The Executive The Executive Minutes of the meeting held on 24 October 2007 Councillor Leese – In the Chair Councillors J. Battle, Curley, S Murphy, E Newman, S Newman, Priest, Stevens and Swannick Also present as Members of the Standing Advisory Panel: Councillors Ashley, Cowell, Donaldson, Firth, Grant, A. Khan, Pearcey, Shannon and Smitheman Also present: Councillors Amesbury, R Battle, Karney Exe/07/115 Minutes Decision To approve the minutes of the Executive held on 12 September 2007 as a correct record. Exe/07/116 Regional Casino A report concerning the Regional Casino was submitted. In July the Prime Minister announced that, as no consensus had been reached within the two Houses of Parliament on the implementation of the recommendations on casinos, the opportunity would be taken to examine the outcome of the report on the incidence and prevalence of gambling within the UK, due to be published in September. He also said that the Government would review whether other regeneration alternatives might be a better way of meeting economic and social needs than the creation of regional casinos. The Leader of the Council and local MP’s have met the Prime Minister to discuss the city’s concerns about the announcement and were assured that no final policy decision had yet been made. The Prime Minister was anxious to consider the outcome of the review he had commissioned before determining future policy and had asked the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to lead an interdepartmental review for presentation to him by the end of October. The Interdepartmental Review Team is now in place and work is well underway. Its primary focus is on alternative regeneration strategies. The Chief Executive has met the convenor of the Interdepartmental Group and there has been a presentation of the Council’s position, focussing on a range of issues including the potential alternative strategies, which might be available for the redevelopment of East Manchester, and why none of these, even if they were practical options, would deliver a similar scale of benefit as the proposed casino. Overall the lost opportunity to build a mixed use scheme anchored by a regional casino would cost the city £1billion in GVA over a ten year period. The Chief Executive is also arranging for Page 1 of 28 The Executive members of the Interdepartmental Group to visit the city and the East Manchester area for further discussions. In the discussions, the Chief Executive has emphasised that any review must also fully embrace issues of problem gambling. These concerns had a significant influence on the decision of the House of Lords to reject the Government’s proposals as well as other issues concerning the CAP process and the promotion of other places as an alternative to Manchester. The Chief Executive has asked Professor Alan Harding from the University of Manchester Institute of Political and Economic Governance, Professor Tony Addison from the Brooks World Poverty Institute and James Rees from the University of Manchester to undertake an independent analysis of the issues surrounding the process. We have now received their report. This shows that the terms of reference for the CAP were clear and adequate and that they exhibited direct links both to the Government’s National Statement of Policy on Casinos and the objectives of the Gambling Act. Their work found that the CAP process itself was marked by a remarkable level of openness and was robust. Last month the British Gambling Prevalence Survey for 2007 was published. This demonstrated that there had been no increase in problem gambling despite a significant increase in the opportunities to gamble through greater access to new products and platforms. It strengthened the evidential base showing that there is little causal relationship between casinos and problem gambling in the UK. The Council has always taken the issue of problem gambling extremely seriously and as part of its submission has developed a unique and robust approach to preventing and combating problem gambling in Manchester. The heart of this approach is the development of a multi agency partnership based on education, prevention, treatment and research. As was reported to our last meeting, Paul Bellringer, Director of Responsible Gambling Solutions Limited and Professor Mark Griffiths from the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University have been asked to appraise Manchester’s proposals and their findings showed that the combination of the Gambling Act 2005 and Manchester’s Social Responsibility Framework would result in a regional casino in Manchester being the most tightly regulated form of gambling in the UK. The greatest concerns about increases in problem gambling come from difficulties in controlling internet gambling and if the regional casino were not to proceed it would do little to reduce problem gambling. The report concludes that Manchester’s regional casino and the Council’s associated Social Responsibility Framework is an important contribution to developing a national solution to problem gambling. Notwithstanding this strong evidential base, we are concerned that there still remains a requirement to build wider public confidence in the operation of casinos and the relationship to problem gambling. There are important opportunities to be explored to help achieve this through design, enforcement an integrated approach to policing Page 2 of 28 The Executive and licensing policies, the protection of young people and phasing the introduction of the full mix of gambling activities. Such an approach could be achieved without the need to change primary legislation. Through effective engagement with the Government in consultation with the gaming industry, it should be possible to establish whether there are measures which allow a regional casino to reach its full potential at a pace which will be consistent with the achievement of acceptable outcomes both in terms of regeneration, social impact and an increasing level of public confidence. Decision 1. To note the actions taken by the Chief Executive following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to contribute to the review of regeneration outcomes being led by DCLG and being undertaken through an Inter- Departmental Working Group. 2. To endorse the requirement that any review of the Regional Casino should address the issues raised by the House of Lords Merits Committee and the House of Lords itself, when it debated the Geographical Distribution of Casino Premises Order which was placed before both Houses on the 28th March, 2007. 3. To note the outcome of independent work carried out both on the process leading to the recommendation of the Casino Advisory Panel (CAP) that Manchester should be awarded the Regional Casino licence, and on the robustness of Manchester's social responsibility framework. 4. To recognise that notwithstanding the robustness of the evidential base, more action is likely to be required to build public confidence throughout the UK in relation to the impact of a regional casino in Manchester on problem gambling, and to authorise the Chief Executive to explore further the opportunities described in this report in consultation with stakeholders and the Government. 5. To request the Chief Executive to report on progress in due course. (Councillors Leese, Battle, and Swannick declared personal interests in this item as Board members of NEM) Exe/07/117 Oxford Road Strategic Development Framework A report concerning the Oxford Road Strategic Development Framework was submitted. Oxford Road is home to the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Central Manchester Manchester Children’s University Hospital and the Royal Northern College of Music. Alongside these key institutions, the area also has a wide range of cultural facilities. It is estimated that just under 37,000 people, 12% of the city centre’s workforce Page 3 of 28 The Executive currently work there. The planned investment programmes of the major institutions together with major new commercial developments have the potential to generate a further 5,000 jobs. The extent and nature of this development make Oxford Road the primary focus for future economic growth of the city region and critical to the development of the higher value added economy, built on creativity and innovation. Although significant opportunities exist to support and enhance its development, the area faces considerable challenges to future growth if it is to realise its full potential. It is a major gateway to the city centre and the busiest bus route in Europe. There are serious problems of congestion and environmental impact. Reconciling the role of Oxford Road as a key radial route with the inherent economic strength and potential of the area is critical to future development. In response, the key institutions along the Corridor have joined with the Council to establish a development partnership, the key objectives of which are to establish a coherent strategy for the area and deliver the additional resources needed to address the impediments to growth and to maximise potential to support new business development, inward investment and employment growth. Membership of the Board has been expanded to include other key public and private sector stakeholders in the area. The Oxford Road Strategic Development Framework has now been endorsed by the Partnership Board and is ready for consultation and publication. The Framework sets out the principles which the Partnership has adopted to ensure that the opportunities offered by current investment plans are exploited and harnessed in a co-ordinated way. On this basis it establishes key strategic objectives for improving the infrastructure and public realm, transport links, economic development and enhancement of the cultural and retail offers. A members’ advisory board from wards along the corridor has been appointed and their views have been fed into the Framework. There will be further consultation across the whole range of interests in the area including residents, businesses, institutions, workers, students and visitors prior to publication.