Decisions

This report seeks approval to introduce a Special Group Achievement Category to the Citizen of Honour award scheme that will recognise outstanding contributions to improving the lives of residents made by community groups and charitable organisations.  It then proposes that One Community become the first recipient of the award.

The Citizen of Honour award scheme was introduced in 1996 to recognise notable voluntary and unpaid service provided to the community by Borough residents,

It was first modified in 2001 to include young citizens who had acted bravely, undertook regular selfless acts or were adapting to a disability.

The special achievement category was then introduced in 2009 to recognise residents who had made a notable and significant achievement in their field.

It is proposed that a new category, called the Special Group Achievement award be introduced.  This would be an occasional award presented to community groups, voluntary organisations and charities that have made outstanding contributions to people living in the Borough.

It is suggested that One Community be made the first recipient of the new award, in recognition of its outstanding contribution to local community and voluntary groups and organisations in the Borough.

RESOLVED that the Executive approves:

(a)  the creation of the Special Group Achievement Award to recognise community groups, voluntary organisations and charities that have made outstanding contributions to the lives of residents;

(b)  the proposed arrangements for deciding and granting the Special Group Achievement Award, as set out in the report from paragraph 5; and

(c)  that the first Special Group Achievement Award be presented to One Community.

This report provides the Executive with details of the capital and treasury management outturn for 2017/18 to comply with the reporting requirements of the Code of Practice for Treasury Management.  The report also seeks approval for the proposed methods of financing the General Fund capital programme.

Actual capital expenditure on General Fund schemes in 2017/18 was £23,295,118 compared with the revised capital programme of £24,405,900.  The overall variance was £1,110,782 and a detailed analysis of the variations is given in Appendix A to this report.

Total savings of £79,516 were achieved, additional expenditure of £133,275 was incurred and a total of £1,164,541 will be carried forward into 2018/19.  Details of the various methods used to finance this expenditure are set out in this report.

Full details of Treasury Management investment and borrowing activity in 2017/18 are also set out in this report.  Treasury activity in 2017/18 is summarised below:

Net interest received in 2017/18 was £417,911 and net interest paid was £1,742,168.

During 2017/18, the Council complied with its legislative and regulatory requirements of the Prudential Code.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves that the General Fund capital programme for 2017/18 be approved and financed as set out in this report;

(b)  agrees that the additional expenditure incurred, amounting to £133,275 be financed retrospectively from surplus capital resources; and

(c)  notes the treasury management activity for 2017/18.

This report provides the Executive with details of the actual revenue expenditure for 2017/18 for the General Fund and Housing Revenue and Repairs Account and seeks approval for the completion, in 2018/19, of the 2017/18 expenditure programmes set out in the briefing paper contained in the report.

The General Fund actual revenue expenditure for 2017/18 totals £8,104,773 which represents an overall underspend of £511,927 when compared to the revised budget.

However, it has not been possible to complete a number of expenditure programmes in 2017/18 and approval is sought to complete these programmes totalling £335,900 during 2018/19.  When the use of the saving in 2017/18 to complete these programmes is taken into account, along with financing adjustments of £286, the net reported underspend for the year is £176,313.

The final figures for the Housing Revenue and Repairs Account (HRA) in 2017/18 show that, overall, the value of the HRA revenue reserve has reduced by £546,000 against a revised budget surplus of £904,000.  This is mainly due to a higher than anticipated depreciation charge.  A new Debt Repayment Fund reserve has been set up in this financial year and overall HRA Reserves have increased by £3.185 million.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves the carry forward of £335,900 to fund the completion of the General Fund expenditure programmes in 2017/18, as contained in the report;

(b)  approves that an overspend of £478,000 from the HRA Capital account is rolled forward to correct budget phasing to support the future programme in 2018/19; and

(c)  notes the contents of the report.

To set out the proposals for the future development and operation of Ferneham Hall.

Over the last few years the Council has invested significant capital sums into sports and recreation to ensure that it provides relevant, modern and good quality leisure facilities.  Given the sale of this investment, it is now fair and proportionate for the Council to focus its attention on the area of entertainment.  It is time to review how Ferneham Hall can be refreshed.

On 18 May 2015, the Executive considered a report entitled “Fareham Cultural Facilities Transformation”.  In summary, the report focussed on two issues.  The first included plans for the refurbishment and future management of Westbury Manor Museum.  The second included the need to undertake a feasibility study considering future options for Ferneham Hall.  The report noted that, whilst the Council is wholly committed to providing a modern community focused entertainment facility in Fareham Town Centre, there was a need to reduce the annual operating cost of such a facility.

The results of the feasibility study, carried out by the consultants were made available in November 2015, and Council Officers began the process of analysing the information.  The publication of the results, however, was put on hold in early 2016, due to the work that the Council was undertaking in preparing a vision for Fareham Town Centre.

Following a period of public consultation, “Planning the Future of Fareham Town Centre” was published in 2017.  It stated that “Ferneham Hall is the Borough’s main venue for theatre, arts and community events but is also becoming dated.  The Council’s budget for subsidising the theatre is under pressure and we must look at how we can achieve best value for tax payers.  Plans for the Civic Quarter could include creating a new cultural and arts facility to replace Ferneham Hall”.

This vision worked on the assumption that Ferneham Hall would be demolished and moved to a new location within the Civic Quarter, possibly combined with a new multi-storey car park.  It was anticipated that this would release space for residential development on the current Ferneham Hall site.  It has become increasingly clear, however, that the option to remodel Ferneham Hall in its current location could be delivered in a much shorter timescale, at a lower cost, with residential development and the re-provision of public parking provided at a later stage.  This would, however, require a period of closure for Ferneham Hall.

Following the publication of the plans for the Town Centre, attention focussed on the results of the Ferneham Hall feasibility study.  The study indicated that it was possible to significantly reduce the operational costs of the facility and proposed a new design based on two performance spaces:

·         one of approximately 400 seats and

·         one smaller space of approximately 100 seats that would host presentations of live performance and film screenings.

The plans also included a dedicated dance studio and meeting rooms.  The feasibility study estimated that the capital costs of such a refurbishment project would be between £8.9million and £9.6million.  The costs of building a new facility in a different location were estimated to be between £9.6million and £14.5million.

Officers have assessed the results of the feasibility study and concluded that the financial projections for the five-year operating model appear to be realistic;  the proposal for a smaller auditorium is in keeping with other modern cultural facilities; the scale and nature of the future programme requires a skill base which is better suited to management using a Leisure Trust operating model; the inclusion of a dance studio, whilst desirable, is not essential;  the capital costs of refurbishment and construction are high and if the project is to proceed then officers would need to work closely with architects to re-engineer the design to reduce costs.

If approved, it is proposed that the project is delivered in three phases:

1.    The first phase would include the remodelling of Ferneham Hall, demolishing the Octagon Lounge and opening up the foyer area.

2.    The second phase would focus on the smaller secondary theatre.

3.    The third phase would be the dance studio.

Fareham Borough Council would fund the first phase; and consider the most suitable funding structure for the latter two phases once an operator had been selected, recognising that they may attract external funding for the additional facilities.   This would remove uncertainty from the project as the second phase would only proceed if the Trust was successful in providing capital investment.

The feasibility study was commissioned in partnership with the Hampshire Cultural Trust and recent discussions with the organisation remain positive.   However, during the process of the review it has become clear that other Leisure Trust operators are interested in the scheme.  As such, it is proposed that a procurement exercise is undertaken to select the Council’s preferred operator, to support during construction then provide management of the new Ferneham Hall facility.  This would, of course, not preclude the Hampshire Cultural Trust from putting forward a proposal.

A draft vision has been prepared to provide clarity to Leisure Trust operators. Architects and Consultants as to the Council’s ambitions for Ferneham Hall.

Detailed figures on costs would be provided to a future meeting of the Executive before any works commence, but at this stage approval is requested for phase one of the project to be funded from Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contributions.

If the project is approved, it is suggested that the current venue closes towards the end of 2019.  The timescales involved in closure would mean that Ferneham Hall employees would be “at risk” and the Council would work with its preferred operator on possible solutions.  When the new venue opened, it would be under the management of a Leisure Trust operator.  The future operating model would be based on the premise that Fareham Borough Council owns the facility and employs the Leisure Trust to manage the facility, with annual surpluses or deficits received/met by the Council.

It is suggested that a member working group be established to oversee the design and construction of the project, chaired by the Executive Member for Leisure and Community.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees that:

(a)  Ferneham Hall remains in its current location within the Civic Quarter;

(b)  the vision for Ferneham Hall, attached as Appendix A to the report, is approved;

(c)  the business plan created by AEA Consulting is refreshed and updated, excluding details of the Ashcroft Arts Centre, to ensure that all of the relevant data is available to make an informed decision going forward;

(d)  a procurement process be undertaken to identify a Leisure Trust operator as a partner, prepared to support the development of the new facility, including securing external sources of funding where appropriate, then managing the new facility in the future;

(e)  Ferneham Hall is closed in late 2019 to enable construction works to be undertaken;

(f)   the construction works are undertaken in three phases.  The first phase would include the remodelling of Ferneham Hall, demolishing the Octagon Lounge and opening up the foyer area.  The second phase would focus on the secondary theatre.  The third phase would be the dance studio;

(g)  in principle, the costs of phase one of the project be funded from the Community Infrastructure Levy and external funding where possible, with full project cost to be reported to the Executive later this year.  Funding of the latter phases of work would be subject to a further report, once an operator has been selected;

(h)  delegated authority be given to the Director of Finance and Resources, following consultation with the Executive Member for Leisure and Community, to utilise an initial sum of £100,000 to enable expenditure on fees covering aspects such as surveys, building redesign, further market research, the preparation of a planning application and project management.

(i)    a member working group be established to oversee the design and construction of the project, chaired by the Executive Member for Leisure and Community, to include four other members: Councillors TM Cartwright, MJ Ford, T Davies and Mrs KK Trott. The final design and costs will require the approval of the Executive prior to seeking planning permission; and

(j)    options for naming the new venue be presented to a future meeting of the Executive.

The purpose of this report is to firstly provide an overview of the Council’s progression on regeneration proposals within the Fareham Town Centre Civic Quarter and secondly to seek approval for a budget for the next stages of work to be undertaken.

This report provides background to the regeneration proposals within the Fareham Civic Quarter, and then provides an overview of their progression since publication of the Corporate Strategy and Fareham Town Centre Regeneration Vision.  This report explains the proposed next steps to progress these regenerations proposals, and seeks approval for necessary resources and a budget to support this project,  

RESOLVED that the Executive approves a budget of £275,000 to facilitate procurement of a dedicated resource to masterplan and programme manage delivery of the phases comprising the Fareham Civic Quarter Regeneration project and to undertake surveys and technical reviews for the progression of more detailed designs and programming for the Fareham Civic Quarter Regeneration project.

This report proposes various changes to the Council’s current policy on publicising applications received for planning permission and other types of consent.

Officers from the Council’s Development Management service have been reviewing whether the current neighbour notification policy dating from 2003 results in an appropriate level of public notification on planning applications and other types of planning submissions.

The review follows the recent changes made to how planning applications are dealt with by Development Management following the work with Vanguard consulting.

Under the current neighbour notification policy, the main methods of publicising planning applications include letters sent directly to adjacent properties, the display of site notices and press notices placed in a local newspaper.

Officers consider that the current neighbour notification policy should be replaced and rebranded as the ‘Community Notification Scheme (CNS)’.

The new CNS would provide Officers with greater flexibility to decide who to notify about planning and similar applications.

The proposed approach would lead to more residents and other interested parties being notified about major applications than required under the Council’s currently approved policy.  There would be a reduction in the requirement to notify on some minor applications (particularly applications for advertisements, works to listed buildings and limited works to protected trees).

The proposed changes would help to increase awareness of larger applications such as those for major residential development.  The changes would also increase the speed with which Officers can decide minor proposals which are typically non-controversial and receive very little, if any, response from residents or other interested parties.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves the Community Notification Scheme as set out within Appendix B to this report;

(b)  agrees that this Scheme comes into effect from Monday 23 July 2018; and

(c)  agrees that any representations received without a valid full name and postal address being provided, will not be taken into account when determining planning or similar applications.

To obtain the Executive’s approval to the terms agreed with Hampshire County Council (HCC) for the sale of land at Daedalus required for the Stubbington Bypass scheme.

The Council has been in negotiation with HCC regarding the terms for the sale of land at Daedalus required for the Stubbington Bypass scheme.  The land required is shown on Appendix B attached to the report.

The confidential Appendix A sets out the terms agreed with HCC for the sale of the land for the approval of the Executive.

RESOLVED that the Executive approves the terms agreed with Hampshire County Council as shown on the confidential Appendix A attached to the report.