Agenda and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast and Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking. 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 reminded everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the Internet and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

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

The Cabinet Committee noted that no substitutes had been appointed for the meeting.

To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

(a)        Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor N Avey declared a personal interest in agenda item 6, ‘Asset Management Development Projects – Progress Reports’ for the St. John’s Road Development, by virtue of being a member of Epping Town Council. The Councillor had determined that his interest was pecuniary and would leave the meeting if the St John’s Road Development was discussed.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 18 April 2019.

Resolved:

(1)        That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 April 2019 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To consider the attached report AMED-001-2019/20.

The Service Director for Contract & Regulatory Services presented a progress report on a number of major projects that the Council was managing which involved its assets.

The Director highlighted two further updates for the Cabinet Committee to consider. In relation to the St John’s Road Development in Epping, Whyte, Young & Green had been appointed as consultants to project manage the development and the requirements from the Local Plan had been outlined to them. The project would proceed according to the Masterplan to be agreed by the Cabinet in December 2019. The Council intended to work with Places for People for the possible provision of a new Leisure Centre, and with prospective providers for a small cinema.

With respect to North Weald Airfield, the Brief had been sent out to five Masterplanning organisations, with responses expected by early July. The Council would also ensure the North Weald Airfield Masterplan would blend with the North Weald Bassett Masterplan.

The Cabinet Committee reminded the Officers present that the Portfolio title had been amended from Asset Management & Economic Development to Commercial & Regulatory Services to match the name of the Service Directorate.

In response to questions from members of the Cabinet Committee, the Service Director stated that, in relation to the Landmark Building, the Co-Operative had discontinued negotiations as the space on offer was the wrong size. The other part of the site had been reassigned to a different use class of D2 and the Council was currently negotiating with a yoga studio.

In respect of the St John’s Road Development, full planning permission would be sought straight away, rather than outline permission and then full planning permission. The Council had yet to be advised of the application date, but it was expected to be in the Spring of 2020. The Council had worked with Whyte, Young and Green in the past, who were in the process of drawing up a broad timeline for the project; the first major milestone would be the agreement of the Masterplan by the Cabinet in December 2019. The Leader of Council reiterated that good progress was being made with the St John’s Road Development, with planning permission being sought for the whole site, and asked whether Epping Town Council had been kept informed of progress? The Director reassured the Cabinet Committee that the Council had been in communication with the Town Clerk, and a formal meeting with the Town Council was being arranged.

Cllr Lion highlighted that there had been major issues with car parking and access at the Epping Forest Shopping Park, and enquired what the next stages to improve the situation was. The Service Director acknowledged that there had been major problems at the Shopping Park during the Christmas period, and also from local workers using the car park at the Shopping Park. Restrictions had now been introduced in the Car Park, which had helped to ease this problem. Cllr Lion added that there was major congestion at the Shopping Park at weekends, which then backed up  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider the attached report AMED-002-2019/20.

The Economic Development Officer (EDO) presented a report to the Cabinet Committee and updated them on a number of projects and issues being explored by the Economic Development Team.

The Economic Development Officer reported that more than 30 responses had been received for the Economic Strategy Consultation, entitled ‘Nurturing Growth’. However, a number of these responses had highlighted the relatively short nature of the consultation period, and it was intended to extend the consultation period for a further two months. This would enable greater engagement and the reviewing of the responses at a key stakeholder conference planned for September, which in turn would inform the production of a delivery plan.

The Economic Development Officer stated that the most recent Smart Place seminar had been held at Fletcher’s Lea in Ware on 26 April 2019, and had attracted a wide range of speakers and delegates. An executive report from the seminar had been produced and was available from the Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ) website (www.diz.org.uk). The DIZ Digital Innovation Strategy was continuing to be endorsed by the various partner organisations. This Council had endorsed the Strategy at its meeting of the Cabinet on 13 June 2019. Presentations on the Strategy had been delivered to the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Planning Partnership and the Six Authorities Leaders Group. The Rural Connected Communities Programme had recently held an exploratory workshop with partners from across the Digital Innovation Zone, which considered whether to bid to establish a 5G testbed within the DIZ. A second event was planned once the programme had been formally launched to develop the potential bid further.

The Economic Development Officer informed the Cabinet Committee that the Visit Epping Forest website continued to grow in both content and number of visitors. Analysis of the website over the recent bank holidays had shown a 40% increase in visitors and a 60% increase in the number of pages visited when comparing 2019 to 2018. Officers from the Council had continued to lead in the development of cross-border working on tourism across the five Districts of Epping Forest, Broxbourne, Harlow, East Herts and Uttlesford, including a workshop held at Stansted Airport looking at infrastructure investment and joint promotion. The outcomes from this workshop would be reported at the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee.

The Economic Development Officer reminded the Cabinet Committee that the aim of the Green Arc project was to focus on the area where the metropolis of London met the countryside, considering initiatives to increase and protect the canopy, explore new ways of allowing residents and visitors to enjoy the green and unique areas within the quadrant, as well as increasing the community involvement in programmes. The One Partnership had recently taken over the project, and the first Steering Board meeting was scheduled for 12 July 2019. It was expected that representatives from not only the District Council would attend, but also representatives from the Greater London Authority, Essex County Council, the Corporation of London, the Friends of Epping Forest and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

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.

The Cabinet Committee noted that there was no other urgent business for consideration.

Exclusion: To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Background Papers:  Article 17 - Access to Information, Procedure Rules of the Constitution define background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)        disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

The Council will make available for public inspection for four years after the date of the meeting one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers.

The Cabinet Committee noted that there was no business which required the exclusion of the public and press from the meeting.