31 03 2004

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meetings of the Board held on 21 and 26 January 2004 be approved and signed by the Chairman as true and correct records.

The Board considered a report of the Financial Services Manager on the above matter.

The Board considered a report from the Financial Services Manager concerning a request for a loan facility from the Gosport Society.

The Board considered a report of the Director of Development and Environment on the above Economic Regeneration Strategy and Action Plan.

Members were reminded that the Board, on 12 November 2003, had agreed that the draft Economic Regeneration Strategy 2004-2007 should be used as a basis for consultation with local businesses, partner agencies and other interested parties.  It was intended that the results of the consultation, together with a final draft Strategy and Action Plan for 2004-2005 should be presented to this Board in March 2004. 

 

A copy of the draft Strategy had been sent to over seventy organisations and all Heads of Sections for comment.  A copy of the Strategy had also been placed on the web-site and Members informed that copies were available.  A total of twenty-two responses had been received to the Consultation and these, together with officer comments and details of the proposed amendments to the Strategy, were contained in Appendix B of the Director's report.  Although a number of responses were not received until after the Consultation closed on 12 January 2004, these had still been incorporated as part of the feedback and amendments proposed where appropriate.

 

The final draft Strategy had been amended to reflect the comments and proposed amendments outlined in Appendix B.  All amendments to the Strategy had been highlighted in bold and underlined for ease of reference.

 

An Action Plan for 2004-2005 had been developed and provided a detailed implementation framework to support the delivery of objectives contained within the final draft Strategy.  The Action Plan, which was appended to the Director's report as Appendix D, outlined the actions proposed and gave details of timescales, responsible officers and key partners.

 

RESOLVED: That –

 

(i)  approval be given to the final draft Economic Regeneration Strategy 2004-2007 and Action Plan 2004-2005, to be effective from 1 April 2004;  and

 

(ii) authority to approve the annual Action Plans for 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 be delegated to the Chairman of the Policy and Organisation Board.

 

The Board considered a report of the Corporate Services Manager on the proposed draft Communications Policy for Councillors.

 

The Personnel Sub-Board had approved on 19 October 2003 a Staff Communications Policy as a guideline for staff in the proper and lawful use of Internet, e-mail, fax and telephone facilities.  In view of the recent growth in the use of e-mail/internet and other communications facilities by Councillors, mainly via their lap top computers, the Sub-Board had also resolved that the Members On-line Working Group should consider the introduction of a suitable policy for Members.  The policy would provide a clear picture of what was considered acceptable and unacceptable practice.  It would also set out the Council's policy regarding any monitoring activities that might be carried out.  In addition, adherence to the policy would help to ensure the security and integrity of the Council's computer network and data servers.

 

A comprehensive draft Communications Policy for Councillors was therefore enclosed with the Manager's report at Appendix A.  This policy had been approved by the Members On-line Working Group at its meeting on 11 February 2004 for onward submission to the Policy and Organisation Board.  

 

RESOLVED: That –

 

(i) the draft Communications Policy for Councillors, as prepared by the Members On-line Working Group, be approved with the exception of paragraph 8.6, which should be deleted from the policy;

 

(ii) Councillors who intend to access the areas identified in paragraph 8.2 (iii) of the Policy for research purposes, be directed to log their intentions with the Council's Monitoring Officer; and

 

(iii) the Communications Policy for Councillors approved in (i) above be implemented with effect from 1 April 2004.

 

The Board considered a joint report of the Leisure and Amenities Manager and Corporate Services Manager regarding the advertising of the Council's intention to dispose of land at Stokes Bay.

 

It was reported that the Council had advertised its intention to dispose of an area of land at Stokes Bay, adjacent to No 2 Battery, on 24 and 25 January 2005.  The advert indicated the purpose of the disposal to be a long-term lease of 99 years to Bayside Cabin Limited who would build and operate a café/bistro facility.  The closing date for objections to the advertisement was Wednesday, 25 February 2004 and at that date a total of three letters of objection and eight letters of support had been received.   Of the former, there was one collective objection on behalf of the Friends of Stokes Bay.  The letters were summarised in Appendix 1 of the Joint Managers' report.  A number of the objectors had raised matters which were not relevant to the issue of whether the Council should dispose of this open space land.  However, for the sake of completeness officers had responded to these matters.

 

The Head of Property Services had been conducting negotiations with the owners of Bayside Cabin Limited within the authority granted to him at the Board meeting on 12 November 2003.

 

RESOLVED: That having considered the three letters of objection and eight letters of support, the Board approves the disposal of the designated area of land at Stokes Bay, adjacent to No 2 Battery, by way of long term lease of 99 years to Bayside Cabin Limited.

 

The Board considered a Reference from the Housing Board (3 March 2004) concerning the Housing Renewal Policy 2004/05.

 

The Housing Board had considered and approved, with minor amendment, the draft Housing Renewal Policy for 2004/05 which was appended to the Regulatory Services Manager's report.  The report had resulted from the reform of housing renewal legislation and its effect on the Council's home improvement grant programme.  The Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002, which had come into force on 18 July 2002, required Local Authorities to have a Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy in place.  This enabled the Council to continue to offer targeted financial assistance in addition to mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants. 

 

RESOLVED: That this Board adopts the Housing Renewal Policy for 2004/05 as approved by the Housing Board on 3 March 2004.

 

As this was the last scheduled meeting of the Policy and Organisation Board in the 2003/04 Municipal Year, the two opposition Group Leaders proposed a Vote of Thanks to the Chairman of the Board. The Board's members unanimously supported the proposition.

 

RESOLVED: That a Vote of Thanks be extended to Councillor Cully for his chairmanship of Policy and Organisation Board meetings during the 2003/04 Municipal Year.

 

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the under-mentioned items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 9 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

Consideration was given to an exempt report of the Director of Development and Environment  concerning the proposed redevelopment of the Priddy's Hard Heritage Area.

 

RESOLVED: That –

 

(i) the proposed redevelopment scheme for the Priddy's Hard Heritage Area be approved;

 

(ii) approval in principle be given to the use of Buildings 406/407 and 408 in connection with the South East Hampshire Enterprise Agency proposal for a Creative Arts, Crafts and Design Centre; and

 

(iii) approval in principle be given to the Heads of Terms for the lease of the residential development land to Crest Nicholson (South) Plc and the Director of Development and Environment be instructed to conclude negotiations with Crest Nicholson on this basis.

 

 

Consideration was given to an exempt report of the Corporate Services Manager concerning Garage and Office Accommodation at Wilmott Lane Depot.

 

RESOLVED: That –

 

(i) the grant of a lease to Enterprise Plc for pr, emises at Wilmott Lane Depot be approved; and

 

(ii) the Head of Property Services be authorised to agree the lease terms and related matters and the Borough Solicitor be authorised to enter into s, uch legal documentation as is necessary to effect the above decision.

 ,

Consideration was given to an exempt report of the Corporate Services Manager concerning the lease of land adjacent to Powder Pier.

 

RESOLVED: That –

 

(i) the grant of a long lease in respect of the land shown hatched blue on the plan attached to the Corporate Services Manager's report be approved; and

 

(ii) the Head of Property Services be authorised to agree the lease terms and related matters and the Borough Solicitor be authorised to enter into such legal documentation as is necessary to effect the above decision.

Consideration was given to an exempt report of the Corporate Services Manager concerning the lease of the former Chapel at St George Barracks South.

 

RESOLVED: That –

 

(i) approval be given to the Council taking a 25 year lease of the former Chapel at St George Barracks South and to a contracted out lease of the Chapel to GVA for an initial period of two years; and

 

(ii) the Head of Property Services be authorised to agree the lease terms and related matters and the Borough Solicitor be authorised to enter into such legal documentation as is necessary to effect the above decision.