Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Mervyn King.

The Leader welcomed Jonathan Ellis and Alex Short to their first meeting of the Shareholder Executive Committee.

(i)      To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

(ii)      In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Strategic Director - Corporate Resources, Kevin Foster, declares a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that Mr Foster may advise on those items.

In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Strategic Director – Corporate Resources, Kevin Foster, declared a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he was a Council-appointed director.  The interests were such that Mr Foster could advise the Executive on those items.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Shareholder Executive Committee held on 27 November 2024 as published.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of the Shareholder Executive Committee held on 27 November 2024 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.

To consider any business that the Chairman rules may be dealt with under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no items of Urgent Business under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Reporting Persons – Kevin Foster and Shareholder Liaison Service

The Leader introduced the Part 1 report from the Shareholder Liaison Service which stated that the reports brought by the companies to the meeting were the monthly requirements relating to business records for ThamesWey Ltd and Victoria Square Woking Ltd (VSWL), and a ThamesWey Executive paper on ThamesWey Energy Ltd.

In addition, questions had been received from the Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee regarding the cladding on the Hilton Hotel which had been included in Part 1 of the agenda. 

RESOLVED

That the report be received.

Reporting Persons – Kevin Foster and Shareholder Liaison Service

The Leader reported the meeting dates for 2025/26 Municipal Year had been rescheduled to provide more time for subsidiary company performance reports to be prepared, received by the respective boards and submitted to the Shareholder Liaison Service. 

In addition, due to the proximity to Easter the meeting scheduled for Thursday, 17 April would likely be moved to Thursday, 24 April and confirmation would be issued shortly.

RESOLVED

That the Work Programme be received and the amended meeting dates of the Shareholder Executive Committee be agreed as set out in the report.

Reporting Person – Chairman

The Executive received a recommendation from the Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee with a series of questions regarding the cladding of the Hilton Hotel and the work taking place with Sir Robert McAlpine, following an issue with the safety of the panels and the resulting closure of a section of Victoria Way to prevent pedestrian and vehicle access.  The Leader referred to the response received from Victoria Square Woking Ltd (VSWL) which had been published as part of the agenda pack for the meeting and was therefore available on the Council’s website.

Councillor Nicholson expressed concern over the effect on local residents of the longer journeys around the town centre and asked whether the CROSS reporting system had been utilised, and whether consideration had been given to an inquiry to enable lessons to be learnt for VSWL and the wider industry. 

Jane Wynne, Chairman of ThamesWey and VSWL, stated that VSWL shared the frustration of Councillors and local residents, and stated that the first recourse would be provided by the development contracts that were in place alongside robust communication with the contractor.  There would be lessons to learn although the process was in its early stages and the focus was achieving the right outcome for Woking and its residents.

Alex Short, Asset Management Director, advised that independent experts had been appointed by both the contractor and VSWL, with legal advice being sought.  Daily contact was being made with the contractor, with work taking place on both temporary fix and a permanent fix.  The independent experts appointed by both the contractor and VSWL would need to complete their investigations.

Following questions by Councillor Roberts over the communication with the contractor and the disruption over the closure of Victoria Way, Jane Wynne stated that the response from Sir Robert McAlpine after the storm had been very good and informative.  Jonathan Ellis, Consultant Chief Operating Officer, added that the contractor representatives were well aware of the disruption caused and were doing everything that could be done.  Alex Short stated that as the section of Victoria Way had been closed due to public safety, and a range of measures were being considered to enable Victoria Way to re-open.  The measures is included a potential crash deck and pedestrian walkway, although due to the involvement of other agencies and the design work required this would take longer than the rectification work.  The same would apply to scaffolding and netting. 

Following a question by the Leader, it was stated that there was uncertainty over how long the temporary fix work would take, with it likely to be continuing into late March.  Of the 800 panels to be fixed, around 300 were outstanding.  A permanent fix required to a larger section of the building was noted to be in the design phase.

Kevin Foster, Strategic Director for Corporate Resource, stated that a multi-agency weekly meeting was held which included VSWL, the Highways Agency, the Council’s Building Control and Marketing Communications team.  Social media activity was also monitored  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

“That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of items 9 to 11 in view of the nature of the proceedings that, if members of the press and public were present during these items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A, to the Local Government Act 1972.

Paragraph 3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).”

PART II – PRESS AND PUBLIC EXCLUDED

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of items 9 to 11 in view of the nature of the proceedings that, if members of the press and public were present during these items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A, to the Local Government Act 1972.

Paragraph 3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Reporting Person – VSWL Chair

The SEC received the performance report from Jane Wynne, Chairman of VSWL, Jonathan Ellis, Consultant Chief Operating Officer and Alex Short, Asset Management Director, which had been circulated as part of the agenda pack.  The discussion included the following topics:  VSWL staffing update; Hilton Hotel cladding and the effect on local residents; positive trading at the Hotel; very high occupancy at the Marches; the action tracker reference to the level of engagement with the NHS regarding a space at the site; the availability of trading updates from retailers and whether further information could be sought as to where Woking would sit in the regional perspective.

It was stated that Sir Robert McAlpine had nominated a senior member of staff who had stated they would be content to engage with the Council and attend a meeting of the Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee.  It was agreed that the representative’s details would be passed to the Chairman, Councillor Morley.

Alex Short added that the action tracker would be updated for the next meeting.

The SEC thanked Tim Wells for his good work with VSWL, noting that he would be available for consultation until April; Jane Wynne added that the VSWL Board endorsed the thanks and would pass them on.

RESOLVED

That the performance report be received.

Reporting Person – ThamesWey Ltd Chair

The SEC received the performance report from Jane Wynne, Chairman of ThamesWey, Jonathan Ellis, Consultant Chief Operating Officer, and Andrew Pinto, Chief Finance Officer, which had been circulated as part of the agenda pack.  The discussion included the following topics: ThamesWey staffing update; health and safety; legal matters; pension fund; the paper included on the agenda regarding ThamesWey Energy Ltd, and the appointment of an energy expert to assist; and the marketing for sale of TCMK.

Jane Wynne stated that the Board would undertake deep dives into different parts of the business at its regular meetings, beginning with housing, and added that she met with the Council’s Strategic Director for Communities and Housing every couple of weeks. 

The Executive was advised that Jane Wynne and Jonathan Ellis would always be available for questions between the formal meetings of the SEC.  Jane Wynne thanked Andrew Pinto for his work to date.

RESOLVED

That the performance report be received.

No Company Representatives will be in attendance for this agenda item.

Reporting Persons – Kevin Foster and Shareholder Liaison Service

(NOTE: No company representatives were present during the meeting for this item.)

The representatives from the Shareholder Liaison Service introduced the Part II report.  The SEC confirmed that it was content for the marketing for sale of TCMK to continue. 

With regard to the shareholder consent matters raised by ThamesWey, it was felt that the matter related to solar panels should be approved once further information had been received. 

It was further agreed that ThamesWey should prepare a statement to Councillors on the staffing changes and consider any implications from the re-assessment of the accuracy of performance reports. 

Regarding VSWL, it was reiterated that Tim Wells should be thanked for his work and request a conversation with him on the aforementioned level of engagement with the NHS, with an update also requested on commercial tenants.  The Project Director nominated by Sir Robert McAlpine would be invited to attend a future Scrutiny Committee meeting and the company would be asked to provide regularly weekly updates as agreed to the Council’s communications team.

Members discussed the information received at the meeting, including the reports circulated as part of the agenda pack and the points made verbally at the meeting, and agreed a response to the companies which was resolved accordingly.

RESOLVED

(i)         the SEC notes the reports provided by the companies;

(ii)        ThamesWey be required to re-assess the accuracy of their performance reporting and provide an update for Councillors on staffing changes;

(iii)      ThamesWey be required to update their progress against governance requirements and present an improvement plan to the March SEC;

(iv)      the intention to recommence the TCMK sale process be noted;

(v)       the shareholder consent matters raised by ThamesWey be considered and consent to proceed confirmed, with a request for further information on the solar panels matter;

(vi)      VSWL pass on the SEC’s thanks to Tim Wells for his work;

(vii)     VSWL be requested to provide updates on the NHS and commercial tenants;

(viii)    VSWL request that Sir Robert McAlpine provide regularly weekly updates as agreed to the Council’s communications team; and  

(ix)      the recommendations of the Environment and Place Scrutiny Committee be received, and the Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee be provided with the name of the Project Director of Sir Robert McAlpine for invitation to a future meeting.