Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting held on 2 September 2020.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 2 September 2020 were confirmed as an accurate record.

To receive and record any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Leader explained that whilst his mother in law lived in an area that would be affected by the Langstone Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Plan, he have conferred with the Acting Monitoring Officer who had confirmed that this did not form a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest.  He could therefore remain in the room, participate and vote on this item.

The Leader updated Cabinet on recent meetings that he had attended on behalf of the authority, including the Solent Leaders’ Forum and the Partnership for South Hampshire.  At the latter, the discussion had included the Planning White Paper and he advised that the Deputy Leader had produced a robust reply to Government on behalf of the authority.

The Leader explained that Cabinet meetings would be held fully remotely for the foreseeable future and that the council had plans in place should the area be subject to further restrictions in response to Covid-19.  He was pleased to note that the Leader of Hampshire County Council had announced a funding package to support local food banks and voluntary organisations to provide meals for those children not having school meals over the half term and vulnerable adults.

Cllr Turner introduced the item as the relevant Cabinet Lead and explained the importance of the proposal to enable the delivery of the Local Plan and to protect the A3023 from flooding.  She believed that the recommendation contained within the report represented the most appropriate solution and explained that a scheme which solely protected the road would be unattractive, technically inferior and not offer the additional benefits afforded by the scheme proposed.

In response to questions around the visual impact to the harbour front, Cabinet was advised that the detail design had yet to be confirmed and would be subject to consultation with the community, regulators and the Council’s Conservation Officer.  The visual impact would however be kept to a minimum.

Following questions regarding funding, it was explained that the project would not proceed until all funding had been secured.  The cost of the detail design phase would be met from CIL funds.  Residents and local business would also be encouraged to contribute to the wider costs of the scheme and a number had indicated that they would be willing.

The Coastal Policy, Strategy & Environment Team Manager explained that all potential solutions had been investigated at the outset of the project and been subject to flood modelling.  Protecting at source, as per the recommendation, would be the most effective solution to protect the road and unlocked additional funding to protect properties, businesses, the heritage assets and Rights of Way.

Cabinet members had mixed views, with some expressing concerns about the amount of money that was proposed to be spent on protecting private properties and seeking assurance that any shortfall for funding this would not be met by CIL funds.  Reservations about the visual impact were also highlighted, along with the overall value for money of the scheme.

On balance however, the majority of Cabinet members felt able to support the proposal.

Proposed by the Leader and seconded by Cllr Turner it was RESOLVED that Cabinet:

a) Noted the positive progress of the outline design study and the notable success relating to securing or identifying funding to take it forwards into detailed design;

b) Noted the Community Infrastructure Levy contribution from Havant Borough Council to protect the main road access onto Hayling Island from flooding. This is critical for delivery of the Local Plan however, the funding also forms an important part of the solution to reduce flood risk to the Langstone community;

c) Approved the outline design and recommended route alignment options, the detailed design will be bought back to Cabinet for approval, noting the polarised community views on some stretches of the frontage; and 

d) Delegates authority to the head of coastal partnership, acting in consultation with the portfolio holder, S151 officer and monitoring officer, to appoint professional services and approve Change Events to the NEC Professional Services Contract, given that the total contract value (estimated to be £250k - ~£400k) exceeds individual sign off limits in this case. All in compliance with procurement requirements.

Please note that annex 1 and appendices 2,3,4,5,6 and 8 to the report contain information that is classed as exempt under Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972.

If Cabinet wishes to discuss the detail of the exempt appendices it is recommended that the resolution at item 8 be passed to cease the public broadcast of the meeting, thereby excluding the press and public.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

This item had been withdrawn from the agenda.

The Cabinet is asked to consider whether to pass a resolution excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the agenda.  If members wish to do so then this could be achieved by passing the following resolution.  Members are not required to pass the resolution but the Solicitor to the Council recommends this as to the item set out below.

That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the item headed and numbered as below because:

(a)        it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified in paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 shown against the heading in question; and

(b)        in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Item 9 – Capita Contract Negotiations

(Paragraph 3)

Proposed by Cllr Wilson and seconded by Cllr Hughes it was RESOLVED that that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting because:

(a)        it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press or public were present during the item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972; and

(b)      in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Resolved as set out in the exempt decision.

Resolved as set out in the exempt minute.