Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest.

None.

Up to a total of fifteen minutes can be allowed, each speaker being allocated a maximum of five minutes, for members of the public to present a petition, ask a question or comment on any matter on the Agenda or within the remit of the Sub-Committee.

None.

That the Sub-Committee notes the content of this report.

The Sub-Committee noted its Terms of Reference, as agreed at the Council meeting on 17th May 2017.  The Sub-Committee also considered an indicative work programme. In the ensuing discussion the following main points were made:

·           Quarterly Financial Monitoring Reports would include an income element, which would be reported to this Sub-Committee. The next meeting was on 10^th October and Quarter 2 details would not be available in time for then, although it might be possible to give some headline information. Members asked if the 2016/17 End of Year and Quarter 1 monitoring reports could be provided for the next meeting.

·           A request was made for a copy of the brief for the One Town Review to be circulated to all Sub-Committee Members.

·           Sub-Committee Members agreed to establish a Task and Finish Group to look at commercial activity locally and future opportunities, as well as how the Council can develop commercially. It was agreed that the membership of the Group would be all Sub-Committee Members.

RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee:

1.  note the report; and

2.  agree to establish a Task and Finish Group, as outlined above.

1.     That the Sub-Committee consider bids received from members to access funds from the Small Projects Fund and make decisions on which projects to proceed with within the approved funding allocation of £250,000;

2.     That the Sub-Committee approves that if the full £250,000 fund is not allocated, the balance remaining is transferred to the City Plan Development Fund; and

3.     That the Sub-Committee approves the allocation of £50,000 from the Income Generation Fund for the recruitment of a Project Management Officer on a twelve month fixed term contract to manage the approved projects.

The Sub-Committee considered bids received from Members to access funds from the Small Projects Fund that had been established as part of the approved budget for 2017/18 and the Medium Term Financial Plan. The Sub-Committee had responsibility to make decisions on which projects to proceed with within the approved funding allocation of £250,000.

A total of 15 project bids were considered. These had been subject to an appraisal by the Strategy and Transformation team, assessing the extent to which the individual bids meet the objectives and priorities within the City Plan and Medium Term Financial Plan based on the information provided.

The Sub-Committee discussed each of the bids individually and reached the following decisions:

The total amount allocated was £203,200. As decisions on some bids had been deferred, the Sub-Committee decided that the balance remaining from the full £250,000 fund should not be transferred to the City Plan Development Fund at this stage.

The Sub-Committee were advised that all the approved bids would require input from Officers to progress them including the procurement of specialist external resource as required. To facilitate this it was proposed to recruit a Project Officer for a 12 month fixed term at an estimated cost of £50,000 and to provide funding from the Income Generation Fund.

RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee agree:

1.    to make the allocations as set out in the table above; and

2.    the allocation of £50,000 from the Income Generation Fund for the recruitment of a Project Management Officer on a twelve month fixed term contract to manage the approved projects.

1.     That the Sub-Committee note that the Royal Worcester Porcelain Museum is to be offered the opportunity to operate a temporary retail outlet in the Guildhall; and

2.     That the Sub-Committee notes that the arrangement will be by way of a 6 month lease at nil rent with all necessary fit-out costs to be borne by the museum.

The Sub-Committee were informed that a refurbishment of the Royal Worcester Porcelain Museum building was planned for the autumn and as a result their shop would have to close for several months.  The Museum had expressed an interest in setting up a temporary retail outlet in the Guildhall room on the ground floor of the North wing facing onto the High Street from October 2017 to May 2018.

Given that these premises did not have a proven record of success for retailing and that the Museum is a registered charity, it was proposed to offer a 6 month lease at nil rent.  The Museum would be responsible for the fitting out and if the arrangement proved successful for the Museum, they would be offered the option of longer-term occupation at a rent to be agreed.

RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee:

1.    note that the Royal Worcester Porcelain Museum is to be offered the opportunity to operate a temporary retail outlet in the Guildhall; and

2.    note that the arrangement will be by way of a 6 month lease at nil rent with all necessary fit-out costs to be borne by the museum.

Which in the opinion of the Chairman is of sufficient urgency as to warrant consideration.

None.