Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

No declarations of interest were received.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2010, be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director that sought comments on the final draft of the Sefton Business Engagement and Consultation Framework for submission to the Sefton Borough Partnership.

Members expressed their concern that the membership of the Public Engagement and Consultation Panel. In particular they were unsure about be the contribution from specific Panel members to business engagement, for example the NHS and emergency services; and felt there that was a lack of any detail as to who would be the representatives from Sefton businesses.

A copy of the Business Engagement and Consultation Framework was attached as an annexe to the report.

This item was a key decision and was included on the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the Business Engagement and Consultation Framework report be noted;

(2)      the Planning and Economic Development Director be requested to note the Members’ concern regarding the membership of the Public Engagement and Consultation Panel; and

(3)      the Planning and Economic Development Director be requested to provide the detail of which businesses would provide Public Engagement and Consultation Panel members.

Joint report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director and Leisure and Tourism Director

Further to Minute No.131 of the Cabinet Member - Technical Services meeting held on the 10 February 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Planning and Economic Development Director and the Leisure and Tourism Director on ‘Shop Sefton 2010’ – Supporting Our Town Centres, that sought approval to enter into a partnership agreement with Liverpool Biennial in order to deliver a range of activities within Sefton’s town centres that would help to enhance their viability and vitality. The report indicated that a decision on the matter was required to comply with standard portfolio reporting procedures.

The report also indicated that whilst officers had met with different owners of empty shops throughout the borough in order to use premises for a range of activities, including art work shops, window dressing, business advice etc, in order to create greater foot fall and raise the profile of town centres, due to rent and other overheads the remaining Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) grant of £48,131 would not sufficiently cover all costs for such purposes.  Officers had explored alternatives and recommended that a partnership with Liverpool Biennial be established to deliver a range of activities in retail centres across the Borough.

RESOLVED: That

(1)            the report, and the fact that further progress reports would be submitted, as necessary, be noted; and

(2)      Cabinet be recommended to:

(a)  note and endorse the bid submitted to the Arts Council, England;

(b)  subject to securing Arts Council grant funding – as outlined in paragraph 7.2 of the report, agree that the Council should enter into a partnership agreement with Liverpool Biennial as outlined in paragraph 8.0 of the report;

(c)  note that the indicative delivery timetable is subject to change, as outlined in paragraph 6.0 of the report; and

(d)  give authority to the Legal Director to execute the partnership agreement.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No.132 of the of Cabinet Member - Technical Services meeting held on the 10 February 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director on the Economic Strategy for Rural Merseyside and Action Plan – Phase 2 and indicating that a decision on the matter was required in order to comply with the standard portfolio reporting procedures.

The report indicated that whilst the vast majority of the £3.9 billion available from the Rural Development Programme for England was earmarked for agri-environment and other land management schemes in rural areas, some £2.2 million was available for the Merseyside sub-region; that a study had been undertaken by specialist consultants – ‘Rural Innovation’ and the next steps required the development of an Action Plan, which would attract funding from a number of sources including the Regional Development Agency and European Regional Development Fund; and that the Action Plan would support the preparation of master bids to draw down the funding if approved.

RESOLVED:

That the report, and the fact that further update reports would be submitted, as necessary, be noted

Report of the Strategic Director - Communities

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director Communities on the Dunnings Bridge Road Corridor Public Realm Improvements, which sought approval to include the Dunnings Bridge Road Corridor Project within the Capital Programme for 2010/11.

The report set out the additional information on the nature of the proposed scheme, and requested approval to the funding being included within the Capital Programme 2010/11, subject to this funding being approved by the NWDA/ERDF.  The report also outlined timescales/slippages and financial implications of the scheme.

The Cabinet Member expressed his concern that the acoustic barriers installed along Dunnings Bridge Road were in a severe state of disrepair. Several of the barrier panels were broken and needed to be replaced; in addition they were very also unsightly due to being extremely dirty. He suggested that funds should be set aside for the maintenance of the barriers.

This item was a key decision and was included on the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED: That

(1)            the Dunnings Bridge Road Corridor Improvement Project report be noted;

(2)            the Cabinet be recommended to approve the inclusion of the Dunnings Bridge Road Corridor Project within Sefton’s Capital Programme 2010/11, subject to ERDF, RDA and LTP funding being confirmed;

(3)            the Cabinet be recommended to note that no further expenditure commitment will be entered into until all resources for the project are secured; and

(4)            the Cabinet be recommended to request further progress reports.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No.165 of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 10 February 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director that reported the key findings of the Joint Employment Land and Premises Study, which was one of a number of key evidence gathering studies that were being undertaken to inform the Core Strategy process and to guide advice and decisions on individual employment proposals and planning applications.

This item was a key decision and was included on the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the key findings of the Joint Employment Land and Premises Study for Sefton be noted; and

(2)      the key findings of the study to inform the emerging Core Strategy, detailed within the report, be endorsed.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No.166 of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 10 February 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director that informed of the consultation on the Draft Part 1 of the forthcoming Northwest Regional Strategy and sought delegated authority from the Cabinet for the Planning and Economic Development Director to provide partial comments on behalf of Sefton and to contribute towards a joint Liverpool City Region response.

Members expressed their concern that only Blackpool was singled out as a national tourist destination, with Southport only considered to be a regional destination. Members suggested that Southport should be given parity with Blackpool they also believed that the Strategy needed to include reference to Southport being ‘England’s Classic Resort’ and the ‘Golf Coast’ in emphasising Southport’s appeal.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the key elements of the North West Regional Strategy 2010: Draft Part 1 Consultation be noted and the suggested (partial) consultation response set out in the report be approved; and 

(2)      the Planning and Economic Development Director be authorised to send the suggested consultation response, and any necessary further consultation comments, to the Department for Communities and Local Government as part of the Council’s formal response to this consultation exercise.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No.168 of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 10 February 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the six-monthly report of the Planning and Economic Development Director on the progress towards the Planning Department meeting its Service and Corporate Plan objectives and targets for the period to September 2009.

RESOLVED:

That the Planning and Economic Regeneration Department – Performance Report for April to September 2009 be noted.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report fo the Planning and Economic Development Director that provided the 9 month forecast position, based on information as at the 31 December 2009, in relation to the Portfolio’s 2009/10 Revenue Budget and Capital Programme.

RESOLVED:

That the progress made on the Regeneration Portfolio’s revenue budgets, which are subject to risk-based monitoring, be noted.

Report of the Neighbourhood and Investment Programmes Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes Director that set out a pilot customer incentive scheme for South Sefton and explained the outcomes and benefits. 

RESOLVED: That

(1)      due to the need for resources to be used and used the focus on areas of deprivation, the fact that this pilot is being run in South Sefton, be noted;

(2)      the potential benefits of a pilot local customer incentive scheme, as detailed within the report, be noted;

(3)      the Council as the lead organisation within the scheme be approved;

(4)      the Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes Director be requested to provide further updates on performance of the Pilot Customer Incentive Scheme to inform potential roll out to other areas and its continuation, subject to resources being available; and

(5)      the fact that additional resources were not required by the Council to implement the pilot, as detailed within the report, be noted.