201853/FUL - Demolition of existing buildings. erection of 2no. buildings for use within Classes E(g)(iii), B2 and B8, along with access and servicing arrangements, car parking, landscaping and associated works.

201842/FUL - Continued use of Units 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5 and 6a within Class E following consolidation of the Retail Park (amended description)

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above applications.  An update report was tabled at the meeting which set out amended and additional information on transport, noise, sustainability, SuDS and amended plans submitted. The report also set out a late neighbour consultation response and explained that it had been agreed with the applicant that the description for application 201842 be amended, to remove reference to the overall floorspace for the retained retail units.  An amended condition on visibility spays and an additional condition on tree replacement were recommended.

Comments and objections were received and considered.

Objector Adam Boulding, from Kennet Island Reading Residents Management Company, submitted a written statement, in lieu of speaking to the Committee, which had been circulated with the update report. Tim Rainbird, the applicant’s agent, addressed the Committee.

At the meeting the following were proposed and agreed:

·       An additional condition to require a net gain in biodiversity were only Phase 1 of application 201853/FUL to be implemented;

·       An additional condition to control the hours of use for testing of alarms and maximum noise from alarms;

·       Amendment of the proposed construction method statement condition to include any measures required to prevent the use of Kennet Island as a route to and from the site;

·       An additional condition for a delivery management plan to include measures to prevent the use of Kennet Island as a route to and from the site.

The additional conditions to be agreed in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee and Ward Councillors.

Resolved –

(1)      That planning permission for application 201853/FUL be granted subject to the conditions and informatives as recommended in the original report, with the amended and additional conditions as recommended in the update report and the additional and amended conditions agreed at the meeting;

(2)      That the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee and Ward Councillors, to finalise the proposed additional and amended conditions agreed at the meeting;

(3)      That planning permission for application 201842/FUL be granted subject to the conditions and informatives as recommended in the original report.

Listed Building Consent for proposed repairs to windows

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.

Comments were received and considered.

Resolved –

          That listed building consent for application 210584/LBC be granted, subject to the conditions and informatives as recommended in the report.

Part demolition of rear of site. Repair and refurbishment of listed building. Change of use of upper floors from office (Use Class E(g)) to apart hotel (Use Class C1). Erection of a three - storey rear extension with mansard. Erection of a part-single, part-two storey rear addition (Use Class E(a) or (b)). Alterations to ground floor principle façade. Creation of public square, and associated works.

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.

Comments were received and considered.

Resolved –

(1)           That the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to grant full planning permission for application 210223/FUL subject to completion of a S106 legal agreement by 30 July 2021 (unless a later date be agreed by the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services) to secure the Heads of Terms set out in the report;

(2)      That, in the event of the requirements set out not being met, the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to refuse permission;

(3)      That planning permission be subject to the conditions and informatives recommended in the report;

(4)      That listed building consent for application 210224/LBC be granted, subject to the conditions and informatives recommended in the report.

Change of use from Sui Generis (betting shop) to Class E restaurant with ancillary Sui Generis takeaway and replacement shopfront (Part retrospective)

Further to Minute 91 of the meeting held on 31 March 2021, the Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting which set out additional information on design/materials and kitchen extraction.

It was reported at the meeting that information had been received on the day of the meeting which indicated that the specification of the odour control equipment at the premises was not as stated in the application.  In consultation with officers in Environmental Protection it had been agreed that it was not safe to proceed with consideration of the application and that it should therefore be deferred to allow further investigation.

Resolved –

          That consideration of application 200142/FUL be deferred to allow further investigation of the odour control equipment.

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on progress with the renewal of the specialist vehicles maintenance contract and seeking approval to award a new contract in June 2021 to avoid service disruption.  An options appraisal was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that the existing specialist vehicle contract with Geesinknorba expired at the end of August 2021 and that the provider did not wish to enact the option for an extension.  In order to operate the 82 specialist vehicles including refuse collection, street sweepers and the mobile library, an Operator’s Licence was required by law, and failure to have a maintenance contract in place was a breach of the licence undertaking.  It was therefore recommended to award the maintenance contract to Dennis Eagle via the YPO framework.

Resolved –

(1)      That the Committee approve the award of the Specialist Vehicle Maintenance contract to Dennis Eagle via the YPO framework for a period of three years with an option to extend for up to twenty-four more months;

(2)      That further investigations be carried out into future options including a full business evaluation of bringing the maintenance service in house and a separate evaluation of the future of the Bennet Road Depot capacity issues.

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking approval for a proposed approach to the development of the Minster Quarter, and specifically to proceed to prepare the site for sale by way of a Development Agreement as the preferred delivery vehicle, and to appoint a professional team to support this process.  The report also set out details of funding opportunities including a bid to the Brownfield Land Release Fund which, if successful, would support the delivery of the Council’s ambitions for the Minster Quarter.  Attached to the report at Appendix 1 was a summary of the history of the Minster Quarter Site.

The report noted that the Minster Quarter represented one of Reading’s major town centre development opportunities with the potential to deliver a number of the Council’s aspirations for the town centre and wider borough.  The pandemic had highlighted the need for a flexible, versatile town centre offer based on a mix of uses in an attractive public realm with generous access to public open space, and the renewal of the Minster Quarter offered the opportunity to deliver this based on a vision for high quality, high density, mixed use development which leveraged the historical associations of the area to enhance new residential, retail, commercial, cultural and environmental opportunities.

The report explained that soft market testing had been carried out and a high-level appraisal undertaken in November 2020. This had concluded that the viability gap was ‘manageable’ and that the project should therefore proceed to the next stage.  Following an Options Appraisal Report, and legal advice to establish the most appropriate route to delivery, it was recommended that the site be taken to market for sale incorporating a Development Agreement.  This was due to a combination of factors but most notably to minimise the Council’s risk in the process and limit the Council’s investment in the project to the value of the land and cost of the tender process.

The report explained that in order to take the scheme forward it was recommended that a professional team be appointed to lead the sale of Minster Quarter by way of a development agreement.  The team would provide a detailed delivery strategy with recommendations to take the site to market alongside viability assessments.  The report sought approval to tender for the team and appoint commercial and legal advisers and authority for officers to allocate spending from approved regeneration capital budgets for preparation of the site for market, the procurement of professional services and other costs associated with the development.  Progress would be reported to the Civic Board.

The report also set out details of an application to the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) fund, which would support some of the site demolition and servicing costs which were currently affecting the site’s viability.  The bid had been submitted under delegated authority by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer, Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council as permitted by the Council’s constitution, due to the tight deadline for responses which had made it impractical to submit a report to the relevant Committee prior to submission of a bid.

The report noted that the Levelling Up Fund was a further central government funding initiative focussed on providing improved infrastructure and connectivity.  Officers had previously considered making a bid to the Levelling Up Fund to support the acquisition and delivery of Reading Gaol prior to the Ministry of Justice rejecting the Council’s bid in May 2021.  A Levelling Up Fund bid to support the delivery of Minster Quarter would now be considered, and the report sought authority for the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, to submit bids for relevant funding streams including the Levelling Up Fund.

Resolved:

(1)      That the Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services be authorised to tender for a professional advisory team to take Minster Quarter to market for sale by way of a Development Agreement;

(2)      That the submission of a bid to the Brownfield Land Release Fund, submitted by the deadline of 2 June 2021 under delegated authority by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer, Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council as permitted by the Council’s constitution clause 9.3.1 (3) be noted;

(3)      That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, be authorised to submit bids for other relevant funding streams, including The Levelling Up Fund;

(4)      That the Chief Executive be authorised to spend up to £250,000 from approved regeneration capital budgets for preparation of the site for market, procurement of professional services and other costs associated with the development;

(5)      That the the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to appoint the commercial and legal advisors for the project;

(6)      That it be noted that progress would be reported to the Civic Board.

The Assistant Director of Legal & Democratic Services submitted a report asking the Policy Committee to make appointments or nominations to outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2021/22, or longer where required.  A schedule of outside body appointments showing the Group Leaders’ recommendations was circulated prior to the meeting.

Resolved:

(1)      That appointments or nominations to the listed outside bodies be made as follows:

(2)      That the appointments or nominations be made on an “or nominee” basis where the organisation in question was willing to accept this arrangement.

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report presenting new draft Cemetery & Crematorium Regulations (the Regulations) for public consultation.  The following documents were attached to the report:

Appendix 1 – Draft Cemetery & Crematorium Regulations 2021

Appendix 2 – Equality Impact Assessment

Appendix 3 – Cemetery Plan and Grave Types

The report explained that under the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977 (LACO) legislation, Local Authorities were required to prepare and adopt Regulations that set out the Council's policy and procedures for the operation of the cemetery. The last time the Regulations had been updated and adopted by the Council had been in 2011.  The Regulations applied to Henley Road Cemetery, Reading Cemetery and Caversham Cemetery, and also to Reading Crematorium and Gardens of Remembrance based at Henley Road Cemetery. 

The report stated that in October 2020, representations had been made to the Council that the Bereavement Service currently provided did not fully meet the needs of the Muslim community. In consultation with the Lead Councillor for Corporate and Consumer Services and the Executive Director for Resources, temporary changes to the service had been made, with the opportunity offered for families to retrospectively upgrade to a traditional grave (these changes related to the 5th Muslim section of the cemetery in the area known as ‘Park’ only).  The Council had also committed to review the current Regulations and consult on the revised proposals.

The report summarised the proposed changes to the regulations which were within the context of a national burial land shortage, and a predicted burial provision in Reading for a further eight years (Westfield five years, Mayfield three years) should the proposed changes be adopted.  The proposals had been developed to ensure the changing needs of communities within Reading were met, where reasonable and practicable to do so, specifically considering faith burial needs, as well as ensuring operations were cost-effective and efficient. Approval was sought for a holding position until the regulations were in place, under which families would be offered a Lawn Grave only in the Westfield area of the cemetery.

Resolved –

(1)      That the Draft Cemetery & Crematorium Regulations as set out at Appendix 1 be approved for public consultation;

(2)      That a further report be submitted to the Committee in September 2021 following the outcome of the consultation process;

(3)      That the Council’s holding position prior to agreement of the new Regulations be approved.

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the 15% of collected Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to be allocated to the local area in which development had taken place.  An Equality Impact Assessment was attached to the report at Appendix 1 and a Summary of the outcome of consultation was attached to the report at Appendix 2.

The report set out the results of consultation undertaken on the provisional allocation of 15% local CIL and future priorities agreed at Policy Committee on 15 February 2021 (Minute 97), which were summarised in Appendix 2.  There had been a total of 171 responses and almost 70% of respondents had agreed with the proposed allocations overall.  18% of respondents had disagreed, whilst 11% did not know.  A number of comments had been made on individual proposals for spend, and these were detailed in Appendix 2.  The consultation had also asked respondents to rank priorities for future allocation.  Play areas and public open spaces was the top ranked item, followed by climate change and renewable energy and the natural environment.  Appendix 2 also set out ranked priorities for individual wards.

The report proposed a final allocation of £1.557m local CIL collected up to 31 March 2020 to various schemes across the Borough (see Resolution 2 below), with the balance of available 15% local CIL funding (£0.112m) to be carried over to be allocated in future years.  Two changes to the previous allocation of 15% local CIL were also recommended.  There was expected to be an underspend on Broad Street seating refurbishment, and a need for additional funds for the Dog Fountain project, and therefore a reallocation of £0.010m from one to the other was recommended.  An allocation of £0.050m CIL to Whitley Wood community provision had originally been intended to be used towards the development of a new church centre and health centre on the St Paul’s church hall site on Whitley Wood Lane, but it was likely that this development would not come forward for several years.  It was therefore proposed to allocate the funding for improvements to the nearby Whitley Wood Community Centre.

At the invitation of the Chair, Nick Jones addressed the Committee on a request for a pedestrian crossing near St Joseph’s School on Upper Redlands Road.  It was moved and agreed that the request be noted and included for consideration in the next round of locally CIL-funded schemes.

Resolved –

(1)      That the results of consultation undertaken on provisional allocations of 15% local CIL and priorities for future spend (Appendix 2) be noted;

(2)      That the following allocations of 15% local CIL collected up until 31st March 2020 be agreed, with a total allocation of £1.557m:

£0.075m for Borough-wide graffiti removal project

£0.050m for town centre monuments and statues

£0.100m for war memorials and public art

£0.100m for Thames cycle path in Kings Meadow

£0.275m for the High Street Heritage Action Zone project

£0.075m for Shinfield Road Recreation Ground improvements

£0.095m for skate park at John Rabson Recreation Ground

£0.095m for Waterloo Meadows play area improvements

£0.100m for Arthur Newbery Park play area improvements

£0.095m for Oxford Road Recreation Ground play area

improvements

£0.050m for pedestrian crossing on Norcot Road

£0.085m for Dover Street play area improvements

£0.002m for laptops for Coley Park Community Centre

£0.100m for Brook Street West improvements

£0.030m for Moriston Close play area improvements

£0.100m for Palmer Park play area improvements

£0.005m for Morpeth Close road marking

£0.050m for pedestrian crossing on Addington Road

£0.050m for pedestrian crossing on Church End Lane

£0.010m for lining alteration on The Meadway

£0.015m for landscaping improvements at South Whitley Park

(3)      That the relevant Assistant Directors be authorised to complete necessary procurement processes to deliver the programme of work;

(4)      That spend approval be delegated to the relevant Assistant Directors in accordance with the funds approved at (2) above and that any variation to the allocations above be delegated to the relevant officers in consultation with the Lead Councillors for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport and Corporate and Consumer Services and the Director of Finance;

(5)      That £0.010m of the 15% local CIL allocated to Broad Street seating refurbishment by Policy Committee in November 2018 and amended by Decision Book in August 2020 be allocated instead to the Dog Fountain, St Laurence’s Churchyard;

(6)      That £0.050m allocated by Policy Committee in November 2018 to additional community facilities as part of, or near to, improved health care provision in Whitley Wood be used for Whitley Wood Community Centre;

(7)      That the request for a pedestrian crossing on Upper Redlands Road, in the vicinity of St Joseph’s, be noted and that it be included for consideration in the next round of locally CIL-funded schemes.

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report to the Committee, acting as shareholder of Reading Transport Limited (RTL), setting out the proposed actions and next steps arising from an independent review of RTL’s governance arrangements.  Attached to the report at Appendix 1 was a Draft job description and proposed timeline for the recruitment of new Non-executive Directors.

The report explained that, in light of RTL’s trading position and the significant financial impact of Covid 19 on all passenger transport operators, it had been agreed that the Council should commission an independent review into the governance and operating arrangements of the Company with a view to improving its financial viability.  Systra, a leading engineering and consulting firm specialising in public transport had been commissioned in September 2020 to undertake the review and the report set out the key findings and recommendations made by Systra relating to the governance of RTL.  A further report on their review of RTL’s operating arrangements would be considered in closed session (see Minute 14 below).

The report summarised the findings and recommendations of the review covering a Framework for Future Board Appointments, Skills Audit, Board Composition and Size, Financial Scrutiny and Reporting, and Audit & Remunerations Committees.  It was recommended that the Council exercised its right under the Company’s Articles of Association to serve notice on RTL’s current Non-Executive Directors effective from 1 January 2022 and begin a formal recruitment process for new Non-Executive Directors.  It was also recommended that the Council as Shareholder review RTL’s Articles of Association and amend them to limit the number or terms a Non-Executive Director could serve to two (eight years in total).

At the meeting an additional resolution was moved and agreed regarding the composition of the new Board of Non-Executive Directors and the eligibility of current Non-Executive Directors to re-apply for membership of the Board, as set out in (7)-(9) below.

Resolved –

(1)      That Systra’s recommendations in respect of their Part 1 report commissioned by the Council be noted;

(2)      That the recruitment of a new board of Non-executive Directors to take effect from 1 January 2022 be agreed;

(3)      That the Assistant Director for Legal and Democratic Services formally write to RTL’s current Non-Executive Directors serving them with notice and advising them of the recruitment process, once finalised, should they wish to apply;

(4)      That the Assistant Director for Legal and Democratic Services prepare a revised set of Articles of Association in line with the recommendations in Systra’s Part 1 report for consideration at a future meeting of the Policy Committee;

(5)      That the Assistant Director for Legal and Democratic Services prepare a draft Shareholder Agreement to give effect to the operational recommendations in Systra’s Part 1 report for consideration at a future meeting of the Policy Committee;

(6)      That Shareholder representatives sit on the interview panel;

(7)      That the current number of eight Non-Executive Board members be maintained;

(8)      That the composition of the new Non-Executive Board members include (a) an employee-nominated representative, (b) two reserved places for elected members, and (c) up to a further five Non-Executive Directors with an industry-related specialism;

(9)      That all current Non-Executive Board members be eligible to re-apply for membership of the Board.

(Councillor Stanford-Beale declared a prejudicial interest in the above item, on the grounds that she was a Council-appointed Non-Executive Director of RTL. She left the meeting and took no part in the debate or discussion.)