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RESOLVED that the following
recommendations be approved and any subsequent minor amendments be
delegated to the Executive Director Place in consultation with the
relevant Portfolio Holder and Ward Members.
 
a)        The Council to
explore and calculate the cost of the provision of a nature reserve
for public access, heritage and nature conservation including the
possibility of the designation of the site as a Local Nature
Reserve (LNR) with the owners.
 
b)         The
Council, using independent advice to value the land to understand
the options including buying or leasing the site and to negotiate
with owners to secure Council or a Trust (subject to the community
setting up a trust) control of the management and maintenance of
the site.
 
c)         The
Council to lead on exploring the options for heritage protection
including potentially applying to Historic England for the entire
site and in particular the Pump House and other Locally Listed
historic assets on the site to be Statutorily Listed.
 
d)         The
Council to pursue opportunities through a variety of environmental
schemes and third party organisations for restoration and
improvement of habitats as part of their biodiversity commitment
requirement and encouraging preservation of the site.
 
e)         The
Council to ensure that Seething Wells is a key factor in the
development of the Riverside South Conservation Area Enhancement
Appraisal and Management Plan and the Thames Landscape
Strategy.
 
f)         
The Place Committee reports back to the Full Council with a review
of the process that has taken place and develops the Working Group
as a possible model for working with communities through creative
and constructive dialogue with community groups.
 
g)         After
the dissolution of the Councillor Working Group following these
recommendations to the Place Committee, as per the resolution of
the Council Meeting of 27 January 2022, the Council will seek
proactive dialogue with the landowners to enhance the management
and maintenance of the site, with the support of community groups
and residents.
 
h)        It is the
intention that the Working Group will continue its work under the
auspices of the community, with the Council providing updates three
times a year to Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee and annually to
the Place Committee on the actions taken on the recommendation it
has supported.
 
i)         
The community, with the support of the Council, submits responses
at appropriate stages in the process of the River Thames Scheme
(RTS) development consent order (DCO). In the Council's own
response to the DCO it will take account of the community views of
this opportunity.