THE "CALL IN"PERIOD FOR THESE DECISIONS EXPIRES AT 5.00 PM ON THURSDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2002. NONE OF THE DECISIONS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL AFTER THAT DATE.

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON TUESDAY, 29 JANUARY 2002 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM

Present :

Mr P G Harris (Chairman), Mr R R Barry, Mr J A Bowker, Mr E Fox, Mrs M A Jarman, Mr H Rees

Apologies :

Mrs S A Smart, Mrs B Lawson, Mrs J White

Also present non-voting :

Mr A C Bartlett, Mr M J Cunningham, Mr J H Fleming, Mr R G Mazillius, Mr A J Mundy, Mr I R Stephens, Mr R A Sutton, Mr A A Taylor, Mr D G Williams

Due to the absence of the Chairman, it was necessary to elect a Chairman for the day.

RESOLVED :

THAT Mr P G Harris be elected Chairman for the day.

126. MINUTES

RESOLVED :

THAT the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 22 January 2002 be confirmed.

127. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations received at this stage.

128. URGENT BUSINESS - HACKNEY CARRIAGES: DEFINITION OF A SUITABLY ADAPTED VEHICLE FOR DISABLED USE

The Chairman agreed to consideration of an item of urgent business as a decision was required prior to the next meeting. A question was raised at the last meeting of the Executive in relation to the definition of a Suitably Adapted Vehicle for disabled use. The Executive resolved on 18 December 2001 that the aim of the Council would be that within 7 years all the taxis licensed on the Isle of Wight would be Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles and that any new or replacement vehicle would also be a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle. Members had now expressed concern that the wording of the resolution was not what they had intended.

RESOLVED :

THAT the Portfolio Holder for Transport be given delegated authority, in consultation with the Strategic Director for Finance and Information, to agree a new definition for a 'Suitably Adapted Vehicle for Disabled Use' and to determine, in consultation with the trade, the implementation of this new definition.

129. THE ANNUAL AUDIT LETTER

The District Auditor presented his annual audit letter to the Council which summarised the results of the audit for 2000/2001 and which also made a number of recommendations. He informed Members of the importance of continuous service improvement through Best Value and Public Service Agreements. He also explained the concept of Comprehensive Performance Assessment as set out in the recent White Paper and the way in which the council would be assessed and judged in the future. Members noted that the audit letter pre-dated the management re-structuring which took place in the summer of 2001.

The District Auditor outlined his key messages. These included the need for a more strategic approach and focus on what mattered, the further development of a performance management framework, the scrutiny of service plans and performance data and the need to adopt a medium term financial strategy. The need to have clear plans along with scrutiny and review processes were stressed. Factors that would be critical to the Council's success included the requirement for effective Best Value Reviews with the emphasis placed on challenge and the need to learn corporate lessons from completed inspections. The importance of the recent Government White Paper were highlighted.

Members agreed that performance management needed to become an even greater part of the Council's culture and noted the importance of community plans and local strategic partnerships.

RESOLVED :

THAT the District Auditor be thanked for his report and the report be noted.

130. THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

(a) Government White Paper, Strong Local Leadership - Quality Public Services

The Strategic Director of Corporate and Environment Services presented his report outlining the main recommendations of the recent government White Paper. The Paper outlined clear priorities and performance standard for local authorities to achieve. Members were advised that the first comprehensive performance assessment of the whole authority was aimed to be competed in the autumn this year and discussions were taking place with the District Auditor regarding what the assessment would entail.

RESOLVED :

THAT the report be noted.

(b) Fishbourne Quay Development Brief

Members were advised that Fishbourne Quay was currently used as a boat building yard. The owners of the boatyard wished to invest and improve their facilities to secure future orders for work and proposed some residential development on the site to raise the capital needed. The site however was for employment purposes and council policy as set out in the UDP was for such areas to be retained and protected. The Council had received a modified planning application and members were informed that approval of this application would not prejudice that objective. Consideration was given to a draft development brief which had been prepared as a way forward for the entire site and it was hoped that it could form the basis of future development proposals for the site if adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance. In order for that to happen a public consultation exercise was required.

RESOLVED :

(i) THAT the draft development brief as attached to the report, be agreed as a basis for public consultation with land owners, neighbours and other interested parties.

(ii) THAT the results of consultation be reported back to the Executive in due course.

131. PROPOSED HEALTH CENTRE, COWES HIGH SCHOOL, CROSSFIELD AVENUE, COWES

Consideration was given to the result of discussions with the proposed developer for a new Health Centre on land fronting Crossfield Avenue, Cowes. The site was currently owned by the Council as part of Cowes High School. The aim was to provide a new Doctors Surgery/Health Centre which would be leased to the Doctors to replace the present Cowes Health Centre at Consort Road. Consent needed to be obtained from the Secretary of State for Education. Members were informed that Cowes High School lacked proper arrangements for hard play areas, vehicular access and safe school bus parking and it was proposed the purchaser of the land would address this by creating two new replacement parking areas, a new pedestrian entrance, and a new school bus parking layby. Estimates to the cost of these works were currently put at in excess of �200,000, if undertaken by the Council. Members were advised that the purchaser was a special purchaser and the value of the land to him was between �100,000 to �110,000.

RESOLVED :

THAT the Council grant Charles Higgins Limited a Conditional Contract to acquire some 3,793 square metres of land from the Council at Cowes High School, Crossfield Avenue, Cowes on the terms and conditions set out in this report.

132. LAND ADJACENT AVENUES DAY CENTRE, FRESHWATER

Members were advised that there had long been a need for accommodation in the West Wight for move-on accommodation for people recovering from low level mental health problems. This had also been recognised in the Council's housing strategy. South Wight Housing Association were seeking to provide some the properties in response to these needs and strategies. The land adjacent the Avenues Day Centre at Freshwater, was in Council ownership and was currently unused. As the proposed site would be close to the Avenues Day Centre, staff from the Centre would be able to provide support as part of their normal function. The scheme would enable people to move on from other housing stock. The total scheme cost was estimated at �205,000, and the Association had �187,000 capital funding from the Housing Corporation for 2001/02, subject to the building works starting by the end of February 2002. A transfer of land at a nominal sum would also help improve the Council's Housing rating with DTLR/GOSE and thereby increase the chance of future allocations. Members were advised that as the use of the site would be restricted to supported move-on accommodation or social housing to let, the site had no open market value.

RESOLVED :

THAT approximately 170 square metres of land adjacent Avenue Day Centre, Freshwater be declared as surplus to requirements and subject to planning permission being granted and implementation of the sheltered housing development, the land would be transferred to South Wight Housing Association at a nominal �1 (One Pound) to be used for supported move-on accommodation or social housing to let with appropriate restrictive covenants being imposed to restrict usage to this purpose.

CHAIRMAN