Agenda item

To consider and decide on the recommendations as set out in the attached report.

RESOLVED –

1.     That the provision of £420,000 by TWBC be granted to Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council to enable the delivery of the new Community  Centre and delegate the terms of releasing the funds to the S151 Officer and Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Communities be approved.

2.     The delegation to the S151 Officer and Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Leader of the Council to determine all necessary financial and legal matters to protect TWBC’s interests be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To comply with the commitment given by TWBC in the Five-Year Plan 2017-22 to support the development of the Community Centre in the borough thereby increasing the availability of local services in the heart of the community and enhance the quality of life for residents.

Mr Carl Meewezen, Head of Programme Management and Finance for the Cranbrook Community Hub had registered to speak and made the following comments:

-       There had been a considerable amount of work done over the last 20 years to develop the scheme. 

-       RIBA stage 0 was expected to run until about June 2020.  Between June and November there would be a process of detailed technical definition.

-       The aim was to start construction in November 2022, with completion expected in November 2023.

-       The timelines were being driven by an associated medical centre.

-       Because all the GPs were about to retire, the NHS were funding a medical centre in Cranbrook. 

-       The Centre would then accommodate both needs – a medical centre and a community hub.

-       For the current phase (RIBA stage 0), the Treasury Green Book was being used i.e. options were being considered against financial, strategic, economic, management and commercial case.

-       The work was being undertaken in two tranches, the first looking at local engagement and refreshing the work that had been undertaken over the last 20 years including establishing local requirements such as adult social care and adult education needs.  The second was around building the business case itself with a draft expected in April.

-       The business case was at the long list phase, which also included consideration of the funding mechanisms required, particularly in relation to the medical centre.

Mr Kim Fletcher had register to speak and made the following comments:

-       It had taken Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council 20 years to assemble the required land, including getting the access rites from the  Co-Op for which TWBC was thanked for their help.

-       The only piece of land that was not in public ownership was the Tanyard Dental Surgery which was located between the Tanyard car park and the Regal (Co-Op) car park.  There was no public right of way across this piece of land and as such it was important that it be incorporated into the site.

-       A special edition of the Parish Cake would be delivered to every house in the Parish.  Residents would be able to register their views and any concerns they might have. 

Denise Haylett, Head of Facilities and Community Hubs introduced the report to award a grant of £420,000 to Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council (CSPC) to enable the delivery of the new Community Centre.

Discussion and responses to Members questions included the following matters:

-       The delivery of the Cranbrook Community Centre had been a long-term aspiration going back over 20 years and had strong community support.

-       In September 2016 a planning application was finally granted that showed an indicative scheme but the land ownership remained an issue.

-       The legal framework to enable the development to progress proved to be complicated.  However in January 2020 and working with several partners, the final legal documents were confirmed and the land transfer took place. 

-       Governance for the project had now been confirmed.

-       The NHS had confirmed that they would seek to secure the long-term delivery of the GP services that would in-turn secure health services in Cranbrook for the foreseeable future

-       A robust business case had been put together and extensive engagement with the public was about to commence.

-       CSPC were now at RIBA stage 0 and were in a position to take the project forward.

-       The grant would be repayable if the Community Centre was not delivered.

-       This was a Parish Council project and TWBC were a supporting role as an enabling Council.

RESOLVED –

1.    That the provision of £420,000 by TWBC be granted to Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council to enable the delivery of the new Community  Centre and delegate the terms of releasing the funds to the S151 Officer and Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Communities be approved.

2.    The delegation to the S151 Officer and Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Leader of the Council to determine all necessary financial and legal matters to protect TWBC’s interests be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To comply with the commitment given by TWBC in the Five-Year Plan 2017-22 to support the development of the Community Centre in the borough thereby increasing the availability of local services in the heart of the community and enhance the quality of life for residents.