(a)   Petition for the Regeneration of New Ash Green Village Centre

a)                 Response to issues identified in petition relating to New Ash Green Village centre (Council – 22 July 2015 (Minute 64(a)))

Councillor Clark addressed the Cabinet as a local Member.  He stated that the report before Cabinet was a good and comprehensive response to the petition, however it would be useful to extend the idea of a single officer point of contact (as had been achieved with one of the landowners) to all the principle landowners.   The principle of the single point of contact or named officer, would also be useful for other key parties, including traders and residents in the centre. The availability and dissemination of information was a key point as a lack of communication could be perceived as a lack of action.  He suggested that the previously issued occasional newsletter could be revived along with articles in local publications, perhaps starting with a summary of the Cabinet’s response to the petition.

He thanked the  Head of Economic Development & Property and Community Planning & Projects Manager and other officers for their invaluable help given to the New Ash Green Town Team which was very much appreciated.

Members considered the report which summarised the issues raised in the petition presented to Council on 22 July 2015, the action taken by the Council to date, and the recommending the focus for the Council’s future involvement be in matters relating to New Ash Green Village Centre, and Councillors Clark’s address.  Instead of a newsletter the Portfolio Holder for Economic & Community Development suggested that it would be more appropriate to use the Council’s twitter feed (@SDC_newsdesk  or @SDC_ecodev) which all residents would have access to and would give more timely information.  The Chairman pointed out that the Council needed to be clear and not give the wrong impression about its involvement as any redevelopment was completely up to the landowners.  It was further suggested that a page could be placed in a publication such as ‘In Shape’ which signposted residents to the twitter feed and landowner contacts. In debate of the idea of a single point of contact, the Portfolio Holder for Economic & Community Development undertook to look into the idea of a single point of contact but warned that it could be complex. 

Resolved:  That

a)        an appropriate communication such as a one off newsletter be used to communicate to local residents what the Council could and couldn’t do and to advertise the twitter feed;

b)        the Council, in its ongoing discussions with the landowners, to continue to encourage them to respond quickly and appropriately to tenants’ concerns, and that it be noted that it was not appropriate that the Council got directly involved in:

·       private disputes or issues that relate to business relationships   between landowner or their representatives and tenants or             leaseholders;

·       private disputes between landowners on matters such as service           charges

c)      that the Council’s focus for future involvement in the village be

•     support and bring forward the regeneration of New Ash Green Village Centre and ensure that the community was engaged in bringing forward proposals

•     supporting and facilitating the New Ash Green Town Team

•     carrying out functions relating to its services including environmental health, building control, licensing and planning development. 

•     continuing to support Community Safety activities such as Environmental Visual Audits and the Community Safety Focus Group.