Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Henry Caunce, Anthony Gee, Pat Haughton, June Molyneaux and Ralph Snape.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda. If the interest arises only as result of your membership of another public body or one to which you have been appointed by the Council then you only need to declare it if you intend to speak.

If the personal interest is a prejudicial interest, you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

Councillor Eric Bell (Executive Member (Places)) declared a prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 8 (Allocation of Play and Recreation Fund) and took no part in the discussion or voting on the item.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting of the Executive Cabinet held on 12 August 2010 (Minutes enclosed).

The minutes of the last meeting of the Executive Cabinet held on 12 August 2010 were confirmed as a correct record for signature by the Executive Leader, subject to the substitution of the word “fewer” for “more” in the third bullet point in the second paragraph of Minute 10.EC.184 (Chorley Partnership Performance Monitoring).

Members of the public who have requested the opportunity to ask a question(s) on an item(s) on the agenda will be asked to put their question(s) to the respective Executive Member(s).  Each member of the public will be allowed to ask one supplementary question within his/her allocated 3 minutes. 

The Executive Leader reported that there had been no requests from any member of the public to speak on any of the meeting’s agenda items.

To receive and consider the enclosed report of the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy., together with the revised Strategy and associated action plan.

That the refreshed Economic Regeneration Strategy for Chorley, as contained within Appendix A to the submitted report, together with the associated action plan, as contained in Appendix B to the submitted report, be approved and adopted.

The Executive Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy seeking endorsement of the refreshed Economic Regeneration Strategy and associated action plan, following the Cabinet’s endorsement of the draft strategy for consultation purposes at its meeting on 25 March 2010.

The refreshed Strategy had been compiled to highlight the successful achievement of identified initiatives in the Strategy introduced in 2006 and to define future key priorities and actions that would reflect current economic circumstances.  The current version of the Strategy had taken account of the feedback from the consultation exercise.

In addition, an action plan focusing on the following priority themes had been devised to deliver the Strategy objectives over the next three to five years at a workshop of the Economic Regeneration Group and meetings with partners.

·                    Promoting knowledge-based inward investment.

·                    Creating a thriving “Contemporary Market Town”.

·                    Supporting a strong indigenous business base; and

·                    Ensuring residents and communities reach their full economic potential.

A number of Members raised several aspects of the projected action plan, including a suggestion that the Borough should be marketed as a “historic market town”.

The Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy also advised the Members that, following the coalition Government’s plans to abolish the North West Regional Development Agency, local authorities views had been invited on the establishment of a Local Economic Partnership network for the region.  Chorley Council was currently in close liaison with the Lancashire County Council and other District Councils with a view to proposals being put forward to the Government for the creation of an Economic Partnership based around a Lancashire-wide footprint.

Decision made:

That the refreshed Economic Regeneration Strategy for Chorley, as contained within Appendix A to the submitted report, together with the associated action plan, as contained in Appendix B to the submitted report, be approved and adopted.

Reason for decision:

The revised Strategy will provide a clear direction for the recovery and maintenance of Chorley’s economic regeneration.

Alternative option(s) considered and rejected:

None.

To receive and consider the enclosed report of the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy.

That the proposed list of short term and medium to long term projects aimed at delivering the Town Centre Strategy, as identified in the submitted report, be approved for further examination and development.

The Executive Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy proposing a range of actions and measures aimed at enhancing the town centre through the delivery of the Town Centre Strategy’s objectives and a number of the recommendations emerging from the recent Overview and Scrutiny Inquiry into the vitality of the town.

The report proposed the development of the following short and medium to long-term projects in order to encourage a thriving, contemporary market town:

Short-term projects:

·                    Public realm on Market Street;

·                    Shop front improvements;

·                    Supporting High Quality Independents into vacant shop premises;

·                    Developing the night time economy;

·                    Improving pedestrian routes from car parks into Market Street;

·                    Short-term proposals for the Flat Iron Market.

Medium to long-term projects:

·                    Market Street/Gillibrand Street comprehensive redevelopment opportunity;

·                    Strategy to attract larger multiples/independent Department Stores;

·                    Developing a Town Centre Improvements Fund.

The likely funding requirements and implications were shown on the report and the Director of Transformation highlighted the need to identify appropriate funding streams and sources either from within the Council’s own budget or external sources if the action plan was to be adopted.

Decision made:

That the proposed list of short-term and medium to long-term projects aimed at delivering the Town Centre Strategy, as identified in the submitted report, be approved for further examination and development.

Reason for decision:

The development of a clear plan of short and medium/longer term actions will assist the delivery of one of the Council’s key priorities to create a thriving market town.

Alternative option(s) considered and rejected:

None.

To receive and consider the enclosed report of the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy, with accompanying appendices.

A brief explanatory presentation will be made at the meeting by the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy and the Head of Economic Development.

That the proposals outlined in the submitted report to improve the visual appearance of the Flat Iron Market by the phased introduction of gazebo style stalls, together with envisaged financing arrangements, be approved for development.

The Executive Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy on the planned development and delivery of proposals to improve the Flat Iron Market area in line with the key priority within the refreshed Economic Regeneration Strategy for the Borough to create a thriving “Contemporary Market Town”.

The proposals envisaged the re-alignment of stalls to improve the layout of the market and, in particular, the phased introduction of gazebo style stalls to improve the visual appearance of the area.  If agreed, the new gazebos would be introduced on four units initially and, if the trial proved successful, all the remaining stalls would be replaced by the new gazebos over two further phases.

Whilst the costs of the Market improvements were expected to be recovered by the additional revenue generated, it was intended that the capital costs would be funded from the current invest to save budget and other virements within the Capital Programme.

The Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy and the Head of Economic Development gave a short presentation at the meeting to explain and illustrate the plans devised to revitalise the Flat Iron area.

Decision made:

That the proposals outlined in the submitted report to improve the visual appearance of the Flat Iron Market by the phased introduction of gazebo style stalls, together with the envisaged financing arrangements, be approved for development.

Reason for decision:

The revitalisation of the town centre is a key priority for the Council.  It is essential that further investment is made into the Flat Iron area in order to attract a vibrant mix of quality traders and improve the customer offer.

Alternative option(s) considered and rejected:

It will not be economically viable to make no further investment in the Flat Iron area.

To receive and consider the enclosed report of the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy.

That approval be given to the award of Play and Recreation Fund grants to the respective organisations as outlined and recommended in Appendix A to the submitted report, subject to the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy agreeing and signing off a Play and Recreation Fund Agreement with the respective organisations.

The Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy presented a report on the recommended allocation of the Play and Recreation Fund created from Section 106 off-site contributions towards Borough-wide open space provision.

In response to the invitation to Parish and Town Councils, Community Groups and the Borough Council to submit applications for the funding of eligible projects, 20 bids for the funding of projects totalling £407,746.35 had been received.  The total amount available within the Fund was £324,159.

Each of the bids had been assessed against agreed criteria which took into account the legislative context for Section 106 contributions and a requirement to meet an identified need for the provision and access to open space.  The application of a threshold was also considered appropriate, whereby bids in excess of £10,000 would be restricted to a grant equivalent to a maximum 75% of the project value.  By applying that criteria, the report recommended the support of 16 applications, with a total allocation of £316,313.76.

Decision made:

That approval be given to the award of the following Play and Recreation Fund grants in respect of the identified projects, subject to the Director of Partnerships, Planning and Policy agreeing and signing off a Play and Recreation Fund Agreement with the respective organisation:

Reason for decision:

The grant aid to eligible projects will assist improvements in the quantity, quality and accessibility of open space throughout the Borough.

Alternative option(s) considered and rejected:

None.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 204.