Agenda and minutes

(Assistant to the Chief Executive)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

Noted that there were no substitute members for this meeting.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive) To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillors D Wixley declared a personal but non-prejudicial interest by virtue of being the respective Town Council’s representative currently in discussions with Epping College.

To consider and agree the notes of the last meeting of the Panel held on 23 September 2008.

The minutes from 23 September 2008 were noted and agreed as a correct record.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) To note the attached Terms of Reference and associated Work Programme. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review both documents.

The Panel noted the Terms of Reference.

To consider the attached report.

The Panel received an updated tabled report on the Feasibility study on the construction of a new sports hall at the site of the Waltham Abbey Swimming Pool. This report updated some of the figures in Stace’s report. The new report stated that a new hall was feasible, showed it could be built but would need planning permission. It gave the approximate construction costs. Stace, the Council’s consultants, had discussed this with the Council’s Planning Directorate. The total estimated cost for taking the project up to attaining a successful formal planning application would be about £41,000. Normally, expenditure of that level would require compliance with contract standing orders, obtaining at least three quotations from relevant companies. However, given Stace’s work to date in advising the Council, it seemed sensible to allow them to take the project forward to the pre-planning application stage and set aside contract standing orders accordingly. If planning consent was granted, the final stage of the project would be subject to a full tendering exercise in accordance with contract standing orders.

There was also a need for a new electrical sub-station which could cost anywhere from £20,000 to £100,000, so they had budgeted for the worse case scenario. The Stace report gave an indicative figure of £1.721 million for the total project cost. The report to Cabinet in December 2008 identified revenue savings of £202,500 per annum, from 2010/11 onwards, arising from the decision to cease the joint use agreement with King Harold School. The Panel noted the timescale that the project would follow. Any decision made by them would go to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in June 2009 for their consideration and endorsement; the Cabinet would consider it in July 2009 and it would then go to Council in September 2009; with a planning application submitted in November 2009; tenders for consultancy/project management issued in February 2010; contractor to be appointed in June 2010 and contract completed by May 2011.

King Harold School could opt to keep Waltham Abbey Sports Centre open and under their management during the time the joint use agreement with the Council had come to an end and the opening of the new sports hall.

Councillor Ulkun queried the £41,000 cost for working up the project to its pre-planning stage. This amounted to about 23% of the total budget and seemed a little high for a simple project like this. He was told that they would also be doing other things such as a highways report etc. but officers would endeavour to negotiate on this cost.

Councillor Jon Whitehouse commented on the complicated design of the circulation system. He was assured that it was all to do with the need to have a dry changing room installed.

Councillor Whitehouse also queried the fact that sustainability action had been precluded from the cost plan, he thought it was important that it was thought through at this stage of the proceedings. He was told that Stace was not asked to add  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.