Agenda, decisions and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast.

The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of subsequent repeated viewing, with copies of the recording being made available for those that request it.

By being present at this meeting, it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in your image becoming part of the broadcast.

You should be aware that this may infringe your human and data protection rights. If you have any concerns then please speak to the Webcasting Officer.

Please could I also remind Members to activate their microphones before speaking.”

The Chairman made a short address to remind everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the internet, and would be capable of repeated viewing, which could infringe their human and data protection rights.

To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Cabinet Committee noted that there were no substitute members present at the meeting.

To declare interests in any item on the agenda.

The were no declarations of interest pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Cabinet Committee held on 13 December 2021.

That the minutes of the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee held on the 13 December 2022 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee held on the 13 December 2022 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(Housing Services Manager – Development) To present a report to the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee with regard to updating the Committee on the progress of the Council House Building Programme, Phases 4 to 5.

Rochelle Hoyte, Service Manager, Housing Development presented a report to the Cabinet Committee and advised that there were further updates to the published report.

Phase 4.1

Page 10 of the agenda, the hand over date for Chequers Road (A) and Chester Road, Loughton had been delayed until the 29 March 2022 due to BT fibre installation delays.

Phase 4.2

Page 11 of the agenda, the handover date for Hornbeam Close (B), Buckhurst Hill will handover a day earlier on the 28 March and Beechfield Walk, Waltham Abbey was delayed until the 23 March due to supply shortages for the roof works.

Councillor N Bedford referred to page 10, Phase 4.1 and asked what the 5^th column referred to where it stated 56 and 53 etc.

R Hoyte advised that it referenced the build period in weeks but some of those would now be over that period as some of the handover dates had slipped.

Councillor N Bedford referred to Queensway, Ongar and advised that he had visited that site and stated that it was a very good development and supported the use of the land for the building of bungalows.

He stated that Phase 4.4, Ladyfields and Chequers Road (B), Loughton with a total of 24 units, it was referenced in the report that a planning committee date was awaited and he confirmed that he had spoken with the Head of Planning who advised that there was an SAC issue that needed to be sorted out.

Councillor A Patel referred to a delay on one of the sites due to the Clerk of Works retiring and asked for each phase did the Council not appoint just one Clerk of Works to oversee all of the different sites or was it tendered on a site by site basis.

R Hoyte advised that KPA covered the whole of Phase 4 but the Clerk of Works retired and with the current framework there was only one Clerk of Works option on there which meant that she had to go outside of the framework. Someone had now been appointed and procurement were in the midst preparing the contract.

Councillor A Patel referred to page 21 of the agenda (page 5 of Report No. 29) and stated that when the House Building projects started Officers always tried to learn from previous mistakes along the way to eradicate the potential for variances, he noted that there had been supply chain issues. He referred to the columns being shown titled Initial Build Cost Estimate to the Latest Pre-Tender Estimates and the Variance from Initial Estimate and asked apart from supply chain issues what other reasons were there for the discrepancies.

R Hoyte advised that this question had been raised before and it was a case of contamination issues, foundations and piling and the choices that had been made. As these were ongoing you will see the same issues, Phases 4.1 and 4.2 were within their contingency so on individual schemes there had been some overspend which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

(Housing Services Manager – Development) To present a report to the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee regarding the appropriation of the Phase 5 sites.

That the schemes within Phase 5 be approved to be appropriated, noting the schemes that had already been completed.

Rochelle Hoyte, Service Manager, Housing Development presented a report to the Cabinet Committee and advised that appropriation was the procedure under the Local Government Act 1972 and Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to change the purpose for which the land was held for one statutory purpose to another, provided that the land was no longer required for the purpose for which it was held immediately before the appropriation.

She stated as part of the Council House Building process the schemes within Phase 5 needed to be appropriated to show the difference of use. If any of the sites did not go ahead for building they would be reviewed as some of the garage sites were not fit for purpose, in that they were not big enough to hold a car, therefore these sites were being looked at for extra parking spaces with electrical vehicle charging points. Winters Way was one of the sites that would be considered for extra parking so there would be a change of use for this site.

Councillor N Bedford stated that if any of the garage sites were pulled down and into extra parking with electrical charging points that these could potentially be used as football pitches and the charging points would get damaged so hard landscaping would needed to be thought about to discourage any football games otherwise residents would complain.

R Hoyte advised that the team had been discussing ideas and suggestions had been made for bollards that could be operated by a fob system, looking at the landscaping to improve in in and around the garage areas. There will be plans and drawings for any sites going down this route and it would be discussed with members before being approved.

Councillor D Wixley stated that he was being approached by residents particularly in the case of Castell Road, Loughton. A resident had been trying to make contact with the Council to ask some questions and left a message on the 25 February and was still waiting for a reply. He asked if he could send the details through to the Service Manager for her to deal with outside of the meeting. He then referred to page 86 of the agenda and advised that Hornbeam Close (site A), Loughton was in fact in Buckhurst Hill.

He echoed what was said earlier about parking stress as this would be an issue for some of these sites and in the ward he represented it should be taken into account as it was a quality of life issue if residents were fighting over parking spaces and the people who rent the garages needed to be thought about and as to where they will now be able to park.

R Hoyte advised that the housing development email address was given to raise queries and officers have been sent a number of these queries to pick up over the last few days, so it may well be that this residents query was being dealt with, but  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, together with paragraphs 6 and 25 of the Council Procedure Rules contained in the Constitution require that the permission of the Chairman be obtained, after prior notice to the Chief Executive, before urgent business not specified in the agenda (including a supplementary agenda of which the statutory period of notice has been given) may be transacted.

In accordance with Operational Standing Order 6 (non-executive bodies), any item raised by a non-member shall require the support of a member of the Committee concerned and the Chairman of that Committee. Two weeks’ notice of non-urgent items is required.

The Cabinet Committee noted that there were no other matters of urgent business for consideration.