27. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 October 2004 were agreed.
28. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations at this stage.
29. FORWARD PLAN
The Lead Member for the Forward Plan advised Members that several
items had slipped from previous dates given.
There was one new item regarding Tourism Brown Signs Review. Members suggested that a report regarding
the criteria for establishing Tourism Brown signs should be brought to a future
Select Committee meeting.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR TOURISM AND LEISURE
SERVICES AND THE HEAD OF TOURISM
A report, regarding the review of criteria used for the provision
of Tourism Brown Signs be submitted to a future meeting of the Select
Committee.
30. REPORT ON ISLE OF WIGHT ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES
The Principal Economic Development Officer introduced the Executive Summary report on behalf of the Partnership. Members noted that certain information was duplicated in the Quarterly Performance Management Report to be considered later in the meeting.
The Select Committee was informed that the final copy of the Area Investment Framework (AIF) had been submitted to, and signed by, the South East Employment Development Agency (SEEDA). Stage 2 of the East Cowes Master-plan was being completed and a public consultation would take place in September 2005 at East Cowes Town Hall.
Isle of Wight Branding would be discussed as a separate item later in the meeting.
The Select Committee asked whether the concerns raised by SEEDA regarding the relationship between the AIF and the Local Strategic Partnership had been addressed. The Managing Director of the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership confirmed that this issue had been resolved.
Members questioned the details of the Council’s obligation for rent on Enterprise House and the Innovation Centre and requested that more information be provided.
ACTION TO
BE TAKEN BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UK AND EU, REGIONAL
ISSUES
1. That further information regarding the Council’s obligation for rent on Enterprise House and the Innovation Centre be circulated to the Select Committee.
2. The Select Committee agreed that in view of the duplication of information, the report on the IWEP activities should be included as part of the Quarterly Performance Management Report on future occasions.
31.
QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT REPORT QUARTER 2 – 2004-05
(a) Sustainable Development, Environment and
Planning Policy
The Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Development, Environment and Planning Policy addressed the areas to watch within her remit, as outlined in the report.
The Select Committee was informed that Planning Services was not able to control the number of applications made by developers on the Island for new housing developments. However, a great deal of hard work had been carried out to ensure that the percentage of affordable housing on qualifying sites had been increased to the 30% maximum, on a sliding scale basis, through the Local Development Framework (LDF). Developers building 14 units or less were not required to incorporate affordable housing. Members noted that the forthcoming Pan and East Cowes developments should significantly improve performance in respect of affordable housing targets.
The Head of Planning Services confirmed that affordable housing provided to date was not as high as it should be, but policies within the South East Plan had to be followed. Consultation would be undertaken later in the month to establish how affordable housing issues could be addressed within the LDF. This would be subject to an annual review.
Members were made aware that during the last 6 to 12 months where a developer owned sites that were side by side and exceeded 14 units in total, the Planning Service had sought the relevant payments through Section 106 Agreements.
The Select Committee also raised questions regarding the number of planning applications being processed and the current staffing levels. The Portfolio Holder confirmed that the Planning Service was aware of the problems created by the on-going shortage of planning officers. However, the service had recruited a number of trainees which would assist the service in the future. It was also pointed out that the service was improving in all other areas.
(b) Tourism and Leisure
Members were advised that some initial problems with the Destination Management System had now been addressed and the system was in full use by the Call Centre and Tourist Information Centres (TICs). The Website and the on-line booking service were scheduled for completion by October 2005, but the Head of Tourism was hopeful that this service could be available by April 2005 to coincide with the large national infrastructure which was being launched in April/May 2005. Members were informed that good management of this part of the system would require a great deal of training for small businesses in order to keep the information constantly updated.
Another area of concern was the fall in income from leisure centres, which were attributed to the external operating environment including car parking charges. The Portfolio Holder advised that Quarter 3 would show a further fall in income. This was due to facilities being closed whilst improvements were undertaken, the continuing retractable roof problem at Waterside Pool and cancelled direct debits, due to on-going objections to the car parking charges at leisure facilities. Members were keen to know if the drop in One Card usage could also be attributed to the car parking charges, but were advised that this could only be quantified using records taken over a one year period.
(c) Economic Development, UK
and EU, Regional Issues
The Select Committee had questioned the number of long-term Job Seekers Allowance claimants, but was informed that the figures were only used as an indicator to reflect the Island’s economy and could only be influenced indirectly by the Isle of Wight Council. Members were also concerned about the apparent low number of jobs created for this year. However, the Economic Development Manager explained that definitions of the criteria used were confusing and there had been a significant increase of more than 100 people into employment, but this information did not fit the criteria for the PSA. The Select Committee believed that the Performance Indicators should be re-examined and the performance targets should be reconsidered with the assistance of the IWEP.
ACTION TO
BE TAKEN BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UK AND EU, REGIONAL
ISSUES AND THE HEAD OF CORPORATE POLICY
1. That the use of Performance Indicators relating to Economic Development within the QPMR be re-examined.
2. To consider including the Managing Director of IWEP in future discussions regarding Performance Indicators and PSA targets.
32.
BUDGET MONITORING REPORT AS AT END OF NOVEMBER 2004
The Portfolio Holders provided an overview of Revenue and Capital budget expenditure summaries as at 30 November 2004.
The Select Committee was advised that budget overspends, such as the Medina Pool heating could be offset by the unallocated capital for Leisure Services. Members believed that the capital budget could be made clearer and suggested that the Chief Financial Officer should investigate this further with the Portfolio Holder.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR TOURISM AND LEISURE
AND THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
That the Capital Expenditure Summary be re-examined with a view to making the information clearer in future reports.
33.
ISLE OF WIGHT BRANDING UPDATE – ISLE OF WIGHT ECONOMIC
PARTNERSHIP
A presentation was provided by the Managing Director of the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership (IWEP), which detailed the current position of the Inspire Programme, which included developing an Isle of Wight brand. The scheme had been approved by Isle of Wight Council on 21 January 2004 and by the Local Strategic Partnership in May 2004. The Inspire Programme had 5 objectives:
1. Developing an Isle of Wight branding strategy
2. Raising aspirations
3. Inspiring people, especially the younger ones
4. Community engagement programme
5. Feedback and build self-belief.
Funding had been received in mid-December 2004, which meant that the project would need to be delivered by the end of March 2005, or the grant money from SEEDA would be lost.
Immediate steps to be taken by the recently formed Branding Group were:
· Develop an invitation to tender
· Receive responses by 6 agencies
· Selection sub-group to decide winning tender by 25 January 2005
· Work to start the day after
· Designs and artwork from March 2005 onwards
· Presentation to Select Committee and Executive
· April 2005 roll out.
The Select Committee was informed of the work had already been undertaken by the Liz Earle Company, in developing a ‘Passport to the Isle of Wight’. This would be investigated, along with other ideas, by the Managing Director of the IWEP. The timescale was very short, but it was envisaged that the Inspire Bid would be submitted within the first quarter of 2005. If approved by SEEDA, notification would be received during the second quarter of the year and a 3-4 year programme would be rolled out from June 2005 onwards.
It was anticipated that the Inspire Programme would be launched during June 2005, taking advantage of all the large events scheduled, such as the Rock Festival. It was believed that the programme would become self-sustaining by encouraging investment from the private sector as well as the Isle of Wight Council.
The Select Committee suggested that emphasis should be placed on the Island’s sailing reputation and believed that the Maritime Heritage Centre could be used to great advantage to enhance the Island’s image.
ACTION TO
BE TAKEN BY THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP
A copy of the ‘Passport to the Isle of Wight’, as developed by Liz Earle, be circulated to Members, together with a handout copy of the PowerPoint presentation provided.
34.
WINTER STORAGE FOR CARAVANS
At the meeting in June 2004, the Select Committee had established a Task Group to investigate the supply and demand of storage for caravans on the Island during the winter season.
The Task Group had completed a survey and extensive investigations, which included related planning issues.
It concluded that there appeared to be sufficient storage space available, but there was a need for this to be more widely publicised.
ACTION TO
BE TAKEN BY THE HEAD OF SELECT COMMITTEE AND REVIEW TEAM
The findings of the Task Group be accepted and it be wound up.
35. MEMBERS’ QUESTION TIME
Mr J A Bowker raised a question in regard to St John’s Wood Park in Ryde. The Head of Select Committee and Review Team would write to the Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Leisure and request an update of this issue.
CHAIRMAN