Resolved: That Cllr. Williams be appointed Chairman of Improvement & Innovation Advisory Committee for 2024-25.

(Cllr. Williams in the Chair)

Resolved: That Cllr. Baker be appointed Vice Chairman of Improvement & Innovation Advisory Committee for 2024-25.

To agree minutes of the meeting of the Advisory Committee held on 29 February 2024, as a correct record.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting held 27 June 2024 be approved, and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Any declarations not already registered.

There were none.

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The Portfolio Holder updated the committee on his work since his appointment to the role at Annual Council on 14 May 2024. The Stangrove Estate development had been completed, providing 13 new dwellings in Edenbridge. 8 of these had been sold to Quercus Housing as affordable housing, and all properties were given a high B energy efficiency rating. The project also provided 72 new car parking spaces, a larger community shop, and improved landscaping in the area.  

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The Chief Officer – People and Places presented the report which set out a holistic approach to developing a ‘place-based approach’ to engagement as part of the regeneration of Council owned assets within the Sevenoaks District. The Council’s property assets and the way in which they were used was key to transforming the way in which the Council, together with partners, deliver public services to meet the needs of communities. This required a more focused strategic and engagement approach across the Council’s portfolio of assets, which maximises their role in regenerating the District and supporting communities.

Members discussed the report. They noted the importance of key performance indicators and tailored metrics for future projects, to ensure engagement exercises were effective. Members suggested that these should include measuring customer satisfaction, turnout, and the implications of the costs for the exercises, of both officer time and external consultants. Members supported the inclusion of considering green spaces within the council’s list of assets, as raised by the Finance & Investment Advisory Committee when considering the item on 21 May 2024.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the public sector equality duty.

Resolved: That  it be recommended to Cabinet to endorse a ‘place based approach’ to engagement as part of the regeneration of Council-owned assets within the Sevenoaks District.

The Regeneration and Development Project Manager presented the report which set out the identified opportunity to regenerate the Land to the East of Sevenoaks High Street, following the pressing need to undertake significant work to decarbonise the existing leisure centre and other buildings owned to ensure compliance with new environmental standards. Regenerating Land to the East of Sevenoaks High Street would help achieve this, whilst also helping to deliver other objectives, in line with principles and policies noted in the Council’s Communities Plan, the emerging local plan, the Neighbourhood Plan, the Economic Development Strategy and the Town Centre Strategy.

Various feasibility work and other due diligence studies had been undertaken as set out in the report to explore potential redevelopment options for Land East of Sevenoaks High Street. The bulk of the proposed regeneration area was owned (freehold) by the Council apart from the Library and its associated staff car park and areas of adopted public highways, which are owned by Kent County Council (KCC).

Positive discussions had taken place with KCC regarding a partnership arrangement with the Council on regenerating the area, with both parties working in collaboration with one another against an agreed set of aims and objectives and via a corporate delivery vehicle established with a private sector Strategic Development Partner to deliver the project.

External help and support would be required to deliver this project and would involve appointing various consultants as part of the Project Team. This would ensure confidence and assurance going forward with independent/expert advice with proper due diligence to enable all partners to make informed decisions. Internal staff resources would be shared between the Council and KCC.

It was recommended that the virement of £435,000 be made from the existing £1.5m feasibility budget to allocate towards this project within the approved capital programme. This was not new money but existing capital that would be used for the appointment of the required consultants for this project as set out in section 81 of the report.

The recommended delivery structure for this project of an LLP was a well-recognised and very common vehicle used in Joint Ventures (JV) between councils and private sector developers. KCC was also in agreement with this approach as they were delivering several other schemes using an LLP JV delivery model. The main reasons and benefits associated with this approach are set out in sections 37 to 44 in the report.

Public engagement events were undertaken and the approach and key findings were detailed within Appendix F. The feedback would be used to refine the vision, clearly set development objectives and principles prior to procuring a Strategic Development Partner. Once the Strategic Development Partner has been selected and the LLP has been established further key stakeholder and public engagement exercises will be undertaken as the project progresses and more details emerge.

In response to questions, the officer clarified that the design of the new building would retain a swimming pool. Continuity of service for both the library and the leisure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

The Work Plan was noted.