(Chair) Councillors Davies, Duveen, Eden, Ennis, Gavin, Gittings
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Ian Wardle Managing Director Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading RG1 2LU 0118 937 3787 Our Ref: N:\Policy Committee\Agenda\150216.doc Your Ref: To: Councillor Lovelock (Chair) Councillors Davies, Duveen, Eden, Ennis, Direct: 0118 937 2303 Gavin, Gittings, Hopper, Hoskin, Page, e-mail: [email protected] Skeats, Terry, White and Willis 6 February 2015 Your contact is: Simon Hill - Committee Services NOTICE OF MEETING – POLICY COMMITTEE – 16 FEBRUARY 2015 A meeting of the Policy Committee will be held on Monday 16 February 2015 at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Reading. The Agenda for the meeting is set out below. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION IN PUBLIC SESSION 1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillors to declare any interests they may have in relation to the items for consideration in public session. 2. MINUTES To confirm the Minutes of the Policy Committee meeting on 19 A1 January 2015. To receive the Minutes of the Mapledurham Playing Fields A12 Management Committee meeting on 26 August 2014. 3. QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS - - To receive any Questions from Councillors and the Public, and any petitions from the public. 4. DECISION BOOK REFERENCES - - CIVIC OFFICES EMERGENCY EVACUATION: If an alarm sounds, leave by the nearest fire exit quickly and calmly and assemble on the corner of Bridge Street and Fobney Street. You will be advised when it is safe to re-enter the building. www.reading.gov.uk | facebook.com/ReadingCouncil | twitter.com/ReadingCouncil DX 40124 Reading (Castle Street) 5. CORPORATE PLAN AND BUDGET 2015-18 BOROUGHWIDE B1 Councillor Lovelock / Corporate Management Team This report sets out the Corporate Plan and Budget 2015-18 for recommendation to Council. 6. REFUSE FREIGHTER FLEET MAINTENANCE – DELEGATED BOROUGHWIDE C1 AUTHORITY FOR CONTRACT AWARD Councillors Terry & Page / Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services This report informs the Committee of the ongoing procurement process in relation to the maintenance requirements for the recently purchased new refuse freighters and seeks delegated authority to enter into a contract with the most economically advantageous tenderer. 7. READING’S ARMED FORCES COMMUNITY COVENANT AND BOROUGHWIDE D1 ACTION PLAN – MONITORING REPORT Councillor Lovelock / Managing Director This report presents a six monthly update on the general development of the Community Covenant, a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local armed forces community, and on progress against actions outlined in the associated action plan. POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES – 19 JANUARY 2015 Present: Councillor Lovelock (Chair) Councillors Davies, Duveen, Eden, Ennis, Gavin, Gittings, Hopper, Hoskin, Page, Skeats, Terry and White. Apologies: Councillor Willis. 61. EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC Resolved – That pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of items 62-64 below as it was likely that there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs specified in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to that Act. 62. GREEN PARK 3 NORTH The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking approval to vary the existing option agreement at Green Park. Resolved – That the option agreement be varied as outlined in paragraph 4.2 of the report. (Exempt information as defined in paragraph 3). 63. CONTRACT FOR THE PROVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH The Managing Director submitted a report seeking delegated authority to award a contract to the successful Occupational Health service provider following a procurement process. Resolved – That the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to enter into the contract for the provision of an Occupational Health service for three years with the option to extend for a further period or periods not exceeding a maximum of three years. (Exempt information as defined in paragraph 3). A1 POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES – 19 JANUARY 2015 64. CIVIC CENTRE DEMOLITION AND SITE RESTORATION WORKS – HOSIER STREET REGENERATION - CONTRACT AWARD Further to Minute 50 of the meeting held on 1 December 2014, the Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services reported at the meeting that following a tender process the contract for the demolition of the old Civic Offices building in Hosier Street, and restoration works of the site, had been awarded to Erith Contractors Ltd on 9 January 2015. Resolved – That the position be noted. (Exempt information as defined in paragraph 3). 65. CHAIR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS The Chair outlined the decision reported in closed session to appoint a contractor for the demolition of the old Civic Offices building; she noted that asbestos works on the site would begin immediately and that the physical demolition would follow in autumn 2015. The Chair also thanked officers involved in the Civic move for their work to ensure a smooth transition to the new Civic Offices. 66. MINUTES The Minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2014 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair. 67. QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS Andrew Rogers presented a petition on the subject of ‘Save Bugs Bottom’. John Popplewell presented a petition on the subject of ‘Mapledurham Playing Fields – Right School, Right Site’. Questions on the following matters were submitted: Questioner Subject Response 1. John Popplewell Mapledurham Playing Fields – Councillor Lovelock planning guarantee 2. Andrew Rogers Heights School consultation Councillor Lovelock 3. Andrew Rogers Bugs Bottom Councillor Lovelock 4. Fiona Pringle Heights School - Albert Road Councillor Lovelock and consideration of other sites 5. Fiona Pringle Heights School consultation - Councillor Lovelock ‘Weighting’ of opinions A2 POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES – 19 JANUARY 2015 6. Fiona Pringle Heights School consultation - Councillor Lovelock Information Pack 7. Helen Perkins Heights School Consultation Councillor Lovelock Process 8. Helen Perkins Heights School consultation - Councillor Lovelock Proposed Open Meeting 9. Helen Perkins Heights School consultation - Councillor Lovelock Process for the Expressions of Preference 10. David Fallon Relocation of temporary Councillor Lovelock Heights School after site selection 11. David Fallon Possible traffic management Councillor Lovelock at Mapledurham Playing Fields site 12. Andrew Rogers Mapledurham Pavilion funding Councillor Lovelock 13. Gordon Watt Heights School - Length of Councillor Lovelock Consultation 14. Gordon Watt Heights School consultation - Councillor Lovelock Information on Sites 15. Gordon Watt Heights School consultation – Councillor Lovelock ‘Weighting’ of opinions 16. Jenny Stevens Recompense for Highridge site Councillor Lovelock 17. Andy Atkinson Heights School – Mapledurham Councillor Lovelock Playing Fields legal and planning issues 18. John Popplewell Heights School – permitted Councillor Lovelock development 19. Andy Atkinson Mapledurham Playing Fields – Councillor Lovelock best site for school 20. David Fallon Refurbishment of Councillor Lovelock Mapledurham Pavilion 21. Jenny Stevens Mapledurham Pavilion: Co- Councillor Lovelock operative working 22. Jenny Stevens Mapledurham Playing Fields: Councillor Lovelock Sporting and recreational facilities (NB – The full text of the petition, questions and responses was made available on the Reading Borough Council website). 68. THE HEIGHTS SCHOOL PERMANENT SITE CONSULTATION PROCESS Further to Minute 55 of the meeting held on 1 December 2014, the Director of Education, Adult and Children’s Services submitted a report on a request from the A3 POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES – 19 JANUARY 2015 Education Funding Agency (EFA) for the Council to work with them to consult with residents about potential locations for The Heights free school. The report noted that the EFA had identified four sites as a possible location for the school: High Ridge on Upper Warren Avenue, owned by the EFA; Mapledurham Playing Field, held in charitable trust; Albert Road Recreation Ground, held in charitable trust; and Shipnells Farm (“Bugs Bottom”) under covenant to the benefit of former developers. The consultation would focus on these locations, and the EFA were seeking to understand the required scope for a preferred option to be supported by the community, in order that they could make a decision on how to proceed. The report noted that there was concern that the outcome of the consultation could be affected depending on the range of people responding and the relative weight given to their opinions. There were two different types of groups who needed to be engaged - geographic groups defined by home address in the local area, and participative groups such as users of the sites identified and parents of children attending The Heights School or another school in the Caversham planning area for schools containing The Heights, and parents of pre-school age children in The Heights catchment area or in the Caversham planning area for schools containing The Heights. The consultation would be open to anyone, and the process would capture sufficient information to enable individual opinions to be attributed to one or more of the groups. The report explained that the proposed consultation would have three stages: • The Awareness stage would be aimed at ensuring that as many people as possible were made aware of the process, the timetable and how they could express their preference. The marketing campaign would include direct