Agenda item

RESOLVED that responses be sent to the Overview & Scrutiny Business

Panel in respect of the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation and to the Overview

& Scrutiny Education Business Panal in respect of Sir Francis Drake Primary

School.

The written views of the Overview and Scrutiny Education Business Panel on

Sir Francis Drake Primary School were considered by the Mayor who

responded as shown below:

The Mayor instruct officers to fully engage both Ward Councillors and

Councillors with relevant responsibilities if there is any proposal for the use of

Parks.

The Mayor gave an undertaking that this would be done.

As there are no detailed plans within the current report, there should be a

further report to Mayor and Cabinet, and the respective Scrutiny Committee,

following close working with the governing body, parents and neighbouring

boroughs in the finalisation of detailed proposals.

The Mayor agreed to this proposal.

In the absence of the Mayor, the cabinet, chaired by the Deputy Mayor,

received a wriiten report and a presentation by the Chair of the Overview &

Scrutiny Business Panel, Councillor Alan Hall. The Cabinet unanimously

agreed that the responses shown below be reported to the Business Panel:

Para 4.32 of the report stated that “whilst the section 106 agreement

stipulates that, as a minimum, the centre should be available to local residents

and students at the discounted rates for twenty percent (20%) of the proposed

opening hours, it is envisaged that this figure will be vastly exceeded”. 

Business Panel would like a more specific agreement that is less aspirational

and more concrete, in the next report to Mayor and Cabinet.

The Cabinet wishes to confirm the 20% figure is concrete and leaves open

future options to increase discounted rates for students and local residents.

The Cabinet believes attempting to fix a higher fixed target now would not be

helpful as it would reduce flexibility and would be unrealistic.

The cumulative financial exposure of the Council in past and present projects

in the Surrey Canal Triangle, should be presented in a discrete report.

The Cabinet does not consider this to be a relevant request. A forthcoming

Compulsory Purchase Order report will address relevant risk questions. The

Cabinet also noted that officers have been working on due diligence matters

in relation to the development.

The Cabinet is requested to instruct officers to produce information on both

the initial and future funds that the Council is expected to invest in this project.

The Cabinet does not believe it should sanction such a report as future

funding requirements cannot be accurately predicted. The Council’s current

financial commitment is fully laid out in the report.

The Cabinet is requested to instruct officers to include the names of the

Trustees and the Directors of the Foundation, in their next report to Mayor and

Cabinet, and any links between the foundation and the developer should be

reported and the report should include full due diligence on the developers.

As indicated above the CPO report will contain a section on due diligence, so

a separate report is not required. The Cabinet stated the names of Trustees

and Directors are readily available at the site:

http://surreycanalsportsfoundation.org.uk/

and would extend an invitation to anyone interested in the Sports Foundation

to visit the site.

RESOLVED that the responses as shown be sent to the Overview & Scrutiny

Business Panel in respect of the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation and to the

Overview & Scrutiny Education Business Panal in respect of Sir Francis

Drake Primary School.