PAPER A

RECORD OF DECISION

The following decisions were taken on 9 January 2007 by the CABINET

THE CALL IN PERIOD FOR THESE DECISIONS EXPIRES AT 5.00 PM ON THURSDAY, 18 JANUARY 2007

Members of the Cabinet who were present :

Cllrs Andy Sutton (Chairman), George Brown, Dawn Cousins, Tim Hunter‑Henderson, Patrick Joyce, Ian Ward, Jilly Wood

Members also present (non-voting) :

Cllrs Vanessa Churchman, Jonathan Fitzgerald-Bond, Geoff Lumley, Brian Mosdell, David Pugh, Arthur Taylor, Alan Wells

Apologies :

Cllr Barry Abraham

Confirmed as a true record of decisions taken ……………………………………………

Leader of the Council

Agenda item	Minutes of the Last Meeting
Decision reference	42/06
Decision Taken	The minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2006 were agreed.
Questions/ Amendments	None.
Agenda item	Public Question Time
Decision reference	43/06
Questions	Mr Foister asked a question related to the present situation concerning a possible 4^th ferry operator utilising Woodside Bay. Cllr Ward stated that residents of Woodside could expect a long period of consultation before anything could possibly happen. A further question was asked by Mr Foister related to sea level rise and the impact this would have on owners of low lying properties in Woodside. He was concerned that residents would find it difficult to protect their homes due to restrictions placed upon them by special designations in the Woodside area. The Director of Regeneration and Development referred Mr Foister to the Shoreline Management Plan, produced by the Council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). He stated that with sea level rise the Council would look at cost/benefit analyses in the localities to decide what action to take. Mrs Watford asked the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport to explain the Highways Maintenance Private Finance Initiative, which the Council sought to obtain from Government. Cllr Ward explained that the Council had bid for a grant from Government. He stated that it was not a loan that the Council would have to pay back and that the only requirement for the Council would be to contribute what the Authority had planned to spend on highways maintenance anyway. He informed Mrs Watford that from this Government grant the Contractor(s) would be paid. Mrs Foister asked a question related to special designations, which had been put in place in the Woodside Bay Area, with particular concern for the impact such designations would have on local endangered wildlife. Cllr Sutton suggested that a meeting be arranged with Mrs Foister’s group to address the issue. Mr Davis asked a question related to a development in Wootton and sought assurance that the Council would ensure that planning conditions, which had been imposed by the Authority, were adhered to. The Director of Regeneration and Development stated that he was aware of this development and would discuss the issue further with the Development Control Manager to ensure conditions placed on the development were enforced. Mr Groocock asked questions related to transforming tourism and economic development on the Island (Paper D on the agenda). He wished to know whether the main areas of tourism on the Island would be regenerated, how the Island Renewal Company would be run, and sought assurance from the Cabinet Member for The Economy, The Customer, Communications, Leisure and Tourism that key stakeholders in the Island’s tourism sector would be involved in the process. Mr Thie asked questions related to transforming tourism and economic development on the Island (Paper D on the agenda), in particular, with regard to the aims and objectives of the transition arrangements and the Strategic Agency. Cllr Hunter-Henderson responded to Mr Groocock and Mr Thie and stated that he believed the following had to be done: The Council, the private sector and key stakeholders had to work together for the benefit of the Island’s Tourism Industry. Operational tourism services needed to be kept together. The Tourism Development Plan must be delivered. Further, he explained that the Strategic Agency would enable a professional cohesive marketing strategy for the Island to be developed and, in addition, could develop strategies for economic development.
Agenda item	Island Plan - To agree the Bay Area Action Plan Options for Consultation
Decision reference	44/06
Decision taken	That the Bay Area Action Plan Options Report (Appendix A to the report of the Cabinet Member for Assets, Planning and Housing) be agreed for formal public consultation.
Reason	To meet the Council’s Aim High corporate objective for the ‘Sustainable regeneration and development of the Island’.
Additional reasons	To meet the requirement under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 for the Council to produce a Local Development Framework.
Options considered and rejected	To delay the Bay Area Action Plan Options Report for further consideration.
Interests	None declared.
Additional advice received	None.
Agenda item	Right of Access at Whippingham – Barratt Homes
Decision reference	45/06
Decision taken	That Option (ii), to agree to grant access to Barratt Homes for the proposed consideration of £2million plus 2 acres of serviced employment land, subject to receipt of a second acceptable valuation report to be subsequently approved by the Cabinet Member for Assets, Planning and Housing, be pursued.
Reason	To assist the Council to achieve its Aim High corporate objectives through the provision of affordable housing, contributions toward transport, education and a community facility, and serviced employment/marine development land.
Additional reasons	Grant of access would enable residential development in accordance with the Isle of Wight Unitary Development Plan towards the requirement of 520 new homes per annum, 30% affordable housing and 20 acres of employment land.
Options considered and rejected	(i) Refuse to grant right of access to Barratt Homes. (iii)      Attempt to negotiate a higher figure from Barratts.
Interests	None declared.
Additional advice received	None.
Agenda item	Transforming Tourism and Economic Development
Decision reference	46/06
Decision taken	That: I. The commissioning of a 3 year contract which rolls forward annually with the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership for the activities outlined in the report be approved. II. The Cabinet Member for Assets, Planning and Housing be nominated as an additional representative of the Council on the Board of the Partnership. III. Officers be authorised to work on the necessary steps to achieve the merger of Isle of Wight Tourism and the Partnership in consultation with the Cabinet Member for The Economy, The Customer, Communications, Leisure and Tourism. IV. A project team, led by the Chief Executive, be established with the necessary skills to achieve the transition arrangements for the merger. V. Officers be authorised to establish a separate Island Renewal Company in conjunction with the Partnership and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) under Articles of Association to be approved by the Cabinet. VI. The Cabinet Member for Assets, Planning and Housing and the Chief Executive be nominated as the Council’s representatives on the Board of the Island Renewal Company.
Reason	To enable the ‘sustainable regeneration and development of the Island’ and ‘to be a high-performing, cost effective council’, both of which are Aim High corporate objectives of the Isle of Wight Council.
Additional reasons	To meet the following objective of the Community Strategy: ‘A Thriving Island – to create an Island with a first rate infrastructure where business can grow and where young and old alike have the skills and qualifications to access well-paid sustainable job opportunities’. To enable delivery of the Tourism Development Plan, which states under the section entitled Working Smarter (p.64), that ‘The long term success of the Tourism Development Plan will be dependent on having in place the correct structure that will not only enable and encourage necessary change but also optimise the effectiveness of current delivery in the public and private sector’.
Options considered and rejected	The proposals outlined in the Policy Commission’s ‘Blue Paper’ published on 10 May, 2006 for a Strategic Tourism Function, a franchise arrangement for the production of brochures and the website, and partnership arrangements for Tourist Information Centres. A Strategic Tourism Function supported by a more cost effective in house Service. A proposal by the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry to operate a not for profit company to deliver some of the current services (this may also be a franchise as proposed in Option 1).
Interests	None declared.
Additional advice received	None.
Agenda item	Consideration of the Forward Plan
Decision reference	47/06
Amendments / Additions / Removals	None.
Interests	None declared.
Agenda item	Delegated Decisions
Decision reference	48/06
Questions	No questions were asked.
Interests	None declared.
Agenda item	Members Question Time
Decision reference	49/06
Questions	Cllr Churchman asked a question related to transforming tourism and economic development on the Island (Paper D on the agenda). She wished to know the composition of the Project Team and the timescales involved for the team to carry out its work. Cllr Hunter-Henderson stated that the Project Team would consist of financial, legal, human resource, risk management and other experts and would be lead by the Chief Executive. The timetable for the Project Team was outlined in his report (Paper D).
Interests	None declared.