To take any questions from members of the Public.

No questions were asked by members of the public.

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

The following declaration of interest was made by a Councillor with respect to an item on the agenda:

Council Owned Sites for Development as part of the Local Plan

Councillor Eber Kington BA Cert Ed, Disclosable Pecuniary Interest: Councillor Eber Kington declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in that he owns a property near one of the sites considered by this report,  left the Chamber for the duration of the Committee's consideration of the item and did not take part in the vote.

The following declaration of interest was made by a Councillor with respect to an item on the agenda:

Council Owned Sites for Development as part of the Local Plan

Councillor Eber Kington, Disclosable Pecuniary Interest: Councillor Eber Kington declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in that he owns a property near one of the sites considered by this report,  left the Chamber for the duration of the Committee's consideration of the item and did not take part in the vote.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes and Restricted Minutes of the meeting of the Strategy and Resources Committee held on 21 September 2021 (attached) and to authorise the Chair to sign them.

The Minutes and Restricted of the Meeting of the Strategy and Resources Committee held on 21 September 2021 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

To seek permission to release funds from Section 106 to refurbish the Hammer Throwing Cage at the Harrier Centre Athletics Facility.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve the use of £16,027.50 of funds from Section 106 to complete the refurbishment of the Hammer Throwing Cage Facility, as set out in section 4 of the report.

The Committee received a report seeking permission to release funds from Section 106 to refurbish the Hammer Throwing Cage at the Harrier Centre Athletics Facility.

The Committee noted a correction to paragraph 5.2 of the report to read: “Legally the facility will still belong to Epsom & Ewell Borough Council unless arrangements are made with the Club in the future to transfer this facility.”

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve the use of £16,027.50 of funds from Section 106 to complete the refurbishment of the Hammer Throwing Cage Facility, as set out in section 4 of the report.

The Contract Standing Orders set out the rules for procuring contracts on behalf of the Council. This report outlines the amendments to the Contract Standing Orders including changes to the level of threshold.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve the amendments to the Contract Standing Orders and recommend to Council that the Constitution be updated accordingly.

The Committee received a report outlining proposed amendments to the Contract Standing Orders including changes to the level of threshold.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Benchmarking. Following a question from a Member, the Committee was informed that the proposed amendments to Contract Standing Orders had been benchmarked against those set by Surrey County Council and the other 11 Surrey Borough and District Councils. The proposed thresholds set by the amended Contract Standing Orders aligned with 80% of the benchmarked authorities.

b)            Percentage of spend within threshold levels. Following a question from a Member, the Committee was informed that 80% of the Council’s procurement spend currently fell within threshold 1 and 2.

c)            Sustainable procurement. The Committee noted the Contract Standing Orders provided guidance to officers on consideration of sustainable procurement and social value, and that these issues were embedded within the council’s procurement processes. It was noted that an amendment would be made to paragraph 13.2 of the Contract standing orders to where appropriate, ask suppliers bidding for all contract opportunities to demonstrate awareness of relevant environmental issues.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve the amendments to the Contract Standing Orders and recommend to Council that the Constitution be updated accordingly.

The Local Government Boundary Commission in England (“Boundary Commission”) has published its draft recommendations on Council size and warding arrangements in the Borough. The Task and Finish Group established by this committee has met and reached consensus on the draft response for a vote before Full Council. This committee is required to approve the response and recommend it to Full Council.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved by a majority vote to:

(1)       Review the Council’s draft response to the Boundary Commission at Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)       Approve, with any necessary amendments, the draft response for consideration by Full Council on 7 December 2021.

The Committee received a report setting out a response to the Local Government Boundary Commission in England’s (“Boundary Commission”) draft recommendations on Council size and warding arrangements in the Borough. The Committee was required to approve the response and recommend it to Full Council.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Amendment to report. The Committee noted an amendment to paragraph 5.2, bullet point 4 to read as follows:

“All of Downside excluding Ash Mews be included in College Ward.”

b)            Clarification on paragraph. 5.2, bullet point 2. Following a question from a Member, Officers clarified that the former St.Ebba Hospital site centred around Parkview Way would be retained within Court Ward.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved by a majority vote to:

(1)       Review the Council’s draft response to the Boundary Commission at Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)       Approve, with any necessary amendments, the draft response for consideration by Full Council on 7 December 2021.

It is important that the Council demonstrates that all available sites for development have been considered as part of the Council’s Local Plan process. This report recommends Council owned land and property assets that could be considered suitable for development are submitted through the Local Plan public process. It does in no way recommend that these sites should or will be put forward for development by the Council or be allocated in the forthcoming Local Plan.

Following consideration, The Committee resolved by a majority vote to:

(1)      Authorise the Head of Property & Regeneration to submit the following Council owned sites to the Local Planning Authority for consideration as part of the Local Plan process:

a)    Depot Road / Upper High Street public car parks

b)   Hook Road Multi-Storey public car park and Rainbow Leisure Centre surface car park

c)    Ashley Centre Southern Extent (Global House, Ashley Centre multi-storey public car park and Epsom Playhouse)

d)   Town Hall and public car park

e)    Kiln Lane (Nonsuch) Industrial Estate

f)     Wells Site

g)   Gibraltar Crescent (land to rear)

h)   Hook Road Arena

i)     Clarendon Park (land encompassing South View and McKenzie Way)

j)     Manor Park (land encompassing Horton Lane and Chertsey Lane)

Note: Councillor Eber Kington left the room during the Committee’s consideration of this item and did not take part or vote on this item.

The Committee received a report recommending that Council owned land and property assets that could be considered suitable for development are submitted through the Local Plan public process. It in no way recommended that these sites should or will be put forward for development by the Council or be allocated in the forthcoming Local Plan.

The following matter was considered:

a)            Other Council owned sites. The Committee noted that some Council owned sites, such as those highly ranked in the Borough’s Greenbelt Study had not been included within the list for submission under the Local Plan public process.

Following consideration, The Committee resolved by a majority vote to:

(1)      Authorise the Head of Property & Regeneration to submit the following Council owned sites to the Local Planning Authority for consideration as part of the Local Plan process:

a)    Depot Road / Upper High Street public car parks

b)   Hook Road Multi-Storey public car park and Rainbow Leisure Centre surface car park

c)    Ashley Centre Southern Extent (Global House, Ashley Centre multi-storey public car park and Epsom Playhouse)

d)   Town Hall and public car park

e)    Kiln Lane (Nonsuch) Industrial Estate

f)     Wells Site

g)   Gibraltar Crescent (land to rear)

h)   Hook Road Arena

i)     Clarendon Park (land encompassing South View and McKenzie Way)

j)     Manor Park (land encompassing Horton Lane and Chertsey Lane)

Note: Councillor Eber Kington left the room during the Committee’s consideration of this item and did not take part or vote on this item.

To consider the proposal and options for the purchase of an audio, visual and webcasting solution for Council and Committee Meetings.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved unanimously to:

(1)      Award the purchase for Audio, Visual and Webcasting equipment to Auditel .

(2)      Agree the supplementary purchase of Option 1 – 12 additional microphones.

The Committee resolved by a majority vote to:

(3)      Agree the supplementary purchase of Option 3 -  TV Screens.

The Committee received a report requesting it to consider the proposal and options for the purchase of an audio, visual and webcasting solution for Council and Committee Meetings.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Recording of meetings. The Committee requested Officers to consider whether Committee meetings could be recorded and made available to view following their conclusion. It was noted that a policy would be required to define how recordings would be retained, and for what period.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved unanimously to:

(1)      Award the purchase for Audio, Visual and Webcasting equipment to Auditel .

(2)      Agree the supplementary purchase of Option 1 – 12 additional microphones.

The Committee resolved by a majority vote to:

(3)      Agree the supplementary purchase of Option 3 -  TV Screens.

This report requests that an additional day’s leave be granted on Thursday 30 December 2021 in recognition of Officers continued support and dedication through one of the most challenging years in the history of the Council – delivering through a pandemic, a major organisational restructure, uncertainty in the wider population and a public sector which is facing very difficult financial challenges as a result of covid costs.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved unanimously to:

(1)      Award Officers an additional day’s leave to be taken on Thursday 30December 2021

(2)      Note: SMT are gifting the discretionary day’s leave to all Officers on Wednesday 29 December 2021 and that Officers will be required to take a compulsory day’s leave from their annual entitlement on Friday 31 December 2021, thus enabling the Council offices to be closed week commencing Monday 27 December 2021.          

(3)      Approve: Where the operational needs of the Council require services to operate over the Christmas period, affected Officers will receive an additional day’s pay in lieu of the award of an additional day’s leave.

(4)      Note:  Due to the exceptional circumstances the Council and Officers have all been working in, it is not envisaged that this will be repeated in future years.

The Committee received a report requesting that an additional day’s leave be granted on Thursday 30 December 2021 in recognition of Officers continued support and dedication through one of the most challenging years in the history of the Council – delivering through a pandemic, a major organisational restructure, uncertainty in the wider population and a public sector which is facing very difficult financial challenges as a result of covid costs.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved unanimously to:

(1)      Award Officers an additional day’s leave to be taken on Thursday 30December 2021

(2)      Note: the usual discretionary day will be taken on Wednesday 29 December 2021 and that Officers will be required to take a compulsory day’s leave from their annual entitlement on Friday 31 December 2021, thus enabling the Council offices to be closed week commencing Monday 27 December 2021.          

(3)      Approve: Where the operational needs of the Council require services to operate over the Christmas period, affected Officers will receive an additional day’s pay in lieu of the award of an additional day’s leave.

(4)      Note:  Due to the exceptional circumstances the Council and Officers have all been working in, it is not envisaged that this will be repeated in future years.