivery of the Project that could impact upon any final profit share by the Council and Swan at the end of the Project that the Council would use to reinvest in social housing.

2. Not approving the final proposals could also jeopardise the £15m HIF funding from Homes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104