Councillor Brock declared an interest in Item 33 on the grounds that he was a Council-appointed Director of Reading Economic Development Agency which had proposed and would administer the Business Improvement Districts.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2023 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

This report outlines the success of Reading’s two Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and seeks endorsement for a proposal for two BIDs for the period 2024 – 2029 covering the town centre and the Abbey Quarter. The report also seeks approval for the Council to vote in favour of both BID proposals in respect of its properties within the BID ‘area of benefit’.

The Committee considered a report outlining proposals to renew Reading’s two town centre Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) - Reading Central BID established in 2006 and Abbey Quarter BID established in 2019 – for the period 2024-2029. The report also sought approval for the Council to vote in favour of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

This report seeks authority to bid for capital funds to the value of £480,000 and revenue funds to the value of £167,789 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme to purchase and provide support to six additional Housing First units from 1 April 2024 to relieve and prevent rough sleeping in Reading.

The Committee considered a report seeking authority to bid for capital funds to the value of £480,000 and revenue funds to the value of £167,789 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP) to purchase and provide support to six additional Housing First  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

This report provides an update on the progress since October 2022 of implementation of the Connected Reading Digital Transformation Strategy.

The Committee received a report setting out an update on progress of implementing the ‘Connected Reading’ Digital Transformation Strategy.

The report noted that the Strategy had been approved by the Committee at its meeting on 12 July 2021 (Minute 21 refers) and that an update had been submitted to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

This report seeks approval for the updated RIPA & IPA Policy, governing the Council’s lawful use of Covert Surveillance techniques and the lawful acquisition of Communications Data as investigative tools for investigations.

The Committee considered a report seeking approval for the updated RIPA & IPA Policy, governing the Council’s lawful use of Covert Surveillance techniques and the lawful acquisition of Communications Data as investigative tools for investigations.  The updated RIPA & IPA Policy was attached to the report at Appendix 1 and the confidential  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

The following motion will be moved by the Chair:

“That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following items on the agenda, as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of that Act”

Resolved –

That pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of item 38 below as it was likely that there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 specified in Part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

The Committee, acting in its capacity as shareholder of Reading Transport Limited (RTL), considered a report setting out a proposal from RTL.  It was reported at the meeting that the proposal had been withdrawn.

Resolved –

            That the report and the withdrawal of the proposal from RTL be noted.

(Exempt  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.