Decision

Cabinet considered the report of the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board relating to the operation of the Meridian Centre.

With regard to recommendation 3 of the report, Cabinet considered that the newly appointed Havant Partnership Board was an ideal forum for residents to feed into discussions on the future development of the Meridian Centre and Havant Town Centre and agreed to amend this recommendation to reflect this.

RESOLVED to:

1. write to Hampshire County Council, the Highway Authority to request that they:

a.         improve the connection with Solent Road Retail Park to attract more shoppers to visit the town centre by waymarking the route more effectively and possible changing the position of the pedestrian crossing on Park Road South.

b.         make the area outside St Faiths Church into a pedestrian zone with demountable bollards, enabling the development of an outdoor café culture during summer months. This might also possibly attract someone to open a restaurant in this area.

1. focus on improvements to Market Parade, encouraging more shops to cluster around the Meridian Centre, reducing the footprint of the town centre shops to create a busier atmosphere, reducing the vacant shop sites; and
2. to use Havant Partnership Board as a forum for residents to feed into discussions on the further development of the Meridian Centre and Havant Town Centre.