Agenda item

Recommendations of the Executive - WBC20-004.

To receive and consider recommendations from the Executive.

Minutes:

The remaining recommendations from the Executive held on 7 February 2019, aside from those considered as part of the Council Tax 2020-21 recommendations, were before the Council.

EXECUTIVE – 6 FEBRUARY 2020

RECOMMENDATION FROM CLIMATE CHANGE WORKING GROUP – CLIMATE EMERGENCY – PLANNING FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY

Councillor Davis, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, introduced the recommendations from the Climate Change Working Group to accelerate the existing Woking 2050 Strategy and work towards achieving carbon neutrality across the Council’s estate and operations by 2030.  The proposals were welcomed by the Council and it was

RESOLVED

That  (i)    officers be authorised to implement initial actions for 2019/20 and 2020/21 as recommended in the report; and

          (ii)   delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director (Place) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and Shadow Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability to agree new actions as they are identified.

 

Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy

Councillor Harlow, Portfolio Holder for Housing, introduced the recommendations of the Executive which proposed the adoption of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2024.  The joint working on the development of the Strategy was noted and the proposals were welcomed by the Council.

          REsolved

That  (i)    the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2024 be approved; and

          (ii)   the Director of Housing, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be delegated authority to make minor amendments to the Strategy and to update the action plan as required.

 

Housing Infrastructure Fund – Funding Allocation of £95million to Woking Town Centre

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bittleston, introduced the recommendations of the Executive which had been drawn up following the successful Housing Infrastructure Fund bid made by Surrey County Council in conjunction with Woking Borough Council.  The recommendations proposed that that the £95m grant awarded to the Borough Council by Homes England should be accepted. This would require the Council to enter into a contract with Homes England and be bound by its obligations.

Councillor Lyons drew attention to recommendation (v) and advised that he would not be supporting the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders on a matter of principle.  Councillor Morales moved and Councillor Aziz seconded an amendment to delete the wording “and land required for development sites as outlined in the bid, if not brought forward by current owners” from recommendation (v), resulting in a revised recommendation (v) as follows:

“the Council commits to use reasonable endeavours, including use of Compulsory Purchase Order powers, to acquire the Triangle site, land required for the replacement of Victoria Arch, land required for widening of the A320;”

Councillor Morales explained that she was concerned the proposal would place a requirement on Woking Borough Council to purchase the sites, resulting in significant future debts for the Authority.  The Chief Executive explained that all costs associated with the sites would be met by developers, not Woking Borough Council, and that the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders would only be considered in the event the developers were unable to secure the purchase of the sites from the existing owners.  Furthermore, it was made clear to the Council that the proposed amendment would result in the loss of the £95m funding offered by Homes England.

Following clarification by the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council, and in accordance with Standing Order 10.8, the names of Members voting for and against the amendment were recorded.

In favour:                           Councillors M Ali, T Aziz, L Morales and M I Raja.

Total in favour:                  4

Against:                             Councillors S Ashall, A Azad, A-M Barker, D Bittleston, J Bond, A Boote, M Bridgeman, G Chrystie, G Cundy, K Davis, G Elson, D Harlow, K Howard, D Hughes, S Hussain, I Johnson, C Kemp, R Leach, N Martin, R Mohammed, C Rana, J Sanderson and M Whitehand.

Total against:                     23

Present not voting:            Councillor L Lyons

Total present not voting:   1

The amendment was therefore lost by 4 votes in favour to 23 votes against.

The Council was directed to recommendation (v) as set out in the report before them and in accordance with Standing Order 10.8, the names of Members voting for and against recommendation (v) were recorded.

In favour:                           Councillors S Ashall, A Azad, D Bittleston, J Bond, A Boote, M Bridgeman, G Chrystie, G Cundy, K Davis, G Elson, D Harlow, K Howard, D Hughes, S Hussain, I Johnson, C Kemp, R Leach, N Martin, R Mohammed, C Rana, J Sanderson and M Whitehand.

Total in favour:                  22

Against:                             Councillors M Ali, T Aziz, L Lyons, L Morales and M I Raja.

Total against:                     5.

Present not voting:            Councillor A-M Barker.

Total present not voting:   1

The recommendation was therefore carried by 22 votes in favour to 5 votes against.

          RESOLVED

That  (v)   the Council commits to use reasonable endeavours, including use of Compulsory Purchase Order powers, to acquire the Triangle site, land required for the replacement of Victoria Arch, land required for widening of the A320, and land required for development sites as outlined in the bid, if not brought forward by current owners;

The remaining recommendations before the Council, (i) to (iv) and (vi) to (viii) were then put to the Council and agreed nem con.

resolved

That  (i)    the £95m grant awarded to the Council by Homes England be accepted, and that delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive to agree the terms of the contract in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder, and to undertake necessary prerequisite work to develop the project;

          (ii)   the Council accepts that it will be responsible for any project cost overruns;

          (iii)  any underspend of the grant award, and/or any surplus funds from the sale of the Triangle site, will be made available to fund project cost overruns, with any balance to be reinvested into local infrastructure that supports housing delivery;

          (iv)  the Council authorises advance funding of £10m, in the form of a 15 year annuity loan from the PWLB for the scheme, to be recovered from a proportion of Community Infrastructure Levy and from site specific S.106 tariffs, over the next 15 years;

          (vi)  the Council commits to the delivery of homes, as outlined in the bid, on the sites owned by it or its subsidiary Thameswey;

          (vii) the Council approves the Recovery Strategy set out at Appendix 7 to the report; and

          (viii) the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to undertake a review of Community Infrastructure Levy and to establish a Section 106 Tariff for town centre infrastructure associated with the HIF project.

Supporting documents: