Issue - meetings

1.     That a capital budget and expenditure of up to £150,000, financed by prudential borrowing, be approved to implement measures to improve land drainage in the Garrison Ground.

2.     That the Strategic Director - Place be authorised to undertake a procurement exercise using the GEN 4-2 Civil Engineering, Highways and Transportation Infrastructure Framework, or other suitable framework, and to subsequently instruct a suitable contractor to implement measures to improve land drainage in the Garrison Ground.  The procurement exercise will be based on measures identified in the appended consultant reports but further discussion will be undertaken with the contractor appointed to undertake the works to ensure the most effective solution, both in terms of performance and cost, will be implemented.

3.     That the Strategic Director - Place be authorised to negotiate and agree heads of terms and the Service Lead - Legal be authorised to enter into a funding agreement with Allegra’s Ambition where the funds are for the purpose of construction and maintenance of an outdoor gym in the South Western corner of the Garrison Ground.

4.        That the updates set out in the report CAB3240 in relation to the Winchester Sport and Leisure Park Design Framework are noted.

Councillor Prince introduced the report and emphasised that the proposed drainage improvements were to address a longstanding issue, to the benefit of nearby residents and users of the area more generally.  He confirmed that Allegra’s Ambition were supportive of the outdoor gym proposals as set out in the report.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillors Lumby and Read addressed Cabinet as summarised briefly below.

Councillor Lumby

Noted that the proposals for drainage improvements were longstanding and to be welcomed, in principle.  However, given the financial situation facing the Council he queried whether it was appropriate to be authorising any expenditure on what he considered to be non-essential measures.

Councillor Read

Generally supported the drainage improvements.  With regard to the proposals for an outdoor gym, queried whether it would be more appropriate to locate closer to the centre of Winchester, for example at North Walls.  Other outdoor gyms had been installed across the district, funded by the County Council, with maintenance and inspection funded by parish councils.  Would the Winchester Town Forum be responsible for this gym?

The Strategic Director: Place responded to comments made, including emphasising that the drainage improvements were a longstanding aspiration of the Bar End Development Framework with the intention of ensuring different elements of the area worked well together.

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

RESOLVED:

1.            That a capital budget and expenditure of up to £150,000, financed by prudential borrowing, be approved to implement measures to improve land drainage in the Garrison Ground.

2.            That the Strategic Director - Place be authorised to undertake a procurement exercise using the GEN 4-2 Civil Engineering, Highways and Transportation Infrastructure Framework, or other suitable framework, and to subsequently instruct a suitable contractor to implement measures to improve land drainage in the Garrison Ground.  The procurement exercise will be based on measures identified in the appended consultant reports but further discussion will be undertaken with the contractor appointed to undertake the works to ensure the most effective solution, both in terms of performance and cost, will be implemented.

3.            That the Strategic Director - Place be authorised to negotiate and agree heads of terms and the Service Lead - Legal be authorised to enter into a funding agreement with Allegra’s Ambition where the funds are for the purpose of construction and maintenance of an outdoor gym in the South Western corner of the Garrison Ground.

4.            That the updates set out in the report in relation to the Winchester Sport and Leisure Park Design Framework are noted.