Agenda and minutes

Venue: Online via Zoom

Contact: Amanda Coombes, Democratic Services Officer  01395 517543 or email  acoombes@eastdevon.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

44.

Public speaking

Minutes:

There were no members of the public registered to speak.

45.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 447 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of Cabinet held on 14 July 2021 were recommended for approval as a true record.

 

DECISION:

The recommendation was approved by a Senior Officer. The Senior Officer Decision Notice is listed above under Additional Documents.

46.

Declarations of interest

Guidance is available online to Councillors and co-opted members on making declarations of interest

Minutes:

Min 49. Cranbrook New Community: 10 years in.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Member of Cranbrook Strategic Delivery Board.

 

Min 49. Cranbrook New Community: 10 years in.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Has close family members living in Cranbrook.

 

Min 50. Cranbrook Town Centre.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Member of Cranbrook Strategic Delivery Board.

 

Min 50. Cranbrook Town Centre.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Has close family members living in Cranbrook.

 

Min 51. Cranbrook Local Infrastructure Fund.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Member of Cranbrook Strategic Delivery Board.

 

Min 51. Cranbrook Local Infrastructure Fund.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Has close family members living in Cranbrook.

 

Min 52. Appointment of Financial Advisor to support the delivery of Zero Carbon Development in the West End.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Member of Cranbrook Strategic Delivery Board.

 

Min 52. Appointment of Financial Advisor to support the delivery of Zero Carbon Development in the West End.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Has close family members living in Cranbrook.

 

Min 53. Cranbrook Town Centre Land Acquisition.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Member of Cranbrook Strategic Delivery Board.

 

Min 53. Cranbrook Town Centre Land Acquisition.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Has close family members living in Cranbrook.

 

47.

Matters of urgency

Information on matters of urgency is available online

Minutes:

None

48.

Confidential/exempt item(s)

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. There is one item which officers recommend should be dealt with in this way.

Minutes:

None

49.

Cranbrook New Community: 10 years in pdf icon PDF 313 KB

It is over 10 years since development of the Cranbrook new community commenced.  Originally planned to have a population of around 7,000 people, Cranbrook is now expected to expand to circa 8,000 homes and a population nearing 20,000 people.  This report takes stock of how the development of the town has progressed over the past decade including identifying key learning points. 

Minutes:

The Service Lead Growth, Development & Prosperity highlighted that it was just over 10 years since development of the Cranbrook new community commenced. Originally planned to have a population of around 7,000 people, Cranbrook was now expected to expand to circa 8,000 homes and a population nearing 20,000 people. The report took stock of how the development of the town had progressed over the past decade including identifying key learning points. Recommendations were put forward as to how additional revenue could be generated to support the delivery of assets and services in the town going forward.

 

Discussions included the following:

·        Residents of Cranbrook had also made a financial investment into the town

·        The need to understand past decisions and look forward to the future of the town

·        It was right to focus on Cranbrook in order to support its residents to deliver their town

 

Having received the report and noted the contents, members were accepting of endorsing the principle of adopting an asset endowment / profit share approach to generate additional revenue for the town to support the delivery of assets and services on an ongoing basis and noted that other reports would address the matter further. In light of this members did not feel it necessary to make any specific recommendations.

 

 

50.

Cranbrook Town Centre pdf icon PDF 199 KB

This report provides an overview of the progress made to support the delivery of Cranbrook town centre, funded by the Enterprise Zone programme. 

Minutes:

The Enterprise Zone Programme Manager provided an overview of the progress made to support the delivery of Cranbrook town centre, funded by the Enterprise Zone programme. She provided information on the progress being made on the acquisition of land within the town centre and delivery of modular space.

 

Having received the report and noted the contents, members were accepting of endorsing the principles of supporting delivery of modular space through capital investment through the EZ programme and developing a proposal for a Health, Wellbeing and Leisure Hub. Members noted that other reports would address the matter further and therefore did not feel it necessary to make any specific recommendations.

 

51.

Cranbrook Local Infrastructure Fund pdf icon PDF 223 KB

This report puts forward a proposal for the establishment of a revolving infrastructure fund to support the delivery of critical infrastructure in step with new homes as an essential part of the continued expansion of the Cranbrook new community. 

Minutes:

The Service Leads Growth, Development & Prosperity and Planning Strategy and Development Management put forward a proposal for the establishment of a revolving infrastructure fund to support the delivery of critical infrastructure in step with new homes as an essential part of the continued expansion of the Cranbrook new community. They highlighted how an equivalent mechanism had been used successfully in the past to enable infrastructure, such as new schools, to be brought forward and delivered at the earliest opportunity. The proposals would both benefit residents and help to address ongoing viability challenges in relation to the expansion areas for Cranbrook.

 

Discussions included the following:

·        Developing infrastructure was very important to get right

·        Cranbrook needed this development as well as a viable and reliable electricity supply

·        The electricity supply was fundamental and needed to be prioritised to be the first piece of infrastructure to develop

·        Cranbrook’s function was to provide new homes in the district

·        The successful GP’s surgery was almost at full capacity with plans for an extension in order to accommodate new patients. The Health and Wellbeing centre was crucial to support this

·        This was a means to an end to get things underway. There was no central government funding so we had no other options. There was good strong security to back the investment

 

The Portfolio Holder Finance stated he welcomed this proposal as a way forward and gave reassurance that the loan was well within the borrowing limits of the council and an investment into the future as well as being the only solution available.

 

Having received the report and noted the contents together with the fact a further report would detail the Terms of Reference for the Fund, Cabinet;

 

RECOMMENDED:

to Council that there is an in principle agreement to borrow up to £40m from the Public Works Loan Board to capitalise the Cranbrook Local Infrastructure Fund.

 

REASON:

To ensure the cost effective and timely delivery of critical infrastructure to support the continued development of the Cranbrook new community.

52.

Appointment of Financial Advisor to support the delivery of Zero Carbon Development in the West End pdf icon PDF 194 KB

To support the delivery of Zero Carbon Development in the West End it is necessary to procure the support of financial support. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Enterprise Zone Programme Manager asked for support to the delivery of Zero Carbon Development in the West End as it was necessary to procure the support of financial support. The project was a short time frame to develop a business case and

met the deadlines of the funding organisation. It was recommended that Global City Future are appointed as Financial Advisors to undertake the development of a business case and support negotiations for this project. It was requested that this appointment is made as an exemption to Standing Orders.

 

RECOMMENDED:

that the request for Exemption to Standing Orders in respect of the appointment of Global City Futures as Financial Advisors to provide EDDC with advice on the emerging Zero Carbon Development scheme, subject to Council resolving to accept the grant in relation to the Heat Network Investment programme, be approved.

 

REASON:

To provide Financial Advice to the Council, due to the Council not having the in-house expertise or capacity necessary to undertake the business case and negotiation support for the project.

 

DECISION:

The recommendation went to Senior Officers for approval and a subsequent decision was made to approve the above recommendation.  The Senior Officer Decision Notice is listed above under Additional Documents.

53.

Cranbrook Town Centre Land Acquisition

This report provides information on the progress being made on the acquisition of land within the town centre to be funded through the Enterprise Zone programme. It highlights the challenges associated with negotiating an acceptable price and puts forward recommendations as how to proceed. 

Minutes:

The report provided information on the progress being made on the acquisition of land within the town centre to be funded through the Enterprise Zone programme. It highlighted the challenges associated with negotiating an acceptable price and put forward recommendations as how to proceed. 

 

Councillor Kim Bloxham thanked officers for their well-informed reports which had helped to highlight the urgency and importance for investment into the infrastructure at Cranbrook.

 

Having received the report and noted the contents together with the fact a further report would be brought on the detailed investment programme, members endorsed the principle of acquiring land in Cranbrook town centre through capital investment through the EZ programme. Members also agreed with officers commissioning further specialist advice in relation to compulsory purchase. In light of this members did not feel it necessary to make any specific recommendations.