Agenda, decisions and minutes

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.

The following declarations were made by members in relation to items on the agenda:

Hook Road Arena

Councillor Jan Mason, Other Interest: Councillor Mason declared in the interests of openness and transparency that when she was a Chair of a Committee several years ago she had met with the officers of the football club several times over what their ambitions were. Councillor Mason reiterated that she had not had any contact with them in the past few years and expressed that she did not have any interests to declare in relation to this matter.

Hook Road Arena

Councillor Kate Chinn, Other Interest: Councillor Chinn declared that she had participated in several conversations with Epsom and Ewell Football Club but that she did not believe or recollect that she had made any decisions on what should or should not happen or indicated that in any way.

Hook Road Arena

Councillor Neil Dallen, Other Interest: Councillor Dallen declared that he is a director and trustee of Epsom firework display which uses the Arena. Councillor Dallen also declared that he had met on several occasions with Epsom Football and network clubs’ officers regarding their plans for Hook Road Arena and had listened to their case and tried to ensure that they understand the process required. Councillor Dallen declared that he had never expressed a view for or against and is confident that he has an unbiased and open mind. Councillor Dallen declared that in principle, he would like to see Epsom Football Club back in the Borough and hoped that they would be able to achieve this somehow and somewhere.

The following declarations were made by members in relation to items on the agenda:

Hook Road Arena

Councillor Jan Mason, Other Interest: Councillor Mason declared in the interests of openness and transparency that when she was a Chair of a Committee several years ago she had met with the officers of the football club several times over what their ambitions were. Councillor Mason reiterated that she had not had any contact with them in the past few years and expressed that she did not have any interests to declare in relation to this matter.

Hook Road Arena

Councillor Kate Chinn, Other Interest: Councillor Chinn declared that she had participated in several conversations with Epsom and Ewell Football Club but that she did not believe or recollect that she had made any decisions on what should or should not happen or indicated that in any way.

Hook Road Arena

Councillor Neil Dallen MBE, Other Interest: Councillor Dallen declared that he is a director and trustee of Epsom firework display which uses the Arena. Councillor Dallen also declared that he had met on several occasions with Epsom Football and network clubs’ officers regarding their plans for Hook Road Arena and had listened to their case and tried to ensure that they understand the process required. Councillor Dallen declared that he had never expressed a view for or against and is confident that he has an unbiased and open mind. Councillor Dallen declared that in principle, he would like to see Epsom Football Club back in the Borough and hoped that they would be able to achieve this somehow and somewhere.

The Committee is asked to consider whether it wishes to pass a resolution to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

During the Committee’s debate on item 2 of the agenda (Hook Road Arena), the Committee considered that due to the sensitivity of the information contained within Appendix 4 to the report, an exclusion of the Press and Public would be necessary in order to enable effective debate on the matter in question.

The Chair proposed a motion that the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Committee unanimously agreed the motion as set out by the Chair.

During the Committee’s debate on item 2 of the agenda (Hook Road Arena), the Committee considered that due to the sensitivity of the information contained within Appendix 4 to the report, an exclusion of the Press and Public would be necessary in order to enable effective debate on the matter in question.

The Chair proposed a motion that the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Committee unanimously agreed the motion as set out by the Chair.

This report has been prepared in response to Members’ request to bring forward Hook Road Arena following interest expressed from sporting bodies to secure grant funding and thereby for them to progress their proposals for the potential occupation of the site.

The report responds to the sporting enquiries and considers the options for bringing forward a mixed-use scheme for playing pitches / sports / recreation facilities and housing as outlined in the emerging Local Plan 2022-2040 and sets out the implications for the Council of any decision at this time.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Note the restriction placed on the land by Surrey County Council as described in paragraphs 9.1 – 9.4 of the report and Exempt Appendix 4 Briefing Note.

(2)       Approve the undertaking of a feasibility study that identifies the land (hatched blue on the plan at Appendix 3) be for use as playing pitches/sports and recreation facilities, and the remaining, eastern land (hatched red on the plan at Appendix 3 of the report) for a policy compliant residential use (subject to the emerging Local Plan 2020-2040 being successfully adopted) to cross subsidise the playing pitches/sports and recreation facilities (and note the implications of this as set out in the Exempt Appendix 4 Briefing Note).

(3)       Nominate and Authorise the Director of Environment, Housing & Regeneration to provide a letter of intent to any interested sporting party to facilitate their own grant bid applications.

(4)       Agree and authorise:

a)     procurement of external legal advice, specialist property project management and consultancy support as detailed within this report.

b)     budget of up to £250,000 to be funded from the Corporate Projects Reserve as described in paragraphs 5.2 – 5.3 of the report.

(5)       Nominate and authorise both the Director of Environment, Housing & Regeneration and the Head of Property & Regeneration in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, to commission the work outlined within paragraph 6.6 of this report.

(6)       Note a report will be brought back to Committee in approximately 8 - 12 months (as explained in paragraphs 6.1 – 6.5 of the report) following completion of the work outlined above.

The Committee received a report prepared in response to Members’ request to bring forward Hook Road Arena following interest expressed from sporting bodies to secure grant funding and thereby for them to progress their proposals for the potential occupation of the site.

The report responded to the sporting enquiries and considered the options for bringing forward a mixed-use scheme for playing pitches / sports / recreation facilities and housing as outlined in the emerging Local Plan 2022-2040 and set out the implications for the Council.

The matters that were considered by the Committee in relation to this item following the exclusion of the Press and Public is recorded in a separate (not for publication) restricted minute.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Note the restriction placed on the land by Surrey County Council as described in paragraphs 9.1 – 9.4 of the report and Exempt Appendix 4 Briefing Note.

(2)       Approve the undertaking of a feasibility study that identifies the land (hatched blue on the plan at Appendix 3) be for use as playing pitches/sports and recreation facilities, and the remaining, eastern land (hatched red on the plan at Appendix 3 of the report) for a policy compliant residential use (subject to the emerging Local Plan 2020-2040 being successfully adopted) to cross subsidise the playing pitches/sports and recreation facilities (and note the implications of this as set out in the Exempt Appendix 4 Briefing Note).

(3)       Nominate and Authorise the Director of Environment, Housing & Regeneration to provide a letter of intent to any interested sporting party to facilitate their own grant bid applications.

(4)       Agree and authorise:

a)     procurement of external legal advice, specialist property project management and consultancy support as detailed within this report.

b)     budget of up to £250,000 to be funded from the Corporate Projects Reserve as described in paragraphs 5.2 – 5.3 of the report.

(5)       Nominate and authorise both the Director of Environment, Housing & Regeneration and the Head of Property & Regeneration in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, to commission the work outlined within paragraph 6.6 of this report.

(6)       Note a report will be brought back to Committee in approximately 8 - 12 months (as explained in paragraphs 6.1 – 6.5 of the report) following completion of the work outlined above.