Agenda and minutes

To receive details of any Members appointed to attend the meeting instead of a Member of the Sub-Committee.

Councillor Barnes for Councillor Squires.

To receive any declarations of interest.

The following declarations of interest were made:

Councillor Mrs L. Hodgson – Museums Worcestershire Annual Review (Minute No. 27) - As Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Communities.

Councillor Mrs L. Hodgson – City Centre Markets (Minute No. 28) – As Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Communities.

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.

Of the meeting held on 7^th September 2020 to be approved and signed.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 7^th September 2020 be approved as  a correct record and signed remotely by the Chairman.

That the Planning and Economic Development Sub-Committee notes the Council’s Quarter 2 performance for 2020/21.

The Sub-Committee considered the Quarter 2 Performance Report for the Place and Economic Development Sub-Committee for 2020/21 attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

The Corporate Director – Finance and Resources presented the report and responded to questions from Members on various projects outlined in the appendix, in particular around the City Centre Wi-Fi.

RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee note the Council’s Quarter 2 performance report for 2020/21.

1.   That the Sub-Committee note the Budgets for the various services identified for 2020/21; and

2.   That the Sub-Committee consider the priorities within each service and recommends any change of emphasis for the services’ Income and Efficiency plans.

The Sub-Committee reviewed the budget for Place and Economic Development Services and considered whether it was appropriate for the service delivery requirements. The Corporate Director – Finance and Resources introduced the report and the Head of Finance commented on the detailed aspects of each of the appendices.

Members were asked to consider whether the current projects aligned to this Committee are still appropriate and whether the amounts allocated to the City Plan themes are still appropriate.

Funding for City Plan proposals that has not been spent can be freed up but is not ring-fenced for the Sub-Committee. Ideas for new schemes can be considered in the report to the Sub-Committee in February 2021 but will then need to be referred to Policy and Resources Committee to be decided as part of the overall budget setting process.

The Sub-Committee did not recommend any change of emphasis for the services’ Income and Efficiency plans.

Officers responded to Members questions on points of clarification, related to the appendices attached to the report.

Members were informed that if they did have priorities or any suggestions to take forward to the February 2021 meeting then they were to inform the Corporate Director – Finance and Resources or the Head of Finance, with a view to working out figures and preparing a business case.

RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee note the budgets for the various services identified for 2020/21.

That the Sub-Committee:

·         notes the contents of this report and confirms its in-principle approval for the progression of the project;

·         authorises the Corporate Director-Place in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of this committee to enter into a joint delivery agreement with the County Council securing the governance arrangements for the delivery of section 1 of the riverside route;

·         recommends to Policy and Resources to authorisethe expenditure of up to £50,000(from previously allocated feasibility funds towards delivery of section 1 of the riverside route);

·         supports the expenditure of S106 funding to deliver section 1 of the riverside route (as detailed in Appendix C);

·         authorises the Corporate Director-Place to submit funding bidsto third partiesforthe balance of funding required to deliver the Project; and

·         agrees to receivefurtherreports on the outcome of advanced feasibility work for the riverside route sections 2 and 3.

The Sub-Committee considered a report on the Diglis to Carrington Bridge Active Travel Corridor Improvements.

The Deputy Director – Economic Development and Planning, in presenting the report, informed Sub-Committee Members that this work links in with the Local Transport Plan (LTP4), which identifies an Active Travel Corridor between Kempsey Village and Diglis in Worcester.

The aim is to improve connectivity and movement corridors along the riverside, to existing and proposed residential areas as well as improving access to the public open space of the riverside.  It will also link in with wider cycling and walking projects for the City.  The route can be split into three sections with links into existing national and local cycling routes, as shown in Appendix A.   The full route would provide the most benefits.

The report focused on section 1 and progress to date was highlighted in paragraphs 3.1-3.4.  The preferred option is to deliver 3 sections once additional funding is identified.  Appendix B highlighted 3 options for section 1 together with costings, for which option 3 was recommended by Officers.  The financial and budgetary implications were highlighted at paragraphs 6.1.-6.1.6 of the report.

The Deputy Director – Economic Development and Planning, in response to a question on how the new cycling/walking footpath will connect to the bridge from the riverbank, it was confirmed that the route is in LTP4, but would check with colleagues at the County Council on how access will be made to the new development from the riverbank.

Concerns were raised that the footbridge had been excluded which was to be an important part of the Berkeley Homes development and why the Planning Committee had not been made aware as to why this was not technically possible.  The Deputy Director – Economic Development and Planning clarified the reason for this and confirmed that the contribution made was still available and would be used to improve access.  Members agreed that as a point of principle where obligations have been entered into, but not delivered, these need to be reported back as there is a potential for the contributions to be lost.

Queries were raised by Members with regard to Appendix C which some found unclear and misleading.  In order to ensure that there was no misunderstanding as to where the funding was to be  sourced from and what it was for, clarification was provided by the Deputy Director – Economic Development and Planning, who explained that the appendix sets out which S106 Agreements would be eligible to fund the works, namely agreements S139 and S126, and which works they would be funding.

The Sub-Committee Members overall welcomed the scheme.

RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee:

1.   notes the contents of this report and confirms its in-principle approval for the progression of the project;

2.   authorises the Corporate Director-Place in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of this committee to enter into a joint delivery agreement with the County Council securing the governance arrangements for the delivery of section 1 of the riverside route;

3.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

That the Sub-Committee note the activities undertaken in museums in 2019-20 and the impact made.

The Sub-Committee considered a report on the Museums Worcestershire Annual Review for 2019/20.

The Museums Manager in presenting the annual report, attached as Appendix 1, highlighted the key areas.  The service had made transformation savings of £76,000, and raised more than £87,00 of external grant funding for museums projects.

The Sub-Committee were also informed that due to a recent bid for funding, which was available to cultural organisations, Museums Worcestershire have been successful and have been awarded £96,000.  The Sub-Committee congratulated the Museums Manager on the award.

The Museums Manager responded to questions from Members particularly around the impact of Covid-19 and visitor numbers.  The Sub-Committee noted the success of the Commandery Café during this time.

The Sub-Committee welcomed the report and expressed their thanks to the Museums Manager and the team.

RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee note the activities undertaken in museums in 2019/20 and the impact made.

That the Place and Economic Development Sub-Committee:

1.        Approves the principle of managing the different elements of the City’s markets offer separately on the expiry of the current contractual arrangements in January, being:

a.    Weekend High Street markets (covered in this report)

b.    Angel Place traders (covered in this report)

c.    Victorian Christmas Fayre market stalls (to be discussed at a future sub-committee meeting)

2.       Authorises the Director of Place, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Sub Committee, to procure operators through a concession contract for a period of up to 5 years with the option of a further 2 years extension, to deliver weekend High Street markets (Saturday and/or Sunday);

    3.  Authorises the Director of Place to directly award a contract to a   market operator to manage the Angel Place market on an interim basis for a period of up to 2 years, pending the implementation of the Future High Streets Fund redevelopment if this bid is successful;

    4.  Notes that a report will be brought to the Sub-Committee next year giving options for the future delivery of the Victorian Christmas Fayre; and

    5.  Agrees that the City Council should offer to act as a single point of contact to manage events and bookings within the City Centre and notes that the Director of Place will engage with the County Council to achieve this.

The Sub-Committee considered a  report on the City Centre Markets.

In January 2020, Worcester City Council commissioned specialist markets consultancy The Assembly Line to review the Worcester Market arrangements.  The review made recommendations about the future markets offer for the City, considering the Council’s ambitions and the current economic conditions.  A summary of the consultants report was provided at paragraph 5 of the report.

The City Centre Manager, in presenting the report, went through the preferred options, including recommendations going forward for the Angel Place Market (Wednesday to Saturday) and the weekend High Street Market and other events.  With regard to the Angel Place Market Officers had been testing the recommended proposal with potential operators for the interim arrangement, the full details as set out in the confidential appendix to the report.  The key features were highlighted in paragraph 6.1.3.

It was recommended that the Victorian Fayre would be the subject of a report to a future Sub-Committee to consider options for the management of this event.

With regard to the sites in the City Centre managed by the County Council, the consultants had recommended the transfer of the management of the sites in the City Centre to the onsite City Centre management team.  The City Centre Manager confirmed that the co-ordination of this would start soon, if agreed.

The City Centre Manager responded to questions from Members relating to the support and compensation for traders in Angel Place, particularly with potentially another lockdown, Members were informed that support would be provided as in the previous lockdown.  The City Centre Manager also confirmed that she had met with traders to obtain feedback and agreed that it was essential for this communication to continue.

Reference was made to vehicles parking overnight in Angel Place, when there are no stalls in place, which caused problems for traders when setting up, it was asked what the rules were for this.  It was agreed that this would be looked into to check what jurisdiction is in place.

Following cancellation of the Victorian Christmas Fayre it was asked what support would be given to traders.  The City Centre Manager in response stated that she could not comment on individuals, but if it was their regular business they would be eligible for a grant from the Government.

Members fully supported that the Council should be the single point of contact to manage bookings and events in the City Centre going forward.

RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee:

1.           approves the principle of managing the different elements of the City’s markets offer separately on the expiry of the current contractual arrangements in January, being:

a.   Weekend High Street markets (covered in the report)

b.   Angel Place traders (covered in the report)

c.    Victorian Christmas Fayre market stalls (to be discussed at a future sub-committee meeting);

2.        authorisesthe Corporate Director - Place, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Sub-Committee, to procure operators through a concession contract for a period of up to 5 years with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

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

None.

The Committee are invited to pass the following resolution:-

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of information as defined in Schedule 12A of the said Act.

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of information as defined in Schedule 12A of the said Act.

To note the contents of the exempt Appendix to this report.

That the Sub-Committee note the contents of the exempt appendix.