Agenda and minutes

Councillor Alan Clark  -  personal reasons

Councillor Jon Collins  -  other Council business

Councillor Nick McDonald  -  work commitments

Councillor Alex Norris  -  leave

Councillor Sam Webster  -  other Council business

Ian Curryer

Alison Michalska (substituted by Helen Blackman)

None.

Last meeting held on 20 September 2016 (for confirmation)

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2016 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Business, Growth and Transport

In the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Business, Growth and Transport, Councillor Jane Urquhart, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing introduced the report on the Nottingham Enterprise Zone/Boots Campus Sustainable Transport Package.

The Boots Campus site consists of 113 hectares and has opportunities for development including employment land, housing development land, green spaces, redevelopment and a new transport link connecting up to Nottingham City Centre and surrounding suburbs.  A key area of investment will be a new cycle and pedestrian bridge linking the Enterprise Zone with the Nottingham Science Park, Nottingham University, QMC Teaching Hospital, and the bus and tram network on University Boulevard.

The funding is part of the Growth Deal process with Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs) and will come from Central Government – the Enterprise Zone is one of the priority actions presented in the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  accept £6.1 million from the D2N2 Local Economic Partnership to invest in the City’s sustainable transport infrastructure, providing connections to and from the Nottingham Enterprise Zone Boots Campus, subject to receipt of the formal grant award from Derbyshire County Council who is acting as the Accountable Body for the D2N2 Local Economic Partnership;

(2)  approve the expenditure to deliver the schemes and delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive/Corporate Director for Development and Growth to approve the final scheme components, subject to the formal grant award.  This will be in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Growth and Transport.

Reasons for decisions

The delivery of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone will contribute to Local Plan housing targets and will provide new jobs. 

The funding will provide facilities which will ensure the Enterprise Zone is well connected to and from the existing sustainable transport network. These facilities will be open to all members of the public and will enhance the wider walking and cycling network.

A total of £1m as part of the s106 agreement has been agreed; this figure is split 60% towards bus enhancements and 40% towards physical works to mitigate the traffic impact from the scheme. Alliance Boots have agreed to an earlier payment of the s106 contributions once the Council commences the development of the £6.1m funding package and progress is made on delivery of the footbridge.

Other options considered

Not to accept the funding: this option was rejected, as there is not enough funding available within other transport budgets to support this level of investment in the City’s sustainable transport infrastructure, and it may significantly impact on the Council’s ability to attract similar funding in the future.  The construction of the bridge will specifically be included in the s106 agreement as a criterion to be met in order for early payment in full by Alliance Boots of the £1m contribution.  If the Council fails to secure the delivery of the bridge, the s106 funding will not be released until significant development has been achieved on site.

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing

Councillor Jane Urquhart, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing introduced a report on the subject of sale of land at Church Square, Lenton.

The Council is completing a programme of replacement of existing council housing that is no longer economic to maintain across the City.  In the process, the Council is building a mix of new homes that will support the Council’s ambition to provide high quality family housing across the City.

The existing development at Church Square in Lenton is a 1970’s shopping precinct, and has minimal potential for improvement.  Demolition is due to commence by January 2017.  The layout of the new development will be designed to create an attractive well signed place for people to live in, with up to 17 houses being developed by Nottingham City Homes (NCH).

RESOLVED to:

(1)  approve the sale of land at Church Square to NCH at market value on the basis of the terms set out in exempt appendix 2 so that NCH can build, own and rent up to 17 new family homes in their own right;

(2)  approve in principle a loan from Nottingham City Council to NCH up to the value detailed in exempt appendix 1, as required to support the purchase of land and construction of 17 new homes;

(3)  delegate authority to the Director of Strategic Finance to confirm the interest rate for the loan on the date that the transaction occurs;

Reasons for decisions

The development will create a well-connected and safer neighbourhood by improving the quality of the built environment and through the Secure by Design framework.

The building and ownership of the 17 new family houses by NCH on the Church Square site would mean that they sit outside of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), and would support NCH’s plan to provide social housing as a Registered Provider.

Further opportunities to develop other housing around the City will be available for the City Council as a result of NCH owning these new homes at Church Square.  Providing a loan to NCH to develop housing will increase the amount of affordable new housing, regenerate additional sites within Nottingham, and enable NCH to build its own asset base and develop a viable business model for raising capital, developing property and managing assets in its own right.

Other options considered

Not redeveloping this site was rejected because of the Council’s ambition to provide high quality housing and actively regenerate Nottingham’s neighbourhoods.

There could have been a decision to sell the site for private sector housing development; however, the provision of new social housing in this location will support the Council’s aims of regenerating communities and providing a more stable longer term resident base.

The site could have been developed using HRA funding, with the ownership of the 17 houses being retained by Nottingham City Council.  This option was discounted as it would have reduced the potential resources that were available to deliver the housing regeneration programme.

Report of the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration

Councillor Graham Chapman, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration introduced the Efficiency Plan for 2016/17-2019/20.

To secure a four year settlement from the Government authorities are required to submit an Efficiency Plan to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).  The four year settlement will give increased certainty for the Revenue Support Grant (RSG), which is set to fall to £25.332m in 2019/20.

RESOLVED to approve the Efficiency Plan and to accept the Government’s option of a four year Revenue Support Grant settlement (subject to the Government’s acceptance of the Council’s Efficiency plan).

Reasons for decision

The four year settlement gives the Council increased certainty about future funding levels compared to the normal process of annual settlements.

Other options considered

The Council could have chosen not to submit an Efficiency Plan and be subject to the annual settlement announcement.  However the Secretary of State said that he “cannot guarantee future levels of funding for those who prefer not to have a 4-year settlement” and these authorities may shoulder a disproportionate share of any future cuts.  This Efficiency Plan mitigates this risk.

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item(s) in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs in the public interest in disclosing the information

RESOLVED to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item(s) in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs in the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Board considered the exempt appendix to the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing’s report.

See the exempt minutes for additional information on this item.

RESOLVED to note the information contained within the exempt appendix.

Reasons for decision

As detailed in minute 43.

Other options considered

As detailed in minute 43.