Agenda item

Wincanton Regeneration Scope Change

Decision:

RESOLVED:	That District Executive recommend that Council approve:-
	a.	A significant change in project scope, within the existing agreed capital budget for the Wincanton Regeneration Scheme, to accommodate the revised over-riding priority of bringing key vacant premises back into use (more detail provided in the Confidential Appendix).
	Whilst noting that:-
		· The events and activities, plus building repair grants work will also continue but applications closed for both at the end of August to enable completion in March 2023.
		· Whilst public realm construction will not commence, the Highways Safety Audit 2 works will be completed to allow Somerset Council the option to progress public realm works in future
		· Agreement will be sought from Somerset County Council for any land acquisition or Compulsory Purchase Order under the s24 Direction that is over the value of £100k.
	That District Executive did NOT agree that the sum of £260,000 allocated to Wincanton Public Realm works on 7^th July 2022, from the Corporate Capital Contingency Budget, remain within this project’s budget to be used to finance the changed project scope, and authorised officers to make the necessary adjustments to the figures presented in the report, prior to Council.
Reason:	To significantly alter the scope of the Wincanton Regeneration Project from that agreed by District Executive in February 2022 to provide better regeneration outcomes for Wincanton.

(Voting: 8 in favour, 0 against, 1 abstention)

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Area East advised the Regeneration Board were now working together and the report requested to significantly alter the scope of the project within its approved budget. She said the new focus would bring better regeneration outcomes for the town as it sought to bring a key vacant building back into use. The building repair grants would continue although new applications had closed to allow those projects which had come forward to be completed by March 2023. The public realm works would not commence but the highway safety works would be completed. She noted there were some risks to the change of scope as a compulsory purchase of a property was involved, but the board were committed to the change. She concluded by thanking the officers for their work in supporting the projects.

The Regeneration Programme Manager advised that although the focus would be on the empty property workstream, the building repair grants and the events and activities grant applications already received would be assessed and taken forward.

During discussion, the following points were made:-

· The report requested the retention of the £260,000 previously allocated for public realm but the cost of the change of scope was estimated at less than £200,000.

· The compulsory purchase process was very lengthy process and it could be binding to the future Somerset Authority.

In response to questions, the Director for Place and Recovery confirmed that the Chairman of Wincanton Town Council was a member of the Regeneration Board and had agreed with the change of scope of the project. She also noted that the owner of the building may be willing to discuss the sale of the building.

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee said they felt the programme had been well adapted and there appeared to be a will to take the project forward for the benefit of the residents of Wincanton.

It was then proposed and seconded that the Committee discuss the remainder of the report in confidential session and this was agreed without dissent. The report was discussed in confidence for 25 minutes.

At the conclusion of the confidential debate, it was proposed that the final recommendation be removed and that the sum of £260,000 allocated to Wincanton Public Realm works on 7^th July 2022, from the Corporate Capital Contingency Budget be removed and officers be authorised to make the necessary adjustments to the figures presented in the report, prior to Council.

This proposal was agreed by the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Area East and when put to the vote, was carried by 8 votes in favour, 0 against and 1 abstention. Councillor Peter Gubbins abstained from voting as he had not been present for the whole of the debate.

RESOLVED:	That District Executive recommend that Council approve:-
	a.	A significant change in project scope, within the existing agreed capital budget for the Wincanton Regeneration Scheme, to accommodate the revised over-riding priority of bringing key vacant premises back into use (more detail provided in the Confidential Appendix).
	Whilst noting that:-
		· The events and activities, plus building repair grants work will also continue but applications closed for both at the end of August to enable completion in March 2023.
		· Whilst public realm construction will not commence, the Highways Safety Audit 2 works will be completed to allow Somerset Council the option to progress public realm works in future
		· Agreement will be sought from Somerset County Council for any land acquisition or Compulsory Purchase Order under the s24 Direction that is over the value of £100k.
	That District Executive did NOT agree that the sum of £260,000 allocated to Wincanton Public Realm works on 7^th July 2022, from the Corporate Capital Contingency Budget, remain within this project’s budget to be used to finance the changed project scope, and authorised officers to make the necessary adjustments to the figures presented in the report, prior to Council.
Reason:	To significantly alter the scope within the approved budget of the Wincanton Regeneration Project from that agreed by District Executive in February 2022 to provide better regeneration outcomes for Wincanton.