Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Nelson (substitute: Cllr Buck).

L White and A Richards declared a non-pecuniary interest as Council representatives on the Porters Place Southend-on-Sea LLP.

Report of the Director of Regeneration and Growth attached

The Board considered a report of the Director of Regeneration and Growth providing an update on progress of the Better Queensway project.  The report specifically deals with the submission of the ‘final proposals’ for Porters Place Southend-on-Sea LLP alongside the progress being made in respect of additional affordable housing.  The report also provides clarity and assurance regarding the progress update and final proposals to allow Councillors to fulfil their responsibilities.

The Board asked a number of questions which were responded to by the representatives of SWAN and Council officers.

Resolved:

1. That Cabinet be recommended to note the progress made in relation to the Better Queensway project by Porters Place Southend-on-Sea LLP (the “JV”), a set out in section 4 of the submitted report to the Board.

2. That Cabinet be recommended to approve the final proposals on the information provided by the JV, as set out in Section 5 and Appendices 1-3 of the submitted report to the Board (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 Cabinet be recommended to delegate authority 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 Cabinet be recommended to delegate authority 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 submitted report to the Board.

5. That Cabinet be recommended that it is agreed 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 to the Board.

6. That Cabinet be recommended to delegate authority to the Executive Director (Finance and 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, bring a report to the next available Cabinet to approve the completion and entering into of the Agreement.