Issue - meetings

This report outlines the progress made in respect of the Council’s 2025-2027 Strategic Priority 5 in relation to Hook Road (Utilities Site) Car Park redevelopment.

The report recommends further specialist property development and regeneration advice be procured to represent the Council and provide a Best Value Assessment of the Utilities Site.

Following consideration, the committee resolved with 5 votes for, 1 votes against and 2 abstentions to:

(1)      Note the update and progress made as set out in this report.

(2)      Approve a budget of up to £100,000 to cover the cost of a Best Value Assessment, to be funded from the Corporate Projects Reserve.

(3)      Nominate and authorise the Director of Environment, Housing & Regeneration and Head of Property & Regeneration, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and Chief Legal Officer, to take all necessary actions further to the above decisions being made that commit resources, as is necessary and appropriate.

(4)      Note a report will be brought back to Committee at the earliest opportunity following completion of the work.

(5)      Recommend to East Surrey Shadow Authority that they approve a budget of up to £100,000 to cover the cost of a Best Value Assessment.

The Committee received a report outlining the progress made in respect of the Council’s 2025-2027 Strategic Priority 5 in relation to Hook Road (Utilities Site) Car Park redevelopment and recommending further specialist property development and regeneration advice be procured to represent the Council and provide a Best Value Assessment of the Utilities Site.

The following matters were considered:

a)            70 East Street. In response to a question from a member, the Chair informed the Committee that 70 East Street had not been purchased by Laine Theatre Arts.

b)            Parking. The Chair informed the committee that further work to consider residents’ parking and Rainbow Centre car parking would be undertaken if the committee approved the recommendations of the report.

c)            Correction to report. In response to a question from a member, the Head of Property and Regeneration informed the committee of a correction to paragraph 4.7 of the report with the wording “£250,000” corrected to “£150,000”.

d)            Corporate Project Reserves. In response to a question from a member, the Director of Corporate Services and s151 Officer informed the committee that the current level of the corporate project reserve was around £1.7m and that it had no minimum level. The Director informed the committee that the capital receipts reserve had a minimum level of £1m and that the working balance reserve had a minimum level of £1.5m

Following consideration, the committee resolved with 5 votes for, 1 votes against and 2 abstentions to:

(1)      Note the update and progress made as set out in this report.

(2)      Approve a budget of up to £100,000 to cover the cost of a Best Value Assessment, to be funded from the Corporate Projects Reserve.

(3)      Nominate and authorise the Director of Environment, Housing & Regeneration and Head of Property & Regeneration, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and Chief Legal Officer, to take all necessary actions further to the above decisions being made that commit resources, as is necessary and appropriate.

(4)      Note a report will be brought back to Committee at the earliest opportunity following completion of the work.

(5)      Recommend to East Surrey Shadow Authority that they approve a budget of up to £100,000 to cover the cost of a Best Value Assessment.