OK. Just so we're all aware that the live stream is not working.
It's going to do with Facebook.
YouTube.
YouTube.
But we are being recorded.
So, this is the New York and show district council cabinet meeting on June the 4th, 2024.
Apologies to all those people outside of this room who are tuning in,
who are probably looking at the recorded edition.
We have our technical difficulties which is not as loud as to live stream.
And that is why we've had a short delay.
So, apologies for that.
Moving on to the agenda, notification to those present
that the meeting will be recorded and obviously recorded actually
and not streaming online unless there's something happens in the meantime.
OK. Apologies for absence.
I don't think we have any, no declarations of interest from members and officers.
Thank you, Chair.
Just on agenda item 6, I am on the Board of Trustees for New York and Sherwood CBS.
[ Silence ]
OK. Moving on to the minutes--
[ Inaudible Remark ]
So, can I declare an interest as well as a 10-counselor?
On some of the items that are coming up.
[ Silence ]
Me too.
[ Noise ]
And likewise, 10-counselors.
[ Noise ]
Thank you all for that.
There won't be-- move on to the chairs update.
All I say, there's not a big update, we've got a long agenda to get through.
But I will say is confidential items on this agenda paper 15, 16 and 17 are exempt items,
16 and 17, but they're just supportive information for items 9 and 12.
So, if we can take them as read, we don't need to go
into the confidential later on in the meeting if that's OK.
So, moving on to the agenda, agenda item 6, grant agreements.
And I think Cara is going to comment on that.
OK.
Thank you, chair.
Good evening all.
The report before you this evening follows an in-depth review
of the policy performance and improvement committee into those charities
within the council has a relationship through an annual grant funding.
PPIC requested a review into the funding we allocate to charities on a regular basis
to establish the value of those and the outcomes being achieved to ensure
that we continue to achieve value for money.
And the report doesn't cover a single kind of one-off grants that we gave,
so through the community grant scheme or business grants,
it is those ongoing commitments that we have.
The full report is attached to the appendix 1 and the key recommendations for--
from PPIC where to continue funding for five of those charities that we currently work with
and that's Citizens Advise Sherwood and Newark, Home Start Newark and Sherwood,
Newark and Sherwood CVS, Furniture Project and Live and Local.
And to cease funding for two of the groups for the reasons set out within the report
and those are Knott's and Lynx Credit Union which was an additional sum
of money we were giving to them at a point in time to try and increase membership.
And to Newark and Sherwood Community Hub based at Millgate in Newark
and because they're withdrawing from some of the services that they deliver.
They also recommended to increase the value of-- for four of those charities by 10% in year one
and by a subsequent 3% in years two and three.
The 10% has been agreed within the annual budget setting but cabinet tonight has asked
to endorse the 3% in years two and year three and to move again to a three-year grant agreement
to provide confidence and security to the third sector rather than a single one-year grant agreement.
And so tonight, cabinet asked to endorse its recommendations and to move
to the three-year grant agreement.
[ Pause ]
Cass Taylor.
Thank you.
I'm really excited about this paper.
The amount of work that these organizations do for this authority is outstanding.
And I would say it far outweighs the amount that we pay for it and has done for a long time.
I welcome the 10% increase this year.
It certainly will be an assistance to them and it's a recognition of the hard work that they do
and how long they've gone without having increases.
The other bit that I think is vitally important is that we're actually saying
that we value you and giving them a three-year contract.
I personally run third sector organizations and there's nothing worse than spending half your time
looking to whether or not you're going to be funded for the next year.
And the lack of ability to make positive decisions because you are only funded
for one year is detrimental to the provision that can be provided.
Now, we're going on to three-year funding.
I think it will give added security to the staff that are employed that they know
that they have employment on running.
So, thank you, everyone.
Anybody else want to say anything on this piece?
Good. I'll just come in, I think, yeah, I like a lot Paul's just said,
but I think also not just the financial contributions, the ongoing relationship
with these organizations and actually quite a lot of the third sector organizations
who do provide services right across the district for our residents.
It's very important that they are supported.
And so, I'm pleased with the paper and I'm pleased with the long-term arrangement funded.
I'm also pleased that this has gone through PPIC and, yeah, this is a clear way
of us delivering policy and delivering changes is through the full process.
So, I'm pleased to recommend the recommendations, which are on page 10 of the paper.
And thank PPIC for the work that they've undertaken on that.
So, all those-- I'm sorry, all those in favor?
Perfect. Moving on to Agenda Item 7, I think Matthew is going to take this one over.
Thank you, Chairman.
The report is set out, so I don't propose to go through any great detail.
Many of you will be aware of Robert Kiddie and his links to the town.
Many of you will also be aware of the Kiddie Stones that have been under tarpaulin
for around 40 years in Newark Cemetery.
Last year, Councillor Cousins made an approach to the town council's custodian for the stones
to once again be put on public display, this time at Castle House in Newark owing to the fact
that we own the land, so no additional permission will be required.
We have the required space or an accessible reach of the town that's
so synonymous with his work as well.
The challenge since that time has firstly been to establish how practically we would do this,
bearing in mind the stones weigh around eight tonnes
and once displayed would reach more than two metres in height.
And secondly, how much of course would this actually cost to do.
So, as the report sets out, this work is now being done
and the outcomes are contained in the report that is before you.
Members are now being asked to approve the design and the location in principle before embarking
on a period of public consultation to ask others for their views.
Most notably, of course, or not least, of course, the town council and the civic trust.
Subject to those being agreed tonight, we would then bring a final report back to cabinet
in September for a decision to formally endorse or otherwise.
I'll just take any questions, Chair.
Councillor Holloway.
Thank you, Chair.
I know that many towns have an art trail and, in fact, I think one is being created
at the moment in Newark with the open books.
And I know that as part of towns fund two, there is one of the projects
on there is to create an art trail.
So, as a concept, I don't have any issues with that at all.
But the report does say that it is an art, the start of an art trail
but there's no details of the trail itself.
How many pieces there would be, what the budget would be overall and what the data is
to support the individual locations on there?
And I do know that the Salons report does state that there are issues
with getting the visitors across to the riverside, the castle side of the riverside,
and to get them across the river itself, then across the railway tracks
to Castle House I think is a really big ask.
I'm not at all sure that Castle House is the correct place for them to be.
And I would have sort of hoped that there would be a lot more work done
on finding a better location.
I understand the reasons why that's been allocated as it
but I don't actually think it is the correct place for it to be.
I think we should actually work out what the trail is, where it's going to be,
have the data in place that shows where our visitors go, where we can expand it slightly,
but where the majority of our visitors are actually already going
so that we can put those particular pieces of art relevant to those particular places.
The other issue that I do have obviously is the cost.
It's a lot of money for one individual set of art here.
And whilst I know you said that Robert Kiddey is very well known,
I don't necessarily think that that extends beyond Newark.
For me, I've got to go back to Bill's Thorpe and explain to people why I'm going to vote
or not vote to spend 80 plus thousand pounds on some art at Castle House.
I can't do that personally because for a lot of people that's an awful lot of money
and it feels a little bit like we are gilding the lily here
and I feel very uncomfortable with that.
I think those particular stones, if they are a piece of important art for the town,
should have a better location and I do think that they should actually be done with grant funding
rather than using residents taxpayers' money from right across the district
to create this particular thing.
So whilst I'm not against the art trail, I think there's more work to be done
on the actual agenda item itself to give us more detail and I can't support the cost.
So I'm really sorry because I understand the reasoning behind it,
but I can't support it, I'm sorry.
Do you want me to come back in and show you some of that?
I can maybe show a little bit of light on some of it.
So in relation to the art trail, so we're looking at around 12 to 14 sites across the town.
We've worked on those in conjunction with retailers.
They've been assessed by a conservationist to ensure that they're suitable for displaying pieces
and what we will display and how we would do it.
And I think the plan is that we would formally announce that trail shortly.
We're just not in a position to do so.
But what I would suggest is that by the time this report comes back in September,
that trail will have been publicly announced.
So we will be able to give you the whole picture in terms of the trail, the sites, how Kidney fits into that.
In relation to the cost, clearly it is a big number,
but it does reflect, I think, the complexity of having to exhibit something,
which obviously at one time was resurrected on the side of a building and sustained in brick.
Now we're having to do it in a freestanding manner for stones, which weigh in excess of eight tonnes on a public platter.
So that cost does reflect some of that complexity, but it does show you it can be done.
I accept everything you say.
I think if all of that information is in the paper so that we have a better understanding of what the overall aim is
and the number and the type of art and the budget and all of that, that would have helped.
I do think then that if that is all being discussed and organised now,
can we not then postpone this particular agenda item so that we have a more fuller description
of exactly what the process is going to be, exactly what's, you know,
do we have to make that decision this evening is really where I'm coming from on that.
Thanks, Matt. Thanks, Councillor Holloway.
And they're good questions and they're exactly the sort of questions that you should be asking.
And we have discussed having an information place on our website and giving people information.
I would say that these sculptures have been discussed for 40 years.
There's masses of files and working parties and all sorts of information.
I think they're standalone pieces of art of real quality.
Kiddie exhibited with Picasso.
And we're talking about somebody who is the level of artist to somebody like Henry Wood or Barbara Hepworth.
These are substantial sculptures and pieces of work.
They come from a time when a building like they come off the Wilford Power Station,
when Wilford Power Station was built,
people saw it as a place of importance in the community and commissioned works of art to be made.
Kiddie sculptures are on display at County Hall in Nottingham.
They're also on display at Silverminster and there is also a frieze on Newark College.
He was recognised as a very substantial artist and it ties in complete with our community project in our community plan,
I beg your pardon, in terms of getting good quality art into the public domain.
This is the sort of art that you would see in the National Gallery or you would see in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
And citing them here at Castle House not only gives Castle House a real context and a real connection to Newark,
these were the sort of things that would have been commissioned to go on council buildings like they were in Nottingham,
but I think they'll attract a whole audience of people who maybe wouldn't find themselves at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park or at the National Gallery.
I also think they'll become our own Angel of the North because they'll be visible from the road.
This is a very important gateway into Newark at a time when we're talking about the heritage, the value of the High Street and the regeneration of our town.
People are drawn to Newark because of the castle, because of the art, because of our wonderful square, because of the town hall,
because of the Palace Theatre and because of all of the wonderful buildings that there are.
These sculptures will be enjoyed by everybody and they'll be very, very visible from the road, but also from foot traffic coming here.
I also think it's a very good place for them to be. I think they'll be secure here in a place where they wouldn't be perhaps somewhere else in the town.
And I think they have an importance. They celebrate the workers and the workers that were involved in the power station.
The quality of them is absolutely phenomenal. I mean, my week was made seeing the stones cleaned up.
They've been transformed, having been under tarpaulin for 40 years. And they are very substantial.
They weigh tons and they need to be in a place that is going to give them the gravitas and the dignity that they need.
It's not community art. It's not art that's been made by people locally. It's been made by a real, you know, a sculptor of renown.
As I say, he exhibited with Picasso. So we have these sculptures. I think they are going to bring visitors.
They are going to bring visitors into our town. And I think it's a fantastic thing that we've been able to do. Thank you.
Thank you. I can understand some of the questions you've put, Councillor Holloway.
However, if we were to commission these pieces of art or pieces of art of this quality,
you wouldn't be talking about the money that we're talking there. You'd be talking about an absolute fortune.
That is the value of these pieces of artwork. And when you consider that the mayor is launching Visit East Midlands,
and this is another element of why people will come into Newark as part of Visit East Midlands.
So it links in in many ways. And I'll share with you going back a number of years.
There was when I was a Lincoln City Councillor, there was a proposal for a piece of public art funded by a local business.
Who at the same time was making redundancies. And I oppose that piece of art.
It is now one of the best pieces of art in Lincoln City over the river, looking down from the High Street.
And I oppose that at that time. And I was wrong then. And I'm hoping that in a year or two's time,
when you see this Councillor Holloway, you'll say, I'm sorry, I was wrong as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Chair. Just a couple of points, really.
One is that my interest, as you know, is on climate change and the fact that we should be getting people to come in to Newark by train.
And a lot of the people who will come in by train on this station will actually start this side of the river and near the railway.
And our tourist guides ought at least to get them started by saying EY is the starting point before you go off to see the castle and so on.
So I don't think I don't think getting people across the river and across the railways is actually a serious, significant issue.
The second point, of course, is that we've talked earlier on about supporting voluntary organisations who are helping people.
Some of them are located here, as well as official organisations located here.
And there are going to be a lot of people visiting Castle House because they're going to be visiting Castle House.
And I think we should make our artwork available to just ordinary folk coming on an everyday basis.
It doesn't have to be tourists. Local people will benefit from this. That's all I have to say.
Thanks, Chair. Just a few points from me.
I think first impressions when stepping off a train to any town or city that you've never been to before a village is really important.
And I think when people step off at Newark Castle here, with the amount of investment that's happened in this end of Newark,
you know, we've now got new residents in where Carriages Cafe used to be with the Zizzi's building now occupied with the Castle Gate House project.
I think these kiddie stones are like the icing on the cake.
They're going to be lit up. They're going to be beautiful. They're going to be planted. There's seats there for people to go.
I mean, what a wonderful experience for people to step off and to really make Newark a place of pride.
So I actually think it's a really key place to put these.
I think it's also going to be really inspiring for the students that, you know, we know now with this ASI building,
we've got hundreds of students moving across to this end of Newark every single day.
And what a great piece of art to inspire them in their work and what they're doing.
As Councillor Melton said, this is free to all.
And I think it will just add to a warmer entrance and experience to those coming to visit us and their experiences of Newark and Shore District Council.
And just, you know, the 88K, it isn't for one piece of artwork.
It's for four substantially sized pieces of artwork set in gorgeous stone.
And actually, if you break it down per cost of artwork, it is actually quite reasonable when you when you look at them individually.
And I think as Councillor Cousins has said, people have been talking about these for 40 years.
I just want to say, well done, Councillor Cousins and all your team for finally finding them a home and getting them out of Tarpaulin. Well done.
Thank you, Chairman, for allowing me to speak. I have a few concerns along the lines of Councillor Holloway.
But first of all, Councillor Cousins and Councillor Taylor both seem to think it's a given.
And I hope that when the public consultation comes back, that will be given due reverence.
And it is not, you know, just going to be, well, we've done the consultation, we're going to go ahead with it anyway.
So I just wanted to make that point that you're talking as though it is going to go ahead and really we need to listen to the consultation.
But initially I read the paper and I switched my tablet off and I thought, I've read that wrongly.
£80,000. And I put it back on and no, there it was. So I haven't.
And in talking to people around the parish council that I attend, they sort of were questioning me on the price of living.
You know, why are we doing this at the time of the crisis that everybody's in and the district council is spending £80,000 on this?
So that's my contribution. Thank you. But I look forward to the consultation public wise.
Thank you, Councillor Rainbow. Yeah, I think it's first worth saying it's been it's an absolute travesty that these pieces of art have been sat in Newark Cemetery under a tarpaulin for 40 years.
And actually, I'm really pleased and proud that we're the administration that's actually bringing them out into the open so that people can actually enjoy them and see them.
Interestingly, you've been talking to people at Newark Town Council and interesting that you were shocked at the cost of £80,000 because some of your colleague councillors are quoting figures much higher than that, of course.
And also from Newark Town Council, I'm told that they set aside £5,000 towards doing something with the stairs.
Now, you can see from this open paper that actually it would cost at least £6,000 to make the repairs necessary so that it can be presentable.
So that's the £5,000. But if Newark Town Council, if you're listening out there, still got that £5,000 available, I'm more than happy for them to contribute that to the cost if it's still within their budgets.
But that was kind of a ridiculous suggestion.
My own view is that this building and this site is part of the town and I don't think it's always been viewed as part of the town.
I think people do think you're not in town until you get over the river.
And I think that's something we've got to change because this whole site is being redeveloped for different usages and that those different usages are going to be about people.
So people are going to be coming by that and people hopefully will be inspired by the kind of artwork that's going to be on display.
Councillor Holloway, I share your concern about going back to my community and talking about money being spent in Newark simply because for the last eight years I've had my ear bent about that.
But it's OK because we can now talk about actually this council investing in places like Billsorp, investing in places like Olerton, investing in places like Clifston, investing in places like Blueworth, investing in places like Rainworth because we're actually doing it and they are actually benefiting from some of the projects that are coming forward.
So I'll share your concern about that but I'm sure that you can also talk to your ward residents and explain to them that we are investing money, we are investing time and resources in those kind of areas.
The recommendations are on page 24. I'm proposing the recommendation. I've got a seconder. Thank you, Susie. All those in favour? Those against? OK, perfect. Thank you.
Moving on to item 8 and I think Nick's taking this. Is that right? So yeah, if you could speak to the report, that would be great.
Thank you, Chair. Section 40 of the National Environment and Rural Communities of the Newark Act 2006 required that and to quote every public authority must in exercising its functions have regard as far as this is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions to the purpose of conserving biodiversity, more commonly known as the biodiversity duty.
The Environment Act 2021 subsequently amended Section 40 to strengthen this biodiversity duty and this now places a legal obligation on public authorities to do three things.
First, to consider what they can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity. Second, to agree policies and specific objectives based on their consideration and finally, to act to deliver their policies and achieve their objectives.
Part of this process for public authorities to meet this duty is for them to complete a first consideration of what actions to take and then agree policies and objectives as soon as possible after making this first consideration.
The report presented to Cabinet represents this first consideration as to how the council might meet its legal statutory biodiversity duty.
In the current era, when there is so much discussion relating to mandatory biodiversity net gain, the report demonstrates how the matter of biodiversity encompasses much more than that involved with the BNG legislation and its implications for a wide range of the functions and services provided by the council.
In making the recommendation for the presented report to be approved by Cabinet, it's important to highlight that publication of the first consideration report is a statutory requirement, but that doesn't place a commitment for delivery of the proposed actions within the report.
The process is such that government expects actions to subsequently be finalised as soon as possible after publication of the report. In that respect, it's recommended within the submitted report that this should be within three months from publication or approval of the report.
And that time scale represents the fact that the government expected local authorities to publish that first consideration by the 1st of January 2024, so obviously there has been a delay for various reasons as set out in the report.
Thanks Chair. Thank you Nick. So yeah, just a few points for me really. Whilst this is a statutory requirement in us putting in this first consideration, I am really proud of this report.
Nationally and globally, we have a target to protect 30% of nature by 2030, and I genuinely believe that every single authority has a role to play in this, including Newark Insure District Council, and this report clearly sets out our ambition and strategies to contribute to these national and international goals.
When I first took this role on as portfolio holder, I was shocked. We had no biodiversity baseline across any of our sites. We didn't even have a biodiversity strategy. I'm not saying our teams didn't work hard in protecting our parks and green spaces, but I was very shocked that those were not in play.
So ensuring this was embedded in our community plan was our first starting point in taking this seriously. Page 43 of this report sets out the positive actions we've already undertaken in the last year, including appointing and approving two biodiversity, two BNG policies, and declaring a motion for the ocean among many other actions.
And going forward, if approved this evening, this report sets out bold ambitions to build on this momentum.
Just a few examples I wanted to pull out that I think are especially exciting for this council will be reviewing our green infrastructure strategy for Newark Insure, which hasn't been upgraded for the last 14 years.
That is well overdue. Bring it on. We will consider if we want to demand developers to provide more than the mandatory 10 percent BNG in the next review round of the amended course strategy development plan.
We will take a real deep audit of our sites for biodiversity enhancement and making sure as well that we take our residents on the journey with us and try and secure as much access to nature for them, including two high profile events run by Newark Insure every year to try and help achieve this.
But most importantly, finally developing and implementing a biodiversity strategy. We'll also have the opportunity to support the development of habitat banks across the district,
ensuring that local people and wildlife feel the benefits of this new policy and that it is not lost elsewhere across the district.
So I just wanted to thank Nick because he has done a really proactive job in putting a call out for sites, applying for us to be a conservation body.
He's worked incredibly hard to put us in this really proactive situation around these policies and also to create a new permanent post to help us achieve all of the things that I've just listed.
So I just want to thank Nick and all of the colleagues that are working across our wildlife sites and parks for helping us get this far.
And I just think this is a really exciting time to be this portfolio holder.
And this paper just makes me excited. I think it's going to catalyse the changes that our district needs.
It's going to ensure we have better, bigger and more connected landscapes, which will bring a plethora of benefits for wildlife and people.
So hopefully you'll all see this as the start of something really new and strategic that we've not had before.
Thanks, Nick. Keith. Thank you, Cher.
I would also like to add my thanks to Nick for bringing this forward. And really, it feels a good place to be.
I've probably said before in this room, in the cabinet or in other circumstances, I've been advocating for improved environment for over 50 years.
And in that time, I've seen a serious decline in the number of insects spattered on windscreens.
I've seen a serious decline in sparrows in my garden. I've seen a serious decline in house martens coming to visit the house.
So one thing I do want to do, which may be a slight surprise to Councillor Holloway, is actually to congratulate the government,
because this environmental improvement plan 2023 has brought a significant requirement to us.
And I feel that we are in the right place at the right time to be able to deliver on this, particularly by 2030.
We need to halt the decline in species abundance and protect 30 percent of our land.
And I think both of those objectives are in serious need of attention.
And I'm sure that Councillor Oldham and myself will be pushing this as hard as we can. Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Brazier. Thank you, Chair.
I just want to say that I think this report shows that we as an authority are extremely lucky to have Nick working for us and with us,
because very few reports that are only a few pages long contain so much in-depth detail as this one does.
And it really shows Nick's expertise within this field and it shows the work that we've got to do and the work that's being done.
And I just want to say, well done to Nick, to Emma and to the whole team, because this is absolutely brilliant.
It's the start of something brilliant. And I really do just think it's brilliant that we've got Nick.
If only we could have more Nicks. Thank you.
Thank you, Chair. Firstly, just to echo everything that's already been said and thank you, Nick.
I think it is a fantastic thing that we are doing here as an authority and as a council.
But just to perhaps ask an awkward question and bring a little bit of a rain cloud.
How does this relate, if you can answer tonight,
how does this relate to existing projects and existing plans that the council's already got in train,
thinking about developments and allocations that we've already got, because clearly some of those have got implications and they have commitments already.
Can you just take us through that? Yes, certainly.
I mean, part of the process for doing this was I reviewed all existing policies, plans.
And so that's highlighted. So, you know, the fact that the green infrastructure strategy hasn't been looked at for many years.
And I think for any sort of existing plans, you know, they've got existing commitments.
Obviously, they will stay in place. And I think if that doesn't sort of at the moment,
if it doesn't correspond with the objectives for this,
the time for that to be amended would be when those plans and policies come up for review as part of the plan making process.
And also, as well, I think it's very important to sort of highlight in terms of the proposed actions,
et cetera, it's important that they're proportionate and that they're deliverable and that they're manageable.
And part of the consultation that came back was it's important that when it comes to monitoring those,
that they're easily monitored sort of actions, which I fully agree.
And that was a very useful sort of feedback that came in as part of the process of developing it.
So obviously I can't answer each specific policy, but as a general thing,
they've all been taken into consideration as part of the preparation of this.
OK, I don't think anybody else will speak. Yeah, thank you.
Thank you, Nick. I think I can echo everything that's been said about this,
but I think the main thing for me is, is this is a real learning process for certainly for members,
but I think maybe for the wider organisation as well about these things,
which these things which we should be doing, which in a way are being sort of we're having to take them on.
But this clearly highlights the challenges that we've got that also gives us the thing I like about is the monitoring framework.
We can actually, we're going to be monitoring every year progress that we make.
And I think that's, you know, that's going to show when we start looking at new kind of developments and stuff like that, more so.
But we are on this process of learning and understanding.
And that will go also for those people outside of this organisation who who want to come and do things in our districts as well.
I think that's that's that's really important as well.
We're OK to go with the recommendations which Sean pays for. I'll move them.
I've got a seconder. Thanks very much.
All those in favour. Perfect.
It's a little remiss of me and I'm sure Nigel is on his mind,
but we need to go back to our agenda item four, which is minutes of the previous meeting because we didn't agree them.
So which was completely my fault. I'm so out of Nigel's way, we'll sort it out now.
So minutes of the previous meetings held on page, held on the 14th of May.
Page four tonight. All those in favour of the military record.
Thanks very much. Thank you.
OK, moving on to agenda item nine and that's Sherwood Levelling Up Fund update two.
I'll let them clip, then. Mr Lamb.
There we go. Thank you, Chairman. So, yeah, this is an update on Lough three, Levelling Up Fund three.
And you'll recall that this builds upon the original Levelling Up programme and the submission we made almost two years ago,
I think, in summer 2022, when we originally did a piece of work with a number of communities in the Sherwood area
and identified two place proposals that we wanted to progress.
That was Ollerton and Clipston. You'll have to forgive us for the raft of recommendations.
I won't go through them all, but there are four pages worth of recommendations that shows the pace of change,
really, and the pace that we are working with to try and deliver these projects.
It's probably important for me to say right to the start that this is framed.
Currently, the recommendations on the basis that we haven't yet received the government grant.
I am pleased to say we have had the validation sign off, which I think is civil service speak for it's on the way.
But we still don't have it in the bank as we speak.
So I'm therefore not proposing to change in a recommendations chair and we need to forward fund.
But you can forward fund now in the comfort that we have had the nod from the civil service for that money to flow through, which is helpful.
So I'm going to take each project in turn, if I may, and then allow you to ask any questions or raise any queries.
So the first project is the Ollerton scheme.
So what the report seeks to do is not only provide an update, but actually bring you right up to speed with where the various conversations and the negotiations are.
So the first part of the report deals with the regeneration partners, the term that's referred to.
So that is ourselves, who will shortly be proud owners of the bank on the high street.
Ollerton and Boonton Town Council, who have two land holdings as part of this scheme, and the Forest Centre, which is a shopping arcade and privately owned.
So they are the regen partners where we now have a series of agreements that we are ready to close down, subject to your approval this evening.
So that would secure the land for this development to happen.
What we've also set out for you is the ability to put into the capital programme this project and both projects,
in fact, so that we can then be able to draw down the money and work at pace to have those delivered.
There are certain caveats to that that is probably useful for you to be aware of.
So in terms in Ollerton, that is subject to firstly signing the relevant land deals with the regeneration partners.
Secondly, signing the land deal with our regeneration non-landholding partner, in other words, Tesco.
So we're working with them to be able to secure the relevant car parking and the public transport penetration that would go into the scheme.
But also subject to a number of additional contributions.
So the first contribution you all have noticed is we've made a submission to the new mayoral fund for Brownfield Land Renewal.
And that is just over a million pounds we are seeking towards the cost of this project and also a three million pound ask from the Nottinghamshire County Council.
So again, you will have seen that it is subject to that. That does leave a residual gap.
So a financial gap for the project. And we are recommending that that can be our contribution to the scheme as a district council,
notwithstanding that won't stop us still trying to find additional sources of funding that would be appropriate to be able to either deliver more or to close a gap or preferably both as we move through that process.
The other parts of the report for Ollerton deal with the various requirements to be delegated principally to portfolio holders.
So then there is a wider decision for members to scrutinise, but for some of the detail to be for officers to work up to them to present to portfolio holders.
So that's things like working up the planning application, subject to us still being in accordance with that funding envelope and the land deal themselves and also securing some future tenants.
Sheila picked up that there is a live tender at the minute for the cinema operator that has just closed.
And we do have interest and pleased to say from that, I can't say who yet because we're just running through that process.
But again, what that would allow us to do is get that cinema operator on board now so that they form the design and are committed to taking a lease in due course rather than trying to do that later on.
So that, if you like, is the raft of Ollerton updates for you to be aware of. Just turn into the Clipstone proposals.
You will see again, we followed a similar process in terms of securing land and securing the work that's required for planning consent.
The only difference with land that you will have picked up is there is, if you like, two transactions involved.
So one is with Welbeck Estate that hold the residual lands around the Clips and Headstocks to be able to bring that into play.
And the other is around Vicarwater Country Park, which we currently lease as an organisation and we're promoting that we buy out the freehold as part of this wider scheme.
I won't refer to any figures because they're in the exempt appendices, so hopefully we won't need to, but they are in there for your information.
And again, likewise, sadly, because we haven't got the funding in the bank, there is a requirement to forward fund as part of the Clipstone project that you will see.
The only final thing to note on Clipstone is that in addition to the contribution from the levelling up three, we are promoting two other contributions to the scheme.
So one is through what's already in the capital programme, which is the 3G Pitch funds.
You may recall that we've previously approved through the playing pitch strategy that identified that there was five pitches required across Newark and Sherwood,
two in Newark, one in Southwell and one of them going into Clipstone.
So we'd be using effectively one fifth of that budget to be able to provide it.
And then also a recommendation that some residual spend for Section 106 is diverted into the scheme.
So subject to recommendations A through to T on pages 48 to 51 of the agenda chair is over to you.
Thank you.
I just wanted to thank my two fellow councillors, Councillor Peacock and Brazier, for showing me round Ollerton.
So I got a real handle of what was going on, and I think this is a really, really exciting scheme.
I think it's transformative. I got a real sense of a vision of how it's going to change that town centre.
And I think it's absolutely brilliant. Matt, you've worked really hard and put together with your team a really good project here.
And so thank you to my fellow councillors for giving me a sort of definite on the ground feel, because it's all very well looking at plans.
But there's nothing like actually just walking on the streets and what a friendly, nice place Ollerton is actually and how welcoming people were.
So I'm looking forward to seeing this in reality. Great stuff.
Thank you. Firstly, apologies. Can I just declare an interest on this item as well? I completely forgot to.
I'm a member of the Ollerton town council as well. Yeah.
I mean, this is brilliant. I don't think I've ever seen so many recommendations in a single report.
Well, no, it's absolutely brilliant. I've worked closely with Matt around this over the years.
But I think the real thanks for this, for the Ollerton side of the scheme has to go to Stan Crawford, who was the visionary that saw Ollerton having this regeneration originally.
He was the one that got the town council to secure the site, you know, ensuring that this scheme had the opportunity to go forward in the future.
It's going to hugely change Ollerton for the better.
I think it's really exciting. I know that people in Ollerton are excited to see this happen.
They want to get it over and done with them. So by us allocating this and forward funding.
Yeah, it's it's great. And I know that Clipsons really going to benefit from the funding as well in a different way to how Ollerton will benefit, but equally as important.
So, yeah, thanks, Matt, and all of the team for everything that you have done. I know that councillors at Ollerton are desperate for this to get over the line as well.
And thank you, Rowan, for coming and visiting the Centre of the Universe last week and having a real look around.
Finally, we can say that Ollerton, being the centre of the universe, pulls in everything, including funding.
So thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chair. Yeah, I don't normally blow my own trumpet, but on this one I'm going to, because I did spend a year as portfolio holder working on these two projects and was instrumental with pushing this forward to Notts County Council to get that approved along with RMP.
I think it's really important. It is a transformational thing, but I don't wish to be airbrushed out of the proceedings because I did do a lot of work on it.
So well done to everybody. And, you know, I'm looking forward to it being completed. Thank you.
I'm sure you couldn't possibly be airbrushed out of that. I think when this has come to us previously, I think we have paid the right amount of credit to your efforts on this.
And I think this has straddled both administrations, you know, so there's no getting away from that. We're incredibly lucky to have got this opportunity.
And we do need to make the best of it.
I will say that the only downside to this is the difficulties we seem to be having with Notts County Council and securing comfort that they will provide the £3 million, which is absolutely good value for money from their respect to have a library built and 30 years use of that library.
Which is incredibly good value. I just hope that through their processes over at County, they will move quickly to get us that comfort that we need so that we can have comfort on the wider project that is able with fully funded recommendations on page 48, 49, 51 and 52.
All those in favour.
Perfect.
Moving on to our agenda item 10, A46 new bypass.
And this is Mr Lam again.
It is I'll try and be a bit shorter this time. So this is just an update on the A46 project. We have had confirmation at the end of last month that the development consent order has been accepted by the planning inspector.
So what that basically means is I think we're explaining the past and we're trying to capture in this report, a development consent order is the process for securing various different consents for very large schemes.
So that would be your planning permission, your highways consent, your grid connection, whatever it is you need.
It's an all in one consent, if you like, is the best way to think about it.
The reason that we brought this to you now is firstly that that has now landed with the planning inspector, but also that now puts us on a path that we are committed to in terms of timetabling.
So now that that has been accepted as a national infrastructure project and a development consent order, we now need to hit various milestones.
Now on the regulatory side of life, so for the council as planning authority, that responsibility you will be aware sits with the planning committee.
So there are a number of reports that will go throughout the process that will address where we are up to.
And there's various delegations, both to chair and myself as part of that process.
But that doesn't mean that we won't bring updates back to you as that develops.
The second half of the report deals with our responsibilities as landowner.
So you'll have picked up from the reports and from previous briefings that the A46 scheme clearly has an impact upon the existing Newark-Lowy Park and has an impact upon Great North Road that we can all see out the window if we were to look now.
That impact is manifested in a number of ways.
So the obvious one is that there is a land take for the scheme and that land take must be compensated for by national highways as part of any other landowner that would take place.
That land take not only has a value in terms of its monetary value as land, but in its value as its impact upon the number of spaces it might impact upon in the Newark-Lowy Park.
Because clearly there is an income implication for that, so therefore it's necessary for us to pick that up.
We understand, and again, I've not seen the final version of the plans yet, given that the development consent order is with the planning inspector.
But we understand that land take will also impact upon the existing CCTV mass, and therefore that also will need to be relocated at the expense of national highways as part of any discussion.
And then the final part of compensatory discussion that any landowner is entitled to is what's called disturbance.
So if you like, that is monitoring from the point at which the A46 starts to the point at which it finishes,
what has the real impact been upon the operation of Newark-Lowy Park and the associated income as part of that.
So that is the package, if you like, that this cabinet will need to pick up in due course.
The recommendation currently being that that's through the portfolio holder and Sanjeev as the relevant director and 151 officer and deputy chief exec.
But ultimately, all those decisions will need to come back to cabinet for review.
That, if you like, is a monetary discussion.
There is also a physical discussion, if I can call it that.
So again, it is clear to us from the works that are proposed for the A46 bypass that the existing access to the Lowy Park will need to move further south,
because otherwise it becomes too close to the new roundabout junction that will be created.
So effectively, that access needs to move from where it is now to just the other side of the Air and Space Institute building.
National Highways are aware of that and have agreed in principle to put that in.
So that won't be an amount of payment that they give to us, that will be physical works that they do.
And of course, thankfully, the way the Lowy Park is set up, we can keep the existing access as an operational one until the new one is in.
So that just gives you a flavour of your responsibilities as cabinet on behalf of the council as landowner.
But hopefully, Chair, that's a useful summary and that is subject to the recommendations on page 66 of the agenda.
Okay, I have a client question, I suppose.
Thank you, Chair. Just a very quick question, if I may.
In terms of the compensation, will we be doing any other impact assessments in terms of the footfall in Newark, the traffic into Newark,
whether there's a reduction in footfall into retail spaces in the town centre and also the environmental impact.
Are there any other impact assessments that we can do and claim compensation for?
Yes, I'll split them into two, Councillor, just for ease.
So with our regulatory hats on, there will be all sorts of assessments through an environmental impact assessment.
So that will be air quality, noise, archaeology, ecology.
There's all sorts of things that will be required to be picked up as part of that process.
So that will absolutely look at those impacts in terms of the wider impacts.
There will, there is an ability because we have footfall counters in Newark to do some triangulation for want of a better expression
so that we can say we know that there are activities happening in one place.
does that impact upon another?
The reason that's more tricky...