Agenda item

The draft Place Medium Term Service & Resource Plan (MTSRP) update is presented for consideration by the Panel:

i)  To ensure all members of the Panel are aware of the context for Service Action Planning and budget setting.

ii)  To enable comment on the progress being made on this 3 year plan.

iii)  To enable issues to be referred to the relevant Portfolio.

The Strategic Director for Place introduced this item to the Panel. She wished to highlight certain points from within Appendix 1.

Place Directorate – Key policy context changes:

·  To progress the Core Strategy through the further stages of the Examination in Public to Adoption so that the National Planning Policy Framework no longer takes precedence over the Council’s own policies. 

·  Developing the Enterprise Area Master Plan which will focus where future mixed use development opportunities exist that takes into account the Core Strategy requirements and where future expenditure will be targeted, linking in the West of England (WoE) City Deal and  other funding opportunities, whilst also ensuring the effective and efficient disposal of land and property.

·  Developing the Bath and Keynsham Transport Strategies to support the significant growth in homes and employment that is being promoted through the Core Strategy and further developed in its Placemaking Plan.

·  Ensuring the Place Directorate is compliant with the new Council Procurement strategy with a “Think Local” theme.

·  Developing the Leisure Strategy to provide direction for the procurement of a leisure provider during 2014, thus ensuring they meet our local needs and priorities.

·  Developing an Economic Strategy that will also encompass tourism, arts and cultural activities including key events, as these functions also have a major impact on the local economy.

·  Further reducing waste sent to landfill sites by recycling and recovering residual waste.

·  Seeking further opportunities to share services including the procurement of shared contracts with other local authorities.

Councillor Lisa Brett commented that she welcomed the approach to integrate strategies. She asked if the Council could afford the new capital projects.

The Strategic Director for Place replied that funding for a lot of them was provided through external grants, with the Enterprise Area being just one example.

Councillor Les Kew commented that he believed the investment made in Heritage Services was key to its recent success.

The Strategic Director for Place replied that the intention was to continue to grow the heritage attraction of the City.

Councillor Charles Gerrish asked for further information on the £1.2m allocated to the Midsomer Norton Business Centre in 2015 / 16.

The Strategic Director for Place replied that income associated with the Business Centre would pay for that figure.

Councillor Charles Gerrish asked why Rossiter Road was absent from the Plan and is the current budget associated with the scheme sufficient.

The Strategic Director for Place replied that the budget is in this year’s allocation and the scheme was being prepared in the knowledge of the funds available. The tender process would confirm the final cost.

Councillor David Martin asked how the Council would be achieving its corporate objectives in terms of sustainability.

The Strategic Director for Place replied that it is a key component and for example we are investigating the use of District Heating and potential grant opportunities through the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC).

Councillor David Martin commented that the European Union was about to launch a project named Horizon 2020 and suggested that the Council looks at how it can become involved in it.

The Strategic Director for Place thanked him for the information and said involvement in the project would need to be assessed around the priorities of the Council.

The Chair thanked her for the update on behalf of the Panel.