Agenda and minutes

Councillor Paul Lemon, Chair of the East Area Committee opened the first meeting of the East Area Committee for this municipal year and welcomed all attendees to the meeting.

The Chair noted that following changes agreed to the Constitution at Full Council, Petitions between 25-500 will receive a response from the appropriate Cabinet Member.

He also noted that petitions received thus far require a response from the relevant Cabinet Member. Responses to petitions will be published on the e-petitions section of the website once an officer has responded and that updates will be shared with Committee Members in due course.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 28 March 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

Apologies were received from Councillor Michael Mire who was substituted by Councillor Rohit Grover.

Councillor Danny Rich declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to agenda item 12 Members’ Funding Item (Improvements to Finchley Way Open Space) by virtue of being a trustee of the Improvements to Finchley Way Open Space project.

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The Committee noted the report which sets out an update on the CIL budget allocations for the East Area Committee, to enable consideration of applications for funding during 2023/24, and an update on the Road Safety & Parking budget allocations for 2023/24 and the status of current schemes.

It was RESOLVED that:

1.    That the East Area Committee noted the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding available for allocation during 2023/24, as set out in paragraph 5.4 of this report and in Appendix A.

2.    That the East Area Committee noted the CIL amount and re-allocated underspends & overspends in paragraph 1.7 of this report and in Appendix A.

3.    That the East Area Committee noted the Road Safety & Parking Fund available for allocation during 2023/24 in paragraph 5.8 and as set out in Appendix B.

The Chair noted that each NCIL application would be considered in turn.

a)    Councillor Danny Rich/ Councillor Ross Houston – Improvements to Finchley Way Open Space

Following introduction of the item, the Chair welcomed Dr Suzanne King Chair of Finchley Way Open Space to provide additional information about the project.

It was RESOLVED that the Committee having considered the application decided to award funding fully for £10,296.00 and any conditions attached noting the implications to the Committee’s NCIL funding budget.

b)    Councillor Dean Cohen – Highfield Road Improvements

Councillor Dean Cohen presented the item in his name and requested that as part of the project flower seeds be incorporated.

Concerns were raised by Councillor Coakley Webb regarding the lack of a plan of the intended works and not sufficient information to consider the application.

Following discussion, Councillor Coakley Webb moved a motion which was seconded to amend the recommendation to read as follows:

To approve sufficient funding to enable the public consultation required for the bid to occur with a condition that the outcome of the consultation and plans of the intended works be returned to the next Committee meeting to approve the remainder of the funding to deliver the works provided the outcome of the consultation were positive.

Votes were recorded as follows:

For – 5
Against – 3
Abstained – 0

The Committee then voted on the recommendation as set out above.

It was RESOLVED:

That the Committee having considered the application decided to approve sufficient funding to enable the public consultation required for the bid to occur with a condition that the outcome of the consultation and plans of the intended works be returned to the next Committee meeting to approve the remainder of the funding to deliver the works provided the outcome of the consultation were positive.

Votes were recorded as follows:

For – 5
Against – 0
Abstained – 3

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