Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 16th March 2015 be agreed as a correct record.

None.

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Mr Esmond Rosen, Chair of the Barnet Multi Faith Forum made public comments in support of item 9 Tarling Road Community Hub. Members were invited to ask questions and were asked.  The Chairman thanked Mr Esmond for his contributions on the project.

Ms Jasmin Parsons made public comments in relation to the development proposals on the agenda at the meeting. Comments were with reference to item 12 - Housing Development Pipeline, item 13 - Grahame Park Development Project and item 14 - Brent Cross Cricklewood Project. Members asked questions following the comments which Jasmin Parsons answered.

The Chief Operating Officer provided a verbal update and noted that Councillor Cooke had received a briefing from officers to explain the legal position prior to the meeting. Councillor Cooke confirmed that this had been useful in clarifying the issues he had raised in his item. The Chief Operating Officer agreed to provide any further information required outside the meeting.

Having considered the Member’s Item, the Committee RESOLVED that:

·         That the members item was noted.

·         The request for contextual information was minuted and provided.

·         The general feeling of dissatisfaction with the level of information provided was noted.

·         Additional information is provided outside the meeting.

The Chairman introduced the report and noted for Committee that a correction was made to the end of paragraph 3.4.16 of the Officer’s report which should have read “2016” instead of 2026. He also commented that this project is in it’s early stages and that updates will be reported to Committee. Aspects to be reported on in future include an Online Portal and procurement criteria.

Members welcomed the report and discussed the need for better coordinated support for small businesses, clarity on Business Rate Relief, the need for support for Town Centre and small businesses and the provision of useful and updated information on  Barnet’ Council’s business website pages.

Following discussion and consideration of the item the Chairman moved to a vote on the report recommendations.  The committee therefore:

RESOLVED

1.    That the Committee noted the progress of Entrepreneurial Barnet to date. 

2.    That the Committee noted the forward work plan set out on page 18 and that additional items would be identified for incorporation into the project in the future or to be reported to a future meeting.

Members requested that the key terms of the lease were to be presented to ARG Committee in March. Following discussion, the Chairman welcomed the project and praised all involved for the hard work done to date and then moved to a vote on the report recommendations.

It was RESOLVED that Committee:

1.    Approved Option 3 of the Strategic Outline Case for the Daws Lane Community Hub including:

a.    The proposed approach and costs to facilitate a design prior to provisional head of terms agreement with a community organisation;

b.    Any leasehold arrangements to potential management organisations will be predicated on a business case outlining the management and funding of the facility and to report back to ARG in March 2016.

2.    Approved the budget outlined in the report subject to a capital needs bid to be agreed at the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee. This would be conditional on external funding being sought to mitigate the financial impact.

The Chairman introduced the item and invited Councillor Arjun Mittra to speak as he had requested to address the committee on this item. Councillor Mittra informed Members that correct options for the new centre were being sought involving re-use of the Old Barn and a base for the Somali Bravenese organisation.  He said work was taking place to widen the consultation to increase local resident, awareness and involvement.  Key was ensuing that there is a robust management structure in place for the centre.   

Members requested that the key terms of the lease were to be presented to ARG Committee in March.

Following discussion on the item,

It was Resolved that Committee:

1.    Approved of the proposed Business Case for the Tarling Road Community Hub.

2.    Awarded the delegation of authority for the Tarling Road Community Hub Construction tender and use of identified contingency to the Chief Operating Officer in consultation with the Chairman of the Assets Regeneration and Growth Committee.

3.    Requested a report back on the lease arrangements to ARG Committee in March 2016.

4.    Ward Members are to be consulted on the proposals.

Following discussion on the item, the Chairman moved to a vote on the report recommendations.

It was RESOLVED that the Committee:

1.    Approved the preferred location, Montrose Playing Field, is the most suitable site for Barnet Youth Zone, allowing OnSide (‘the developer’) to move the project forward.

2.    Agreed the core principles outlined as a framework for developing the lease agreement between the Council and on OnSide for Barnet Youth Zone.

3.    Agreed to delegate to the Chief Operating Officer in consultation with the Chairman of the Assets Regeneration and Growth Committee authority to take subsequent decisions in the best interests of the Council to settle the detailed terms of the proposed lease with OnSide with the final terms of that lease being submitted to a future Assets Regeneration and Growth Committee for final approval.

It was RESOLVED that Committee:

Approved the decision to appropriate the land and premises comprising 30a,b,c, Alexandra Road as set out in Appendix 1 for housing use and thereafter to be held in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account.

It was RESOLVED that Committee:

1.    Approved the proposals set out in this report to develop new affordable homes for rent on existing housing land owned by the Council through Barnet Homes.

2.    Noted expenditure of up to £2.1m from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA), the costs to achieve planning consents for approximately 120 affordable homes. 

3.    Noted that a further report will be put forward in March 2016 with details of proposed sites for development on Council owned housing land following consultation with ward councillors and local residents.

The Chairman introduced the item and confirmed with Members that this project relates to the compensation only and that a Supplementary Planning Document would be coming to P&R for decision.

Following discussion of the item, the Chairman moved to a vote on the recommendations below:

It was RESOLVED that Committee:

1.    Approved the proposal to vary the Principal Development Agreement and the loan facility agreements in accordance with the terms outlined in this report and following approval of the Council’s capital programme and loan write off at Policy and Resources committee in December 2015.

2.    Authorised the Commissioning Director Growth and Development in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee to agree the detail of the amendments to the Principal Development Agreement and related commercial documentation.

Votes were recorded as follows:

The Chairman introduced the item which was presented by officers. Councillor Cooke questioned the possibility of involvement in the design of the Network Rail Station. Councillor Ryde informed the committee that the Brent Cross Scheme had received specific mention in the Spending Review.  Following discussion, the Chairman moved to a vote on the report recommendations.

It was RESOLVED that Committee:

The Chairman introduced the item following which, the he moved to a vote on the report recommendations.

It was RESOLVED that Committee;

1.    Noted the financial target of £10.1m set by Policy and Resources Committee in June 2014;

2.    Noted the additional financial target of £3.7m;

3.    Recommended the savings programme as set out in Appendix A to Policy and Resources Committee;

4.    Recommended the capital investment priorities set out in Appendix B to Policy and Resources Committee;

5.    Agreed to public consultation on the priorities and revised savings proposals contained within this report commencing immediately following the Policy and Resources Committee on 16 December 2015, before the Policy and Resources committee are asked to approve the final priorities and savings proposals on 16 February 2016.

The Chairman introduced the item, following which Members noted the report.

There were none.

The Chairman informed the Committee and the public gallery that the meeting would now be held in private to hear exempt papers.  The room was subsequently cleared.

The Chairman introduced the item and members received a presentation on the report. There was interest in seeing more details on the finances presented and discussed and in receiving regular updates as ARG Committee only meets four times a year. 

Following the discussion, the Chairman moved to a vote on the report recommendations and it was RESOLVED that committee:

1.    Noted the information contained in the exempt report.

2.    Receive updates in between scheduled ARG Committee meetings.

Votes were recorded as follows:

None.