Meeting documents
WSC Full Council
Wednesday, 20th February, 2019 4.30 pm
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PDF 205 KBVenue: Council Chamber - West Somerset House. View directions
Contact: Krystyna Kowalewska Email: kkowalewska@westsomerset.gov.uk or 01984 600201
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Apologies. Minutes: ApologiesforabsencewerereceivedfromCouncillors R Clifford, H Davies, C Morgan, S Pugsley and T Venner. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting of the Full Council. Minutes: (Minutesofthemeetingof Councilheldon12December2018,circulatedwiththeAgenda.)
RESOLVEDthattheMinutesofthemeetingof Councilheldon12 December2018beconfirmedasa correctrecord. |
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Declarations of Interest. To receive and record declarations of interest in respect of any matters included on the agenda for consideration at this meeting. Minutes: Memberspresentatthemeetingdeclaredthefollowingpersonalinterestsintheircapacityasa Memberofa County,ParishorTownCouncil:
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Public Participation. The Chairman to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme. For those members of the public wishing to speak at this meeting there are a few points you might like to note. A three-minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue. There will be no further opportunity for comment at a later stage. Your comments should be addressed to the Chairman and any ruling made by the Chair is not open to discussion. If a response is needed it will be given either orally at the meeting or a written reply made within five working days of the meeting. Minutes: There was no public participation |
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Chairman's Announcements Minutes:
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East Quay Development. Report of the Localities Manager.
Additional documents: Minutes: The report,circulatedwiththe Agenda was introduced by Councillor Dewdney and presented by the Locality Manager.
The report updated Members on the recent progress made with The Onion Collective, and sought approval of the lease on part of the land at Easy Quay, Watchet, and approval of a loan to bridge their reducing funding gap.
Each of these aspects supported The Onion Collective in their bid to the Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) for up to £5m of the overall development cost of £7m.
This report followed on from an all Member update briefing on the proposed development and bid for grant funding that took place on 12th December 2018.
The Member briefing on 12th December 2018 set out in detail the proposals of how the Onion Collective would develop and operate the site, including a question and answer session for Members to understand all aspects of the development and its mix of uses. Whilst this report focused on the lease a number of the key benefits were been set out:
· 37 new direct jobs on the developed site · 166 new indirect jobs due to the increased tourism spend to the West Somerset area (valued at £6.7m per annum) · 17 safeguarded jobs · 76 construction jobs, for the duration of the build · Develop and fund the access road to the development and for the remainder of the site. (£300k - £400k) · Additional business rates for the council that could reach up to £960k over a decade, however this is subject to the occupants of the units. · Approximately £230,000 in additional parking revenue over a decade. · Bringing in £5m-£7m in external regeneration funding to the district. · Delivering multi-layered social benefits to the tune of £3m per annum (wellbeing, culture, aspiration, mental health). · Creating an arts/cultural and social enterprise development with a national profile, closely aligned with the interests of government.
A lengthydebateensuedandthe followingmainpointswereraised:
· This was an important development for Watchet and due to the history of the project there could be further lengthy delays if the recommendations were not passed. · Further information was requested on the activities the onion collective within the last few years. Another project they had delivered successfully was the Minehead Eye. · It was recognised that further work was required to attract more people into the area and fulfil community ambitions. · There were some reservations in the approval of the commercial loan and alternative projects that could be funded through this. Councillors requested for the business case to be made available to them. · Reported that the statutory duties and due diligence had been done when reviewing the terms of the loan and business case. There was sufficient protections in place due to the loan being secured against a building. · The development would be ... view the full minutes text for item C54 |
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Exclusion of the Press and Public To consider excluding the press and public during consideration of Item 7, Appendices A, B, C and D on the grounds that, if the press and public were present during this item, there would be likely to be a disclosure to them of exempt information of the class specified in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended as follows: Item 7, Appendices A, B, C and D contains information that could release confidential information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). It is therefore proposed that after consideration of all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
Minutes: Proposed by Councillor Heywood and seconded by Councillor Dewdney:-
RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the appendices A, B, C and D contained in The East Quay Development Report on the grounds that, if the press and public were present during discussion on these documents, there would be likely to be a disclosure to them of exempt information of the class specified in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended as follows:
The appendices contained information that could release confidential information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). It was therefore agreed that after consideration of all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.
Members duly discussed the contents of the relevant appendices.
Re-admittance of the Press and Public
Proposed by Councillor Heywood and seconded by Councillor Dewdney :-
RESOLVED that the press and public be re-admitted to the meeting.
RESOLVED(1)to agree to the award of the lease under the terms set out in the report upon resolution of the conditions in the confidential appendixes, with delegated authority to Head of Localities in consultation with the Leader of the Council to negotiate the final terms.
RESOLVED(2)to agree to the principle of granting a capital financing loan toThe Onion Collective for the sum of up to £1.5m with delegated authority to the Head of Localities & S151 officer in consultation with the Leader of the Council to negotiate the final terms. Provision for such a loan to be included in the Somerset West and Taunton Council Capital Programme for 2019/20. |