Agenda and minutes

49.1    There were no declarations of interest.

To provide an opportunity for Members to declare the existence of a party whip in relation to any item on the agenda.

50.1    There were no declarations of an existence of a party whip.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 02^nd October 2017.

51.1    That the minutes of the meeting held on the 2^nd October 2017 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair, with the addition of apologies from Councillors Ryall and Pearsall.

52.1    There were no questions submitted by the public.

To receive any petitions and deputations provided that no such petition or deputation is in relation to:

·         Matters relating to individual Council Officers, or

·         Matters relating to current or pending legal proceedings

53.1    There were no petitions or deputations.

To consider the Action Plan.

54.1    The Chair advised the Committee that one item was outstanding, namely to provide ASIST training for members. He confirmed that he would ask the Member Development Working Group to add an evening training session to the programme of development.

54.2    RESOLVED - That the Action Plan be updated to reflect the discussion.

To receive the latest version of the Committee’s work programme and the Council’s Forward Plan.

55.1    The Committee considered the Work Programme and Council Forward Plan.

55.2    Councillor Hilton queried the absence of Public Space Protection Orders from the forward plan given it was due to be examined by Cabinet. He suggested the Committee approach this after the relevant consultation. The Chair indicated that this would be examined.

55.3    The Chair raised the Committee’s statutory obligations to monitor the Community Safety Partnership. The Committee explored options of meeting to discuss this and agreed on scheduling it for the meeting on 29^th January 2018.

55.4    A discussion took place regarding whether to treat the two items on AMEY as one. The Committee agreed to have them discussed at the same meeting but as two, separate items.

55.5    The Chair made the Committee aware of the intention to take agenda item 10 – Seagull Management for 2018/19 - prior to agenda item 9 – Regeneration at King’s Quarter.

55.6    RESOLVED - To amend the work programme as follows:

·         Add the report on Public Space Protections Orders to the work programme once a date for consideration by Cabinet is been confirmed.

·         Defer the Amey Management Update on Supervision of the Grounds Crew from the 29 November 2017 meeting to the 8 January 2018 meeting.

·         Add Community Safety Partnership monitoring to the 29^th January 2018 meeting.

To discuss the possible options for Seagull Management in 2018/19.

BRIEFING NOTE TO FOLLOW

56.1    The Committee considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Environment concerning seagull management for 2018/19.

56.2    The Chair welcomed Councillor Cook and the Head of Communities to the meeting.

56.3    The Head of Communities provided an overview of the report explained the preferred option.

56.4    Councillor Wilson noted that the level of complaints remained at a steady level and questioned whether the number of complaints indicated a level of seagull displacement.

56.5    Councillor Hampson shared his experience and perception that there has been displacement of gulls from the City Centre to other wards and enquired as to whether any action was planned to investigate this.  He further queried whether there was any requirement for developers to consider gull prevention measures as part of the planning process.

56.6    Councillor Pullen strongly requested that work was conducted to address the displacement of gulls having received numerous complaints from residents of his ward.

56.7    The Vice-Chair asked whether more detail on the survey could be provided, chiefly in the matter of its scientific basis and whether it could be consider a valid form of measurement.

56.8    The Head of Communities stated that there had not been a great deal of research conducted on gull breeding and that the contractors engage in high level inspections of sites when looking for areas with a high breeding rate. He further stated that other local authorities had used this method and that the survey would include the residential areas that Members raised. It was also indicated that relevant variance can be ‘in-built’ to the design of the survey.

56.9    Councillor Hilton enquired as to whether the introduction of food caddies for the disposal of waste had reduced the propensity of gulls to congregate around the Gloucester Household Recycling Centre and further enquired about the Centre’s proposed closure.

56.10  Councillor Cook confirmed that the Recycling Centre was due to close towards the end of 2019 or early 2020 and that less food waste was going to this centre.

56.11  The Chair noted the reduction in funding for the programme if the survey went ahead and asked how it would affect the continuation of its work.

56.12  Councillor Patel expressed further concern that the allocated budget was not adequate for the scale of the task and that the displacement of gulls was becoming a serious issue.

56.13  Councillor Dee explained that he understood the budgetary constraints. He also expressed that people feeding gulls exacerbated the issue and recommended publishing some public information on this.

56.14  Councillor Hawthorne raised the matter of gulls’ laying eggs in April and whether officers of the Council were confident the programme could be effected in timely preparation for this.

56.15  The Head of Communities confirmed that they were confident of having the programme in place at a time commensurate with breeding patterns.

56.16  With regard to the discussion, the Head of Communities stated that the complaints received were, in the main, related to the feeding of gulls and, as such, did not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

To  consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy noting the progress made for the new Kings Quarter regeneration proposals and the procurement of a hybrid planning application.

57.1    The Committee considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy concerning regeneration at Kings Quarter.

57.2    The Chair welcomed Councillor James and Regeneration Consultant, Mr Philip Ardley.

57.3    Mr Ardley presented the report, detailing that the proposed business plan had been agreed and that the Council was in the process of procuring a planning team and specialist architects.

57.4    Councillor Pullen questioned whether there was any detail on discussions with Debenhams given their status as a major stakeholder in regeneration in the City. He also queried to what extent a Civic Centre was being explored and whether there were any plans to develop such a venture.

57.5    Councillor Hilton shared his view that Gloucester City Council should consider moving to King’s Quarter and that doing so would encourage small businesses to trade there. He further suggested that the Council should seriously consider a market in King’s Quarter as it would attract custom and be more successful than if it remained in its current location.

57.6    Councillor Pullen enquired whether a ‘food hub’ would serve as a replacement to the market at Eastgate and, if not, was there the potential for a clash of businesses. Mr Ardley advised that they could operate on a complementary basis if set up correctly with this in mind.

57.7    Mr Ardley explained the forthcoming planning application would be for Kings Square and the building overlooking the square, currently home to the Chambers public house. He added that there no firm plans to develop a Civic Centre at the site. He confirmed that both Debenhams and Aviva were involved in discussions about the regeneration of the area.

57.8    Councillor James elaborated on the work being undertaken on whether building an indoor market was viable. He stated that he hoped there would be further detail by the end of the year. He also posited that a food hub as described in the proposals would attract capital investment to the area. He added the option of moving the Council offices to Kings Quarter would be explored.

57.9    RESOLVED - That the progress made with the Kings Quarter regeneration be noted.

To resolve:-

“That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the following item of business on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public are present during consideration of this item there will be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended”.

Agenda Item No.                            Description of Exempt Information

11                                                        Paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information).

                                                            Paragraph 5: Information in respect of which a claim to legal and professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

58.1  RESOLVED - That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the following item of business on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public are present during consideration of this item there will be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy noting the progress made for the regeneration of the vacant land to the rear of St. Oswald’s Retail Park and to approve the continuing negotiations for development of this area. 

59.1    The Committee considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy concerning regeneration at St Oswald’s Retail Park.

59.2    RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO CABINET – That they proceed with the course of action recommended in the exempt report.

27^th November 2017 at 6:30pm in the Civic Suite. North Warehouse

60.1    27^th November 2017 at 6:30pm in the Civic Suite, North Warehouse.