Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

Cllr H Allen declared an interest in relation to agenda item 8 - Update on Establishing a Multi-Disciplinary Team and a Homeless Health Centre and remained present.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 9 February 2022.

The Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 9 February 2022 were approved as a correct record subject to the inclusion of Cllr C Johnson and Cllr S Baron in the list of apologies.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link: -

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of public questions is 4 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a statement is midday the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.

The Democratic Services Officer advised that there had been no statements or petitions received on this occasion but that one question had been received from a member of the public who was present to ask the question.

Question from Sarah Fisher (Agenda Item 7 – Development of the Throop Nature Park (Hicks SANG))

Planning: The car park is inappropriate development, a Very Special Circumstance, combined with further Very Special Circumstances.’ Vectos: ‘there is Sufficient parking with no overspill parking onto nearby streets.’

However, two planning breaches already reported to LPA.

Assuming BCP/NE submitted a true five-year management plan can BCP assure me -Yes/No- that no more maverick attempts to distort the actual, spirit or purpose of this consent will be made including:

·       No more car parks in Throop.

·       BCP marketing/materials/events will reflect Vectos’s report for expected upper limit of vehicles/people, and scaled to achieve, but never exceed, these limits.

All wildlife appropriately protected

Response by the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place

BCP Council will discharge the planning conditions in advance of work commencing on the Hicks Farm SANG and will communicate with stakeholders throughout the project and once the SANG opens for public use.

BCP Council have no intention to provide any further car parking provision for the SANG and respect the character of Throop and do now want to increase traffic unnecessarily. Any information published by BCP Council will reflect this.

The wildlife value of the SANG is very important locally and in the context of the Climate and Ecological emergency. Baseline data has already been captured in advance of any works starting and ecological monitoring is provided within the proposal for allocation of funds.

Significant work will take place to improve biodiversity across the SANG, including protecting the riverbank, planting thousands of trees to re-create hedgerows and small areas of woodland, all to be part of our Countryside management across BCP.

To consider recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board on items not otherwise included on the Cabinet Agenda.

Cabinet was advised that there were no additional recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board on items not otherwise included on the Cabinet Agenda on this occasion.

The Leader advised that he was including this as an urgent item as it was appropriate at this time to provide an update on the current situation. The Leader advised that the Council was currently flying the Ukrainian flag outside the BCP Civic Centre as a show of support. It was noted that there were approximately 10,000 residents in BCP who originated from Ukraine and surrounding countries.

The Lead Member for Communities responded that there was a lot of effort within communities to collect and transport donations to the Ukraine and Poland. There were also many people whose friends and relatives were affected. The Council welcomed the efforts being made and were supporting them through community and voluntary sector partners.

The Council would in time welcome refugees and support was being put in place for this. The Cabinet were informed that currently monetary donations was the best way to support humanitarian efforts through the Salvation Army or Red Cross.

The Lead Member for Communities also advised that it was recognised that there was additional strain on household budgets and that residents were advised to contact Citizens Advice for support. The Council was also providing support to community food settings.

The Cabinet acknowledged the efforts which were being made and praised the efforts of the local communities. The Leader confirmed that he had signed the European Council of Municipalities and Regions statement showing support to the Ukriane.

At the time of writing this report the Department for Transport (DfT) have yet to confirm exact funding values for 2022/23 and beyond and therefore an assumption has been made that the grant award will remain at least at the level received in 2021/22.

This report sets out and seeks financial approval for investment of the 2022/23 Local Transport Plan (LTP) grant allocation (capital funding) from the Department for Transport (DfT).

It is expected that the 2022/23 LTP Capital grant allocation for the Council will be £7.9 million comprising £3.1 million of Integrated Transport Block (ITB) funding and £4.8 million of Highway Maintenance funding (including Pothole Funding).

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)            approve the proposed 2022/23 Local Transport Plan Capital Programme funding as set out in Appendix A; and

(b)           approve the indicative 2023/24 and 2024/25 Highways Maintenance Programmes as set out in Appendix B;

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Sustainability and Transport

Reasons

Recommendation (a).

The approval would enable the continuation of existing Local Transport Plan capital programme schemes, delivery of schemes that are currently being planned, consulted upon and/or designed and the development of future years schemes.

Recommendation (b).

The approval would reduce the risk of loss of funding associated with the incentive fund element of the Structural Maintenance Block.

The Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was informed that the report set out and sought financial approval for investment of the 2022/23 Local Transport Plan (LTP) grant allocation (capital funding) from the Department for Transport (DfT).

Cabinet was advised that the 2022/23 LTP Capital grant allocation for the Council will be £7.9 million comprising £3.1 million of Integrated Transport Block (ITB) funding and £4.8 million of Highway Maintenance funding (including Pothole Funding). The Portfolio Holder informed Cabinet that the ITB block was to progress schemes which had been approved by Cabinet, Council and the DfT and in addition the additional government led strategic policy on active travel. The Highways Maintenance funding was allocated according to government guidance which included assurance that the highways were being well maintained. The Portfolio Holder explained that recommendation ‘C’ was not required as the Council had received notification of the final settlement from the DfT.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board advised that there was a long debate on this with a number of issues being raised but there were no formal recommendations.

Cllr A Hadley asked about funding of the Ferndown to Wallisdown corridor which was moving to the Transforming Cities Fund. The Portfolio Holder advised that nothing had change from the previous LTP Capital Programme and the corridors involved were integrated. The Councillor also asked about travel safety measures and funding for school zones as many schools were interested in this. The Portfolio Holder outline the funding for safer routes to schools and that the school streets were fairly low cost and it was hoped that these would be expanded through using the base budget.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)            approve the proposed 2022/23 Local Transport Plan Capital Programme funding as set out in Appendix A; and

(b)           approve the indicative 2023/24 and 2024/25 Highways Maintenance Programmes as set out in Appendix B;

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Sustainability and Transport

The Big Plan of BCP Council includes developing 15,000 new homes within our city region which is adjacent to sensitive and vulnerable habitats, including the Dorset Heathlands which are designated areas for special protection. Any increase in footfall in those sensitive heathland areas threatens their fragile ecosystem. This is why, in order to protect those habitats, Natural England stipulates the development of SANGs whenever additional housing is being proposed which could result in more people visiting the heathlands. This is a heathland mitigation measure. A SANG is a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANGs). It is a space provided for leisure to attract people away from the sensitive heathland.

The purpose of this SANG is to serve as heathland mitigation to enable the commencement and occupation of large scale residential schemes of 50 units and over in Bournemouth, including the Winter Gardens site as well as others.

This development at Throop will follow the Natural England guidelines for SANGs, providing attractive areas for walking, linking to the cycle network, and including the provision of a small car park which will be screened by vegetation from Throop Village. Additional planting will add interest and support an increase in biodiversity.

These plans are consistent with the longer term plans for Hicks Farm and the Stour Valley Park.

We will work constructively with the Throop and Holdenhurst parish Council to deliver the SANG.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approve the utilisation of: -

      (i)       £518,000 of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) heathland mitigation resources for the implementation of the project, and

    (ii)        an additional £100,000 of CIL resources for those elements of the implementation which can’t be funded using heathland mitigation funds; and

   (iii)       Circa £100K of CIL Heathlands Mitigation resources per year (rising with inflation) for 80 years.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Environment and Place

Reason

This development will reduce the environmental impact of leisure on internationally sensitive heathland ecosystems; provide additional attractive leisure space for BCP residents and visitors; increase biodiversity and bio-resilience in the Throop area; and enable the commencement and occupation of large-scale residential schemes of 50 units and over in Bournemouth, as part of the Big Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was informed that the Big Plan of BCP Council includes developing 15,000 new homes within our city region which was adjacent to sensitive and vulnerable habitats, including the Dorset Heathlands which were designated areas for special protection, and that any increase in footfall in those sensitive heathland areas threatens their fragile ecosystem.

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that this is why, in order to protect those habitats, Natural England stipulates the development of SANGs whenever additional housing was being proposed which could result in more people visiting the heathlands, and that this was a heathland mitigation measure.

Cabinet was further advised that a SANG was a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANGs), and that it was a space provided for leisure to attract people away from the sensitive heathland.

Cabinet was informed that the purpose of this SANG was to serve as heathland mitigation to enable the commencement and occupation of large scale residential schemes of 50 units and over in Bournemouth, including the Winter Gardens site as well as others, and that this development at Throop would follow the Natural England guidelines for SANGs, providing attractive areas for walking, linking to the cycle network, and including the provision of a small car park which will be screened by vegetation from Throop Village. Additional planting would add interest and support an increase in biodiversity.

Cabinet was further informed that these plans were consistent with the longer-term plans for Hicks Farm and the Stour Valley Park, and that the Council would work constructively with the Throop and Holdenhurst Parish Council to deliver the SANG.

The Deputy Leader spoke in support of the report.

The Portfolio Holder advised that following Overview and Scrutiny he was proposing a minor amendment to recommendation iii to include the words ‘heathland mitigation’ after CIL as this was more accurate and would reflet the wording of the first recommendation.

The Deputy Leader spoke in support of the report.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approve the utilisation of: -

      (i)       £518,000 of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) heathland mitigation resources for the implementation of the project, and

    (ii)        an additional £100,000 of CIL resources for those elements of the implementation which can’t be funded using heathland mitigation funds; and

   (iii)       Circa £100K of CIL Heathlands Mitigation resources per year (rising with inflation) for 80 years.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Environment and Place

In May 2021, Cabinet approved the further development of a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to better address the health needs of individuals who are homeless. 

Cabinet also approved the acquisition of St Stephens Church Hall, Bournemouth, to be used as a Homeless Inclusion Health Centre (‘Health Hub’) within an approved budget.

Programme governance has been established for this work, the MDT is developing well with various partners engaged, and conveyancing and the required due diligence continues in relation to the acquisition of St Stephens Church Hall.

Options are set out in the confidential Appendix A for the acquisition, refurbishment and management of the building which could bring additional investment requirements for the Council and therefore need further due consideration.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a)     Delegates authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for People and Homes and the Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview & Scrutiny Committee to implement a competitive selection process to appoint an operator of a Health Hub service from St Stephen’s Church Hall; and

(b)    Conditional upon the appointment of an operator as set out in Recommendation (a) above, approves the acquisition of the St Stephen’s Church Hall and delegates authority to the Corporate Property Officer function (retained by the Chief Executive for the purpose of this acquisition), the s151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer to agree the specific terms of the acquisition of St Stephens Church Hall.

(c)     Approves an increase in the capital budget for the purchase and refurbishment of the property for the purposes of delivering a Health Hub service to a maximum sum of £800,000.

Reason

The recommendations ensured a robust approach in taking the Health Hub Forward.

Recommendation (a) The approval of the use of St Stephens Church Hall for the Health Hub would ensure a solid basis to move forward and the competitive selection process to appoint an operational partner would ensure that the best operator for the project was appointed.

Recommendation (b) The approval ensures that services would be delivered in the most appropriate location and would ensure that the options were considered by the appropriate officers.

Recommendation (c) The approval ensures financial responsibility in setting a limit on the capital budget for the project and provides an assurance for partners on the financial envelope for the project.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: People and Homes

The Portfolio Holder for People and Homes presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book. The Lead Member for Homelessness introduced the item.

Cabinet was advised that in May 2021, Cabinet approved the further development of a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to better address the health needs of individuals who are homeless. 

Cabinet was further advised that approval had also been granted for the acquisition of St Stephens Church Hall, Bournemouth, to be used as a Homeless Inclusion Health Centre (‘Health Hub’) within an approved budget.

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that the programme governance has been established for this work, the MDT is developing well with various partners engaged, and conveyancing and the required due diligence continues in relation to the acquisition of St Stephens Church Hall.

Cabinet was advised that options were set out in the confidential Appendix A for the acquisition, refurbishment and management of the building which could bring additional investment requirements for the Council and therefore needed further due consideration.

In order to discuss the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board, the Cabinet:

RESOLVED that:

Under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs such interest in disclosing the information.

The meeting then moved into exempt session. The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board then addressed the Cabinet advising of some of the issues raised by members of the Overview and Scrutiny Board regarding the options outlined in the Cabinet report.

The meeting moved back into public session.

Cabinet members spoke in support of the report. The Leader advised that he considered that the physical location of the facility and the opportunity to conduct outreach from the location was vital. The Cabinet was advised that working with a partner on this would provide the best value for money option. There were also no other properties in the Town Centre which would fulfil the requirements for the hub. The Portfolio Holder proposed a number of recommendations and advised that it was important to not have any delay with delivering this service.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a)     Delegates authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for People and Homes and the Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview & Scrutiny Committee to implement a competitive selection process to appoint an operator of a Health Hub service from St Stephen’s Church Hall; and

(b)    Conditional upon the appointment of an operator as set out in Recommendation (a) above, approves the acquisition of the St Stephen’s Church Hall and delegates authority to the Corporate Property Officer function (retained by the Chief  ...  view the full minutes text for item 143.

The Chief Executive to report on any decisions taken under urgency provisions in accordance with the Constitution.

Cabinet was advised that there were no urgent decisions taken by the Chief Executive in accordance with the Constitution to report on this occasion.

To consider the latest version of the Cabinet Forward Plan for approval.

The Leader advised that the latest Cabinet Forward Plan had been published on the Council’s website.