Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change
DECISIONS made by the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change, Councillor Nick Bennett, on 14 December 2021 via MS Teams
Councillor Georgia Taylor spoke on items 5 and 10 (see minutes 48 and 53)
Councillor Wendy Maples spoke on item 5 (see minute 48)
46. Decisions made by the Lead Cabinet Member on 16 November 2021
46.1 The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2021.
47. Reports
47.1 Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.
48. Former Household Waste Recycling Centre and Station Road, Forest Row
48.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer, together with exempt information contained in a report later on the agenda.
48.2 Mr Phil Rogers spoke in support of the community offer.
DECISIONS
48.3 The Lead Member RESOLVED to (1) Declare the access road known as Station Road, Forest Row surplus to the Council’s requirements;
(2) Agree to the disposal of the access road known as Station Road and the former Forest Row Household Waste Recycling Centre (‘the Property’) in accordance with s.123 of the Local Government Act 1972;
(3) Delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer to agree the terms of the disposal of the Property to the preferred purchaser and to take all actions necessary to secure the disposal, at best value in accordance with s123 of the Local Government Act 1972 and the Localism Act 2011; and
(4) Delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer to offer the sale to the party that has submitted the next highest offer if for any reason the sale to the preferred purchaser stalls or cannot complete.
Reasons
48.4 The former HWRC site has already been declared surplus to requirements. With the closure of the former HWRC site in Forest Row, the Council no longer has an operational need for the access road known as Station Road. The majority of the road is not adopted highway and so including this land in the proposed disposal of the former HWRC site will save the Council the ongoing maintenance liability for the road. The disposal of the Property will provide a capital receipt that will contribute to the Council’s capital programme and will reduce revenue liabilities relating to the management and maintenance of these assets.
49. Disposal of East Sussex County Council's freehold interest of Open Space Land at Woollard's Field, Brighton
49.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer.
DECISIONS
49.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to (1) Declare the asset known as Open Space Land at Woollard’s Field, Brighton surplus to the County Council’s requirements;
(2) Approve the disposal of the County Council’s freehold interest in the Site to achieve best value in accordance with section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 and the obligations of the section 106 agreement; and
(3) Delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer to determine the detailed terms of the disposal and to ensure the legal documents are in place to transfer the land as outlined in a previously signed 106 agreement.
Reasons
49.3 The County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) as local planning authority entered into a Section 106 Agreement dated 17 January 2011. This was a requirement for the Council obtaining planning permission for adjoining land. The County Council agreed, as detailed in Schedule 8 of the S106 Agreement, to transfer the Open Space Land for Nil consideration to BHCC.
49.4 The land needs to be declared surplus in order for the section 106 agreement obligations to be enacted. The land will be safeguarded for community use as public open space and be utilised by BHCC as a Community Orchard.
50. New leases of land at Swan Barn Household Waste Recycling Site, Hailsham
50.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer.
DECISIONS
50.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to (1) Approve the decision to enter into a long lease for land adjoining the Swan Barn Household Waste Recycling Site, Hailsham;
(2) Enter into a further sublease with the waste operator, Veolia; and
(3) Delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer to determine the detailed terms of the leases and take any other actions considered appropriate to give effect these decisions.
Reasons
50.3 The County Council has an existing site at Swan Barn Household Waste Recycling Site (HWRS) in Hailsham (the Main Site). The County Council seeks to incorporate the Additional Land into the Main Site for operational purposes. The leased Additional Land will in turn be leased to the waste contractor, Veolia.
51. Orbis Partnership Governance
51.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer.
DECISIONS
51.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to approve the dissolution of the Orbis Joint Committee and the establishment of the Orbis Partnership Oversight Board.
Reasons
51.3 The Orbis Partnership was formed to create greater operational resilience to deliver value for money and improved service delivery for our customers. Orbis remains a key element of ESCC plans, and the recent changes represent an evolution of the Partnership that will enable the partners to shift focus fully onto the realisation of their individual council’s requirements, which has resulted in the need for proportionately scaled management and governance structures.
52. Exclusion of public and press
52.1 It was RESOLVED to exclude the public and press for the remaining agenda items on the grounds that if the public and press were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as specified in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).
53. Former Household Waste Recycling Centre and Station Road, Forest Row - exempt information
53.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer which contained exempt information in support of an earlier agenda item.
53.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to note the information.