Issue - meetings

That the progress achieved during the first quarter of 2019/20 be noted and the contents of Report CAB3183 be endorsed.

The Leader noted that the content of the report had been considered at the Scrutiny Committee on 9 September 2019 (report SC011 refers) where a number of points were raised, as detailed in paragraph 6.3 of the report. 

Cabinet Members provided the following responses to a number of the points raised by Scrutiny Committee:

• A review of the Guildhall business had been completed  Plans for converting the existing café into a stand alone facility had been drawn up and the unit was being marketed.  Depending on the outcome of this, a further report to Cabinet would be required.
• Negotiations were continuing with the GP practice finalising the lease arrangements for the new surgery.
• The first Central Winchester Regeneration Open Forum would take place on 24 September 2019 where an update on the project as a whole would be provided. 
• A stakeholder event on the future use of the River Park Leisure Centre (RPLC) site had taken place in March 2019 and the Winchester Town Forum was leading work on improvements to the North Walls green spaces, including a replacement pavilion.  All kerbside glass collection boxes should now have been delivered and residents were asked to contact the Council if their box had not arrived.  The new collection calendars and letters would shortly be posted out to all residents and additional staff would be placed in the Council’s call centre to deal with the anticipated increase in customer calls.
• The new Leisure Centre project was progressing within budget.
• The structure of the quarterly report and possibility of providing comparisons with previous years’ quarters would be considered.

·          With regard to the EU LEADER funding, no alternative was currently available. ,.

·          Councillors Cutler and Porter were meeting with the Chief Executive to discuss staffing matters .

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out above and outlined in the report.

RESOLVED:

That the progress achieved during the first quarter of 2019/20 be noted and the contents of the report be endorsed.