Issue - meetings

The Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager to report that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of the 3^rd of  October 2017 on consideration of the call  in of the Cabinet’s decision of the 12 September 2017 , minute number 58 &65,resolved that the decision relating to the agreement of the High Road West Regeneration Scheme – Selection of Development Partner and Next Steps be referred back to Cabinet to reconsider the decision before taking a final decision within 5 working days in light of the views expressed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Part Four Section H(Call in Procedure Rules) paragraph 10(b) of the Constitution requires that when the Overview and Scrutiny Committee decides to refer a decision back to a decision maker  then the decision taker has 5 working days to reconsider the decision before taking a final decision.

The following documents are attached:

a)    Report of the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny setting out the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to Cabinet following consideration of the Call In form, verbal representations considered at the Overview &Scrutiny meeting, the Cabinet reports, minutes and exempt information, relating to the Cabinet decision

High Road West Regeneration Scheme – Selection of Development Partner and Next Steps

Additional Information

b)    Copy of the Call In form

c)    Excerpt from the draft minutes of the Cabinet held on 12 September 2017.

d)    The public Cabinet Report  and public appendices on High Road West Regeneration Scheme – Selection of Development Partner and Next Steps

e)    Report of the Monitoring Officer considered by the Overview and Scrutiny meeting.

f)     Report of the Strategic Director for Planning, Regeneration and Development considered by the Overview and Scrutiny meeting

The Leader referred to the agenda which set out that this was a special meeting of the Cabinet convened, within the constitutionally required timescale of 5 working days, to re-consider the 12 September Cabinet decision on the High Road West Regeneration Scheme – Selection of a Development Partner and Next Steps. This was following the outcome of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, held on the 3^rd of October to consider the call in of this key decision.

Cabinet agreed that they did not require private discussion of the exempt material and would re-consider the decision in the open part of the meeting.

Councillor Wright, Chair of Overview and Scrutiny, introduced the Scrutiny recommendations and expressed his thanks to the residents, business traders and officers who had participated in the Overview and Scrutiny Call in meeting.

The Overview and Scrutiny recommendations focused on three areas: maintaining and increasing the availability of Council housing on the High Road West scheme, increasing leaseholder engagement, supporting long running existing businesses in the area and ensuring employment opportunities were protected.

Overall, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee felt that the Council housing provision for the High Road West Scheme did fall short, both in housing policy requirements, and in absolute numbers. The Council housing offer on the new scheme was lower than the 212 Council homes which were on the site when the rehousing began. Given the commercial value of the land in the area, the Committee felt that the Council could afford to replace the full number of 212 social rented homes.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee expressed that the Council should be seeking to satisfy the reasonable expectations of leaseholder’s succession rights and asked that Cabinet outline the steps that they will take to satisfy the reasonable expectations of leaseholders including replacement homes and succession rights.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee further considered the contribution of the Peacock Industrial estate to the High Road West Area. The 20 businesses on the estate had a combined turnover of £10m and were mainly manufacturing, food, motor trade, joinery and other types of businesses which had an important role in the wider business community, offering local employment opportunities when this was at a premium. This was even more important given that unemployment in Northumberland Park ward was at 26% which was three times the national average.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered there to be opportunities for growth in manufacturing in North Tottenham area but following the representations made at the meeting, concluded that the Peacock Estate businesses were facing an uncertain future. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee also noted that businesses in the Peacock Estate were not against the regeneration in the High Road West area. However, they wanted the regeneration to be implemented carefully with more support and agreements reached to allow businesses to remain in the High Road West Plan area.

Councillor Strickland, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning further expressed his thanks to officers for their support in this process  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70