Agenda item

Report No: COU/SE/19/004

 

Referral from Extraordinary Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee: 26 February 2019

         

1.       Haverhill Research Park and Suffolk Business Park Investment Fund

          Portfolio Holder: Cllr Susan Glossop

 

Referrals from Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee:

12 March 2019

 

(These referrals have been compiled before the meeting of the Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee on 12 March 2019 and are based on the recommendations contained within each of the reports listed below.  Any amendments made by the Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee to the recommendations within these reports will be notified to Members accordingly).

 

1.     Treasury Management Report 2018/19 and Investment Activity

        (1 April to 31 December 2018)

        Portfolio Holder: Cllr Ian Houlder

       

2.     Former Castle Hill Middle School, Haverhill: Development Brief

        Portfolio Holder: Cllr Susan Glossop

 

3.     West Suffolk Joint Pay Policy Statement 2019/2020

        Portfolio Holder: Cllr Ian Houlder

       

       

Council considered the Referrals Report of Recommendations from the Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee contained within Report No: COU/SE/19/004.

 

(A)    Referrals from Extraordinary Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee: 26 February 2019

 

1.       Haverhill Research Park and Suffolk Business Park Investment Fund

 

Approval was sought for an investment loan facility of up to £7m towards costs that would support growth on the Enterprise Zones at Haverhill Research Park and Suffolk Business Park, Bury St Edmunds.

 

The principal intention of this loan facility would be to support the development of business centres for new businesses (start-ups).  The provision of such buildings would primarily provide flexible space, enabled West Suffolk to attract new businesses and innovation which would inspire local communities.  

 

Councillor Susan Glossop, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth, drew relevant issues to the attention of Council, including that there were benefits of providing a commercial loan to the developer such as the benefits to the local economy.  This loan would provide the match funding to go with the grant applications that had been made by the developer for the capital cost of building both centres.  The result of this was to make the delivery of both or either centre more likely and, therefore, to enable West Suffolk to benefit from much needed start-up space for new and growing enterprises.

 

Any loan from this facility would be arranged at a commercial interest rate (and would be properly assessed and due diligence undertaken) and would generate an annual income for SEBC Council.  Any lending would be subject to the strict criteria in the Loans Policy and this included ensuring that due diligence had been undertaken and the repayment of the loan was sufficiently secured to the right value.  The risks associated with this proposal were, therefore, low.

 

The majority of Members supported the proposal, acknowledging that this provided a catalyst for enabling new, small start-up businesses to utilise much needed units, which would help in their endeavours towards expansion and growth.

 

On the motion of Councillor Susan Glossop, seconded by Councillor Carol Bull, and duly carried, it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

That:

 

(1)     A £7m investment facility for the development of business centres and associated works by way of loan(s) for Haverhill Research Park and Suffolk Park (Enterprise Zone) Bury St Edmunds, as set out in Report No: CAB/JT/19/007, be approved;

 

(2)     subject to the satisfaction of the Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer that appropriate security is in place to protect the Council’s investment and due diligence, highlighting no significant risks to the Council has been completed, delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive in consultation with the SEBC Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth to enter into a loan agreement(s) with the developer; and 

 

(3)     it be agreed for the Council’s Section 151 Officer to make the necessary changes to the Council’s prudential indicators as a result of resolution 1. above.

 

(B)    Referrals from Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee:

          12 March 2019

 

1.       Treasury Management Report 2018-2019 and Investment Activity (1 April – 31 December 2018)

 

Approval was sought for the Treasury Management Report 2018/2019 covering the period 1 April to 31 December 2018.

 

Councillor Ian Houlder, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, drew relevant issues to the attention of Council.

 

On the motion of Councillor Houlder, seconded by Councillor Sarah Broughton, and duly carried, it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Treasury Management Report for 2018-2019 for the period 1 April to 31 December 2018, as detailed in Report No: TMS/SE/19/001, be approved.

 

2.       Former Castle Hill Middle School: Development Brief

 

Approval was sought for the draft development brief for the former Castle Hill Middle School in Haverhill.

 

The adopted Haverhill Vision 2031 Local Plan document allocated the site of the former Castle Hill Middle School as a site suitable for development with housing with an indicative capacity of 25 dwellings (Policy HV5c).

 

Despite being the site of a former school which was destroyed by fire, the allocated housing related solely to part of the playing field and was classified as greenfield.  

 

Prior to commencing work on preparation of the development brief, Ingleton Wood as agent for the developer (Barley Homes), undertook an initial consultation event on 14 June 2018, together with extensive engagement with the local community and key stakeholders. This then helped inform the preparation of the draft development brief.

 

A large part of the brief identified the constraints and opportunities affecting the site. These included identification of existing natural greenspace and features, the relationship with surrounding development, site levels and opportunities for vehicular access and the relationship with the adjoining land which would form recreational open space. A key element was the policy requirement to provide a pedestrian and cycle access linking the site and Chivers Road with the existing schools which were currently accessed solely from School Lane. This would be achieved through the central spine of the site and would have a fundamental influence on the layout of the site and the adjacent recreational open space.

 

Councillor Susan Glossop, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth, drew relevant issues to the attention of Council, including that the draft development brief had been prepared in accordance with the Council’s adopted protocol and had been subject to public consultation, as detailed in Section 1.2 of Report No: CAB/JT/19/014.  Analysis of the consultation responses and consequential changes to the document were contained within sections 4 and 5 of the Consultation Report (Appendix B to Report No: CAB/JT/19/014). 

 

Adoption of the draft Development Brief would be a key element in the delivery of sustainable development at the former Castle Hill Middle School.

 

Councillor Sara Mildmay-White, Portfolio Holder for Housing, was delighted that this site was coming forward for development by Barley Homes, particularly as it had been empty for a number of years.  The consultation had largely been positive, including support expressed for the proposed provision within the site for a footpath and cycle link to School Lane and the two existing schools.

 

A detailed discussion was held and whilst the draft development brief was generally supported, some concern was expressed in respect of:

 

(a)     the consultation process, with particular reference to the locations of the drop-in consultation events, which were located some distance away from the proposed development site;

 

(b)     whether there was evidence to support the statement in the brief, which had concluded that there was ‘no real support for the allotment site..’;

 

(c)     that should any s106 contributions for education be agreed, these should be allocated to Castle Manor Academy and not Samuel Ward Academy as it was closer to the proposed development site; and

 

(d)     that it would be a missed opportunity if the proposed dwellings were not built to low energy use standards.

 

Councillor Glossop duly responded to the issues raised above, including that the decision not to include allotment provision was following discussion with appropriate officers, and whilst not policy, the implementation of low energy use measures would be promoted.

 

On the motion of Councillor Glossop, seconded by Councillor Sara Mildmay-White, and duly carried, it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the development brief for the former Castle Hill Middle School, Haverhill, as contained in Appendix A to Report No: CAB/JT/19/014, be adopted as informal planning guidance.

 

3.       West Suffolk Joint Pay Policy Statement: 2019/2020

 

Approval was sought for the West Suffolk Joint Pay Policy Statement 2019/2020.

 

Section 38/11 of the Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to produce a Pay Policy Statement annually.  Councillor Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, drew relevant issues to the attention of Council, including that a Joint Pay Policy Statement for 2019/2020 had been produced which reflected a shared workforce and the single Pay and Reward Strategy in place for the two West Suffolk Councils.  It also incorporated the outcomes of the 2013 collective agreement which established a modern reward framework for the integrated workforce.

 

The Pay Policy Statement included:

 

(a)     the level and elements of remuneration for Chief Officers (senior staff);

(b)     the remuneration of the lowest paid employees;

(c)     the relationship between the remuneration of the highest and lowest paid employees; and

(d)     other specific aspects of Chief Officer remuneration, fees and charges and other discretionary payments.

 

In addition, Section 7 of the Pay Policy Statement provided an analysis of the gender pay gap for the West Suffolk Councils. Members noted that for the period April 2017 to March 2018, the Councils’ combined mean gender pay gap was -0.5%, showing that the average hourly rate of females was 0.5% more than the average hourly rate of males and the median gap.  The median gender pay gap was zero, meaning there was no difference between males and females.

 

Members also noted that the lowest paid contractual employee was paid at spinal column point 9 (£8.68 per hour).  Casual staff, aged 25 of over, was paid at the national living wage of £7.83 per hour. Those aged under 25 were paid the national minimum wage of £7.38 per hour.  All employees, under National Joint Council terms and conditions, also received the national cost of living award.

 

Attention was also drawn to the ratio of the Council’s current highest paid employee (Chief Executive) and the lowest paid employee, in comparison to other local authorities and public sector organisations, and also to those companies listed in the FTSE 100.  The West Suffolk Councils compared favourably, further details regarding this were contained in Section 11 of the Pay Policy Statement.

 

On the motion of Councillor Houlder, seconded by Councillor Joanna Rayner, and duly carried, it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the West Suffolk Joint Pay Policy Statement for 2019/2020, as contained in Appendix 1 to Report No: CAB/JT/19/015, be approved.