Agenda and minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred to the notice of filming at meetings and attendees noted this information.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dana Carlin.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of Urgent Business. (Late items of Urgent Business will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items of Urgent Business will be dealt with under Item 12 below. New items of exempt business will be dealt with at Item 15 below).

There were no items of urgent business.

A Member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

A Member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest.

On occasions part of the Cabinet meeting will be held in private and will not be open to the public if an item is being considered that is likely to lead to the disclosure of exempt or confidential information. In accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 (the “Regulations”), members of the public can make representations about why that part of the meeting should be open to the public.

This agenda contains exempt items as set out at Item 13: Exclusion of the Press and Public. No representations with regard to these have been received.

This is the formal five clear day notice under the Regulations to confirm that this Cabinet meeting will be partly held in private for the reasons set out in this Agenda.

There were no representations received on the exempt items.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Standing Orders.

There were no deputations, petitions, or questions.

To Consider the Scrutiny Panel Review on The Future of the Seven Sisters Market Site (Wards Corner)’ and the Response to Scrutiny Recommendations

The Scrutiny Review will be presented by the Chair of the Housing, Regeneration Scrutiny Panel.

The Cabinet response will be presented by the Cabinet Member for Council House-Building, Placemaking, and Development.

Cllr White, Chair of the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel, introduced the Scrutiny Review on The Future of the Seven Sisters Market Site (Wards Corner), thanking fellow Panel members and co-opted members for their support and participation in the review. He welcomed the fact that all eight recommendations of the Panel were recommended for approval but wanted to clarify some of the recommendations.

In relation to Recommendation 1, it was stated that there did not seem to be a response about the request to actively engage with all parties and be part of any future governance arrangements in the immediate and long term. In relation to Recommendation 2, Cllr White asked that Cabinet sought assurances that the long term leaseholder on the site would bring different groups of traders together.

In relation to Recommendation 3, it was noted that the recommendations requested that the terms of the lease would prohibit the lease being transferred to a party that is neither a community organisations nor a public body. It was also asking the Council to actively engage with TfL to seek assurances and it was queried whether this was identified in the Cabinet response. In relation to Recommendation 5, it was queried whether there may have been some misunderstanding about the definition of public ownership. It was noted that this was defined in the report and that the Panel recommended that the site remained in public ownership.

The Cabinet Member for Council House-Building, Placemaking, and Development welcomed the report and set out the Cabinet response to the scrutiny recommendations, highlighting the following:

-       The Council had a long term strategic interest in the site and the area and it was intended to engage with the site and relevant parties in the immediate, medium, and long term.

-       The Council would work with whoever obtained the long term lease of the site.

-       In relation to Recommendation 2, it was noted that the independent Chair of the Partnership Board was due to be appointed shortly. This Chair would need to sign off on the terms of reference for the Partnership Board and it was expected that their ability to bring different groups together would be tested as part of the assessment criteria.

-       In relation to Recommendation 3, it was explained that the Council worked closely with TfL but that it was not possible to direct the terms of the lease.

-       In relation to Recommendation 5, it was understood that TfL would retain the freehold ownership of the land. It was added that the Council supported the site remaining as a community asset.

In response to questions from Cllr Barnes, the following responses were provided:

-       In relation to community relationships, it was acknowledged that there had been a long running campaign for the site which involved a number of parties and it was inevitable that there had been some challenges. The Cabinet Member noted that this was a positive opportunity to transform the site and the area and that it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report by the Assistant Director for Regeneration and Economic Development and the Assistant Director for Capital Projects and Property. To be presented by the Cabinet Member for Council House-Building, Placemaking, and Development.

This report sets out a delivery approach for the Wards Corner site in Seven Sisters and seeks approval to acquire a number of third party land interests within the site, including those held by Grainger Seven Sisters Limited which are subject to the option in favour of the Council, and where necessary make use of the existing Compulsory Purchase Order.

The Cabinet Member for Council House-Building, Placemaking, and Development introduced the report which set out a delivery approach for the Wards Corner site in Seven Sisters and sought approval to acquire a number of third party land interests within the site, including those held by Grainger Seven Sisters Limited which are subject to the option in favour of the Council, and where necessary make use of the existing Compulsory Purchase Order.

It was noted that the proposal would provide an opportunity to deliver workspace, would provide confidence for retailers about the future of the site, and would allow for the provision of new council homes.

It was highlighted that a minor correction was required in relation to Appendix 7 of the report. The key referred to ‘Community Plan’ land but it was noted that this should state ‘TfL owned land’.

In response to questions from the Cabinet, the following responses were provided:

-       It was clarified that the main difference between Option 1 and Option 3, as set out in the report, was the timescale. Option 1 proposed a short term comprehensive approach where all works would be undertaken in one part. Whereas Option 3 provided an option to deliver parts of the site at different times; this acknowledged that some figures, such as land acquisition costs, improved over time and was considered to provide longer term opportunities for placemaking and co-production.

Following consideration of the exempt information, it was

RESOLVED

1.    To approve the Option 3 - alternative council led delivery approach to the Wards Corner site (as set out in paragraphs 5.15 to 5.24 of this report) and the site objectives which will guide this approach (as set out in paragraph 4.11 of this report).

2.    To acquire for planning purposes the third-party property and land interests shown coloured pink on the Site Acquisition Plan attached at Appendix 1, all within the Wards Corner site shown edged red on the Site Plan attached at Appendix 2; and

3.    To the termination of the Development Agreement dated 3rd August 2007 (as amended by the Supplemental Agreement dated 23rd January 2015) for the reasons set out in paragraph 8.11 of this report, and to acquire for planning purposes the entirety of Grainger Seven Sisters Limited’s property and land interests in the Wards Corner site (as set out in the schedule at Appendix 3 in Part B of this Report) by exercising the option contained within the Development Agreement for a total sum set out in Part B of this report; and

4.    To acquire for planning purposes any remaining third-party property and land interests as set out in the schedule at Appendix 3 in Part B of this report, by serving the requisite CPO General Vesting Declaration notices or by agreement with third parties on this site for a total sum set out in Part B of this report.

5.    To approve a budget for these acquisitions being a total sum set out in Part B of this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods. To be presented by the Cabinet Member for Communities and Civic Life.

The report will seek approval to amend the proposed lease offered to OrganicLea for the Wolves Lane Horticultural Centre. The new lease will reflect the establishment of the onsite consortium. It will also vary the red line boundary of the site.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Civic Life introduced the report which sought approval to amend the proposed lease offered to OrganicLea for the Wolves Lane Horticultural Centre. The new lease would reflect the establishment of the onsite consortium. It would also vary the red line boundary of the site.

It was noted that the proposal would enable the Wolves Lane Consortium to access £2.5 million of funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA) and National Lottery. It was added that this would contribute to the manifesto commitment to identify sites for community food growing programmes.

RESOLVED

1.    To authorise that the Council enters into a lease for a period of 25 years in relation to the area of land specified in the report (which is shown coloured red, green and blue in Figure 1 in this report) with Wolves Lane Consortium in a form substantially like the draft lease appended to this report at Appendix A.

2.    To delegate authority to the Assistant Director of Property and Capital Projects to make minor amendments to the draft lease and to agree the terms of the lease.

Reasons for decision

The Cabinet resolved in January 2017 to lease the Wolves Lane Horticultural Centre to OrganicLea for a period of 25 years. The bid submitted at that time was on behalf of an informal consortium of partners. The informal consortium in 2019 formed a new legal entity called the Wolves Lane Consortium.

The original bid by OrganicLea always envisaged this new consortium being formed and this is the fulfilment of that intention. The original bid also included a plan to seek significant external funding to develop the site and have a programme of activities that would make the site self-sufficient over a number of years.

OrganicLea and the Wolves Lane Consortium have now secured £2.5m from the GLA and National Lottery. £1.5m of this funding is to improve the facilities on site and £1m is to support programmes of community activity and develop revenue streams to ensure the site is self-sustaining over the next five years.

Without the changes to the name of the lease holder or the expansion of the area included in the lease to the Wolves Lane Consortium, this £2.5m investment into the borough would be lost.

The proposed new facilities and accompanying community food growing programmes can make a significant contribution to the manifesto commitments.

Alternative options considered

The Council could reject the request for change of lease holder name. However, this would risk the loss of £1.9m worth of external funding from the National Lottery. The £600k from the GLA is not dependent on the name change.

The Council has already resolved to lease two parts (the green and blue portions shown in Figure 1 in paragraph 6.7 below) of the site to OrganicLea for a period of 25 years. Therefore, the only option available to the Council is to do something different with the third portion of the site (the red area shown in Figure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To note the minutes of the following:

Cabinet Member Signing

16 June 2022

RESOLVED

To note the minutes of other bodies.

To note the delegated decisions taken by directors.

RESOLVED

To note the significant and delegated actions.

As set out in item 3.

There were no new items of urgent business.

Note from the Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager

Items  15 allow for consideration of exempt information in relation to item 8.

TO RESOLVE

That the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting as item 15  contain exempt information as defined under paragraphs 3 and 5, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of agenda items 14-15 as they contained exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972; Paragraph 3 – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information; Paragraph 5 – information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

As per item 8.

As per item 8.

As per item 3.

There were no new items of exempt urgent business.