Agenda and decisions

To take any questions or statements from members of the Public.

A member of the public submitted a written question prior to the meeting to which a written response had been given by the Chair and attached as a supplement to the agenda.

The member of the public asked a supplementary question at the meeting. The Chair informed the member of the public that written a response to the supplementary question would be provided following the meeting.

The Committee received two statements from members of the public. One statement related to town twinning with Bucha, Ukraine and one statement related to the stepping stones and proposed footbridge over the Hogsmill River.

To receive declarations of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or other registrable or non-registrable interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

Members of the committee made the following declarations in relation to items on the agenda:

Questions and Statements from the Public

Councillor Neil Dallen MBE, Other Interest: Councillor Neil Dallen declared that he knew Greg Sturmenr and Roy Deadman, who had addressed the committee during this item, but that this did not affect his decision.

Declarations of Interest

Councillor James Lawrence, Other Interest: Councillor James Lawrence declared that he is a member of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee and that he would not be able to participate in any items considered at this meeting that were called in by the Audit and Scrutiny Committee for scrutiny.

Declarations of Interest

Councillor Phil Neale, Other Interest: Councillor Phil Neale declared that he is the Vice-Chair of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee and that it did not affect or predetermine any of his decisions at this meeting.

Declarations of Interest

Councillor Steven McCormick, Other Interest: Councillor Steven McCormick declared that he is a member of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee and that he would not be able to participate in any items considered at this meeting that were called in by the Audit and Scrutiny Committee for scrutiny.

Epsom and Ewell Community Infrastructure Levy - Annual Funding Awards 2026

Councillor John Beckett, Other Interest: Councillor John Beckett declared that he is a Surrey County Councillor and that several of the CIL bids related to Surrey County Council initiatives. Councillor Beckett declared that he did not have a personal or prejudicial interest in these items and that he would not withdraw from the debate upon them.

Epsom and Ewell Community Infrastructure Levy - Annual Funding Awards 2026

Councillor Neil Dallen MBE, Other Interest: Councillor Neil Dallen declared that he had an interest in a number of CIL bids and would recuse himself for this item and leave the room for it's duration.

Epsom and Ewell Community Infrastructure Levy - Annual Funding Awards 2026

Councillor Phil Neale, Other Interest: Councillor Phil Neale declared that he sat as a member of the Community Infrastructure Levy Working Group but was not predetermined on any of the schemes.

Epsom and Ewell Community Infrastructure Levy - Annual Funding Awards 2026

Councillor Steven McCormick, Other Interest: Councillor Steven McCormick declared that he is a Surrey County Councillor  but that he had a clear and open mind to the CIL bids which related to Surrey County Council and was not predetermined.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 March 2026 (attached) and to authorise the Chair to sign them.

This report summarises the Council’s provisional financial performance for 2025/26 and details the capital budgets to be carried forward for schemes where costs will be incurred in 2026/27.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 7 votes for and one vote against to:

(1)        Receive the report on provisional financial outturn for 2025/26;

(2)        Approve the carry forward £2.619 million budget for capital schemes to be added to the 2026/27 capital programme.

(3)        Note that the provisional outturn position is subject to external audit. Should any material changes arise from the audit, these will be reported back to members.

(4)        Agree to fund the 2025/26 adverse outturn position of £410,000 from the corporate projects reserve.

(5)        Agree to fund the increased provision detailed in section 5.2 from the corporate projects reserve.

This report outlines the progress made in respect of the Council’s 2025-2027 Strategic Priority 4, in relation to Community Assets and Priority 7, relating to Bourne Hall Museum Service.

It provides an update on the completed Community Asset Review Phase 2 work, which focusses on the 3 key Community Assets (Bourne Hall, Epsom Playhouse and Community & Wellbeing Centre) and seeks agreement on the strategic direction for each asset, as well as approval of investment and quick wins packages.

The paper also provides an update on the Strategic Priority 4 relating to the Museum, further to a paper considered by the Community & Wellbeing Committee in June 2026, recommending an initial investment in the museum.

It also recommends combining the two workstreams , to ensure that a comprehensive and integrated approach is taken going forward, to both achieve best value and deliver a stronger offer to residents.

Following consideration, the committee resolved by the Chair’s casting vote (with the previous voting being tied with 4 votes for and 4 votes against) to:

(1)        Note the updates contained within both this report and the Community Asset Review June 2026 (Appendix 2 to the report).

(2)        Approve the strategic direction for the three key assets, namely;

(2.1) Bourne Hall, Ewell - development of an integrated civic and cultural hub held by a local authority, improving connectivity between the library, museum, café, events and community functions.

(2.2) The Playhouse, Epsom – commence preparatory transition work towards an independent charitable trust operating model, supported by targeted investment to improve flexibility, programming and commercial performance.

(2.3) Community & Wellbeing Centre, Ewell - partnership-led delivery model, with rationalisation of the site and consideration of future co-location opportunities where appropriate.

(3)        Note the update on Bourne Hall Museum and approve the recommendation of the Community & Wellbeing Committee, for an initial investment of £125,000 in this financial year (Year 1) as set out in the attached business case (Appendix 3 to the report) and approve £125,000 for a further investment in year 2 that will be built into a future business case for the wider Bourne Hall, noting the requirements of the section 24 Local Government and Public Health Involvement Act 2007 direction.

(4)        Agree to combine the workstreams supporting Priority 4 (Community Asset review) and Priority 7 (Museum Service Review) to achieve best value, best use of resources and to ensure a comprehensive and integrated approach.

(5)        Agree a capital budget of £3m for capital investment to deliver critical works aligned to the priorities set out in the Community Asset Review, with a detailed business plan to return to the relevant Committee for approval, noting the requirements of the section 24 Local Government and Public Health Involvement Act 2007 direction

(6)        Approve a budget of up to £80,000 to support the development of the detailed business plan for (5) above, noting the requirements of the section 24 Local Government and Public Health Involvement Act 2007 direction.

(7)        Note a package of operational ‘quick wins’ will be delivered in line with the approach set out in the Community Asset Review, subject to resource and funding availability. Should further funding be required, this will be developed into a future funding request.

(8)        To recommend to the East Surrey Shadow Authority that any consent required to comply with the section 24 direction be provided to any of the relevant budgetary decisions as set out above.

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, 3 votes against and 1 abstention 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 Council undertook its annual funding rounds for strategic and neighbourhood CIL between the 9 March 2026 and 17 May 2026. During this funding window 5 Strategic CIL bids and 15 Neighbourhood CIL bids were received.

In accordance with the Epsom and Ewell CIL Spending Protocol (March 2025), all bids received have been subject to an initial stage 1 assessment. Only the bids that passed the stage 1 assessment were then subject to a stage 2 assessment by the CIL Member Working Group.

Following this process 5 strategic CIL bids (totalling £4,258,000 of strategic CIL funding) and 8 neighbourhood CIL bids (totalling £668,871 of neighbourhood CIL funding) were recommended to receive funding by the CIL Member Working Group in June 2026.

Following consideration, the committee resolved with 6 votes for and 1 abstention to:

(1)        Approve and ratify the funding recommendations of the CIL Working Group for each of the bids set out in paragraph 4 of the report, subject to the deletion of the wording “to replace unsafe stepping stones” from the summary provided for Strategic Project 3 – New Footbridge across the Hogsmill River.

To agree the appointment of Members and a Chair to the Shareholder Sub Committee for the remaining period of the 2026-27 Municipal Year.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)            Appoint the following Members and Chair for the Shareholder Sub Committee: Councillors Neil Dallen (Chair), John Beckett, Kate Chinn Alex Coley and Hannah Dalton.

To receive an update from the Town Twinning Working Group.

Following consideration, the committee resolved with 6 votes for, 1 abstention and the Chair not voting:

(1)       To note the update from the Town Twinning Working Group.

(2)       The council to ask the working group to take this forward and clarify who is able to initiate and administer the twinning (both Chantilly and Bucha) and identify how it could continue after vesting day.

(3)       To invite the Working Group to provide a further report to the next meeting of this Committee.