Issue - meetings

Town Centre Capital report

Meeting: 13/09/2021 - Housing and Growth Committee (Item 9)

9 Town Centres Capital Programme Update pdf icon PDF 251 KB

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the report which set out proposals for taking forward major public realm investment in three of Barnet’s main town centres, Finchley Central, Burnt Oak and Golders Green. The report also updated members on work that had been done by officers on developing a long-term pipeline of investment across other centres.

 

Members stressed the need for ward members to be consulted during the development of the proposal. Officers agreed that this would take place. A Member also asked that the community engagement strategy was used when developing the proposals, to ensure that residents and communities were also involved in the plans. Officers agreed to conduct a further walk around of any areas to identify ways to deal with community safety issues.

 

Members raised concerns around how the night-time economy aspects would be managed, and officers advised this was on their radar to look into.

 

Following discussion of the report, the Chairman moved to vote on the recommendations as outlined in the officer’s report. Members also unanimously agreed for the reference to ‘acing in the best interests of the Council’ to be removed from the recommendations, as the Deputy Chief Executive’s role was always to work in the best interests of the Council, so members felt this did not need to be made explicit.

 

The votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

10

Against

0

Abstain

0

 

RESOLVED that the Committee:

 

In relation to proposed public realm investment in Finchley Central.

 

1) Noted that engagement and consultation has commenced on the final phase of design for the new Finchley Square and would conclude on the 18th September 2021.

 

2) Delegated authority to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Chairman to:

a) Approve the Full Business Case following any further required consultation and completion of the final design.

b) Authorise the expenditure of approved Town Centre Capital monies to fund delivery.

c) Commence procurement and approve contract award for delivery of the square following a procurement exercise and to authorise any change requests during the lifetime of the contract(s) as required.

d) Negotiate, finalise and complete such other documents as may be required to effectively implement, fund, deliver and/or manage the project.

e) Make any alterations to the extent of the Site with the above recommendations to apply to the site as altered.

 

In relation to proposed public realm investment in Burnt Oak and Golders Green.

 

1) Delegated approval to the Deputy Chief Executive and in the consultation with the Chairman to:

a) Approve outline and Full Business Case required to progress the projects;

b) Procure a suitably qualified consultant team(s) to undertake survey, feasibility and design work to further develop proposals in consultation with the community, businesses and key stakeholders;

c) Authorise expenditure of approved Town Centre Capital monies to fund project delivery, in line with the forecast budgets referenced in paragraphs 1.27 and 1.35 and noting that these will be subject to further refinement;

d) Commence procurement and approve the contract award for a suitably  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9