Agenda and minutes

The Chairman gave details of arrangements in the event of fire or other event that may require the evacuation of the meeting room.             

Apologies were received from Councillor June Alexander (Councillor Barbara Matthews substituting) and Councillor Jody Ganly (Councillor John Mylod substituting).

There were no disclosures of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of 21 January 2016 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 21 January 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members to receive presentation

In accordance with the Council’s Continuous Improvement Model, the Sub-Committee received a presentation update on the Mayor’s Outer London Fund – Approval to make Round Two bids from the Programmes & Projects Manager - Economic Development.

The Sub-Committee was informed that the council was awarded £900,000 of funding from the GLA’s Outer London Fund Round 2 in 2013.The funding built on the monies secured as part of the Outer London Fund Round 1 funding and investment secured for other works in the Rainham area. 

The Outer London Fund Round 2 specifically funded the following projects:

·                     Upminster Road South Public Realm

·                     Station Forecourt Public Realm

·                     Celebration and Events in Rainham

·                     Shop Front Improvements

·                     Rainham Youth Club and Enterprise Hub

·                     Rainham Library

The Sub-Committee was informed that the rationale behind the bid focused on external factors such as the downturn in the economy and localised issues. These included issues such as poor economic performance of the area and the desire that further work was required to improve the public realm, which built on the village’s historic feel.

For these reasons the bid focused on improvements that would deliver a number of projects in the town centre and environs designed to complement existing interventions. These projects sought to deliver a more coherent and vibrant place, to make the most of Rainham’s location close to Rainham Marshes and celebrate the village’s historic feel.

These projects formed the heart of the bid and were based around the following objectives:

1.            Improvements to the public realm of the village centre

2.            Improvements to the High Street

3.            Improvements to the Traffic Management System,

4.            Revitalising the Village Shopfronts

5.            Revitalise the Station Forecourt which had been shortlisted for an architectural award

All the projects funded by the Outer London Fund Round 2 had been completed on time and within specification. They had delivered outputs such as approximately 1,575 people hours of employment, improvements to the public realm and help to promote local businesses.

These projects had supported the on-going aspiration of the Council and its partners to regenerate an area that was amongst the most deprived in borough.

The Sub-Committee noted that there were still other work to be undertaken; it was agreed however that the funding of the round 2 projects had contributed and added value to other physical change projects and investment in the Rainham Hall and Marshes areas.

The Programmes & Projects Manager informed Members that the Council would continue to seek investment that built on the successes of the programme. 

The Sub-Committee commended the projects already carried out.

The Sub-Committee NOTED the update presentation.

At the request of the Sub-Committee, the Transport Planning Team Leader outlined details of the 2016/17 Local Implementation Plan (LIP) programme.

The Sub-Committee noted that each year, the Council bids to Transport for London (TfL) for funding for its transport projects and programmes. In recent years, the “core” allocation from TfL had been in the region of £3m per year. This represented the bulk of the money that the Council could put towards a wide range of transport activities and responsibilities.

The Council had to spend this money in line with criteria set out by TfL and against a background set out in the Mayor’s strategies (mainly for planning and transport. The Council spent the allocation in accordance with its transport policy which was approved by TfL.

The Sub-Committee was taken through the process of preparing the submission to TFL. It was noted that following Cabinet Approval last July and formal Lead Member sign off of the programme in September, officers submitted Havering’s 2016/17 LIP Annual Spending Submission to TfL for consideration. 

In December 2015, the council received confirmation that TfL had approved   Havering’s 2016/17 LIP Programme valued at £2.826 million.

The report detailed the following 2016/17 allocation to the council:

·         £2.247m “Corridors, Neighbourhoods and Supporting Measures” programme; these were comprehensive schemes and local area improvements. They included schemes to tackle congestion by smoothing traffic flows, measures to assist freight, contribute to regeneration, delivery of environmental improvements and safety as well as projects involving spaces used by several road (?) users, cycling, walking, bus reliability and bus stop accessibility. It also covered ‘Smarter Travel’ schemes such as school and workplace travel plans, travel awareness initiatives, road safety education, training and publicity schemes.

·         £479k “Principal Road Maintenance”; this focussed on highway surface improvements to Havering’s Principal Road Network . This was based on condition surveys to determine how much of the Principal Road Network across London required structural maintenance.

·      £100k “Local Transport Funding”; for spending on projects of the Council’s choice that supported the delivery of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.

Members of the Sub-Committee stated that Members were not being consulted during the compilation of the list for Cabinet and Lead Member decision.

A Member commented that the Wingletye Lanejunction should be considered for funding in the future for a green man traffic light system.

Members requested that the following information be made available to the Sub-Committee.

• Examples of accident levels before a scheme was delivered and accident levels post scheme delivery

• Information on the number of schools that have active school travel plans in the borough, how they are monitored, and details on how grants were allocated to schools including details of modal shift since 2009

• Accidents data and list of roads for 2016/17 LIP Schemes

The Sub-Committee NOTED the update report.

Report attached

At the request of the Sub-Committee, an update on the Harold Hill Ambitions programme was provided in accordance with the Council’s Continuous Improvement Model.

The Regeneration Officer - Economic Development explained that the programme have been highly successful in delivering and initiating a complex series of physical change projects which had improved the built environment in Harold Hill.

The report informed the Sub-Committee of the following updates since January 2014 on the main projects within the Harold Hill Ambitions programme.

Gooshays Drive Site

The site had been purchased by Persimmon Homes to enable the main capital projects in the programme to be delivered and was now completed, delivering 240 family homes in the locality and securing significant S106 contributions

Hilldene Shopping Centre

The Shopping Centre, through a phased approach, had seen a variety of investment since 2009, with the initial phases mentioned in the January 2014 Cabinet Report. Phase 3, which was currently underway included £150k of Transport for London Local Implementation Plan investment.  These works, due to complete by the spring of 2016, would seek to improve the public realm in the Shopping Centre and support the new library currently under construction and the new housing in Hilldene North and East. There were other works to enhance the public realm on Farnham Road, improved parking bays, improvements to pedestrian safety, installation of a taxi rank and investment in the green space. 

Harold Hill Library

Construction on the new Harold Hill Library, located in the East Dene Arcade and funded from the Gooshays receipt, had begun and was due to complete in early summer 2016. The new library on completion would be 50% bigger than the present building and continue to be a centre of community activity providing a range of upgraded facilities including a mezzanine floor.

Whitworth Housing and Broxhill Park

Construction had begun on the Broxhill Sports Park, with the new pavilion now being built. The tender for stage two of the work was due to be completed shortly which would include a 3G sports pitch, a multi-use games area, tennis courts and car park. All works were due to completed by the summer of 2016.

The Whitworth phase one housing had been completed, with phase two properties currently being marketed.

Central Park

The £1.5million project was now fully completed and operational, with the park achieving a gold award in the London in Bloom 2015 competition.

Community Programme

The Cabinet report also outlined that the principle focus of the programme moving forward would involve improving social aspects of Harold Hill that included skills and employment of its residents.

A short term recommendation of the Harold Hill Ambitions report established a post to coordinate the employment and skills agenda in Havering.

A long term recommendation was for the delivery of a project through the Economic Development, Adult Education and Housing departments, developing a jobs and training brokerage to support work experience and  entry level positions within the council.

The Sub-Committee noted that the project was targeted at local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

Report attached

In accordance with the Council’s Continuous Improvement Model, the Sub-Committee received an update on the October 2014 Learning Village Cabinet report and progress to date.

The Regeneration Officer, Economic Development explained that following the investment in the Learning Village, there had been a variety of projects established including the injection of £60,000 to upgrade the public realm to match the high quality materials used in the Drapers Academy building, establishment of Drapers’ Maylands Primary School, establishing of the Pyrgo Priory Academy and an extension of outline planning permission to re-enforce the Councils commitment to the Learning Village concept and increased educational provision.

The report informed the Sub-Committee that the concept of improved educational provision and capacity resulting from the original vision in the November 2008 Harold Hill Ambitions Cabinet report had been realised despite the constraints imposed by reductions in central government funding.

The report also stated that although the original vision had not been entirely deliverable due to these reductions, significant investment in the Learning Village had seen the introduction of a new primary school; Drapers’ Maylands School, subject to referral to the Mayor’s office, would be located on the site of the old Kingswood School by September 2017.

The Sub-Committee commented that one key missing element of infrastructure on this site was the campus for Havering College; it was noted that the college was trying to rationalise its assets and not expand at this time.

The Sub-Committee NOTED the report.

At the request of the Sub-Committee, the Business Development Manager provided a further update on the Market Transformation programme.

The Sub-Committee noted that the aim of the programme was to deliver a best in class market experience that would regenerate the Market Place and acted as a catalyst for growth leading to an improved business rate base. The programme was looking to increase the quality of offer to the trader with modern stalls - new stalls which would look streamlined but could be adapted to a whole range of product offerings

It was mentioned that with the delivery of the programme, the Market Place would benefit from increased visitor numbers and retail spend across Romford with a focus on becoming more family friendly and appealing to discerning shoppers.

Part of the plan would provide for seven day food and beverage availability on permanent catering units. It was envisaged that this part of the programme would bring an increase in dwell time within the Market Place and Town Centre which would make the market the heart of the town

The Sub-Committee was informed that with the delivery of the programme, an increase in long term revenue streams for the Council would also be achieved.

The Business Development Manager informed the Sub-Committee that following the current reviews, a full business plan would be developed and presented to Members in June 2016.

The following workstreams were currently underway:

•      Architects DK-CM had been appointed to develop design concepts for the Market Place

•      Consultation on concepts underway which had already involved the  Trader Representative Group

•      Marketing and branding being put out to tender

•      Transformation Programme Manager recruitment underway

•      Draft Trader pledge and benefit package developed

•      Food and beverage concessions analysis commissioned

The programme objectives were to encourage more people to visit the Market Place with the seven day food and beverage offer in the planned permanent catering units and to deliver a cohesive branding, identity and vision for the historic market.

With these improvements and new layout, the transformation programme intended to deliver a multi-functional public space in the Market Place that would be an attractive space with appropriate seating and lighting.

The Sub-Committee NOTED the position.