INDIVIDUAL EXECUTIVE DECISION MAKING MEETING

EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR ECONOMIC REGENERATION AND CULTURE

RECORD OF DECISION

An individual Executive Decision-Making meeting was held on 28 November 2005 at 10.30 a.m.

PRESENT:

Councillor Budd.

**PRESENT AS OBSERVER:

Councillors Brady and Williams.

**OFFICIALS:

A Johnstone, J Lewis, L Marron and K Parkes.

**DECLARATION OF INTEREST:

Councillor Brady declared a personal interest in relation to the item, New Vision for

Older Housing – Project Delivery Stage.

NEW VISION FOR OLDER HOUSING - PROJECT DELIVERY STAGE

The Director of Regeneration submitted a report that described the actions that had been underway since July 2005 to implement the New Vision for Older Housing project. The report advised that 3 separate pieces of work were needed to move the project forward to its implementation stage.

The three pieces of work were the appointment of master planing consultants; the procurement of support and advice for the community engagement strategy and the preparation of principles to guide the procurement of development partners, creation of robust financial models and the establishment of a delivery vehicle.

In July 2005 Executive agreed a strategy for the 11,500 houses that comprised Middlesbrough’s older housing area, which was to be implemented over the next 10 to 15 years. There were a number of actions which formed key elements of the overall delivery process that involved engagement and commitment from partners across the Council and beyond and included; neighbourhood management; landlord licensing; business support; vulnerable groups; primary schools review; street management and community safety; and a residents charter.

There were other pressing needs that must be addressed immediately which included; interim arrangements for project delivery, advance acquisition; engagement with residents and stakeholders; and funding bids. Although significant progress had been made to set up the structures to deliver the project there were three further discrete areas of activity that must be engaged which were; the preparation of a Neighbourhood Action Plan; development of a robust engagement strategy; and preparation and adoption of a delivery mechanism.

Not all of the expertise to deliver those activities was available within the Council and there was insufficient staffing capacity to accommodate the major work implications of the next stages. As a result it would be necessary to seek additional support to deliver them. The three commissions were outlined within the report in greater detail under the headings; Masterplan preparation (the Neighbourhood Action Plan); Community and stakeholder engagement; and delivery proposals.

The older housing project had reached a stage when it was becoming increasingly important to translate plans into action and implement the strategy. The costs of the next stage of the delivery of the Older Housing vision were highlighted within the report.

ORDERED

  1. That the report be approved as the basis for taking forward the delivery of the New Vision for Older Housing.
  2. That the briefs, attached to the submitted report, for Masterplan preparation (Neighbourhood Action Planning) and Community Engagement be approved as the basis for tendering in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders.
  3. That a staffing base at the Newport Neighbourhood Centre be established.
  4. That further reports on briefs for the Masterplans for Ayresome, Abingdon and Marton Road and North Ormesby, the brief for delivery proposals and a report on the needs of businesses be prepared for the consideration of the Executive Member for Economic Regeneration and Culture.

REASONS

The decisions were supported by the following reasons:

  1. It was important to move the older housing project forward into its implementation stage. The engagement of consultants to take forward the masterplanning and community engagement elements would form the framework within which to consult with the local community and work with stakeholders to produce an agreed plan for future re-development.
  2. The further briefs for Masterplans, delivery mechanism and the report on the needs of businesses would be reported to the Executive Member for Economic Regeneration and Culture when prepared.

The decisions will come into force on 13 December 2005, which will be five working days after the publication of the decisions, unless the decisions become subject to the call-in procedure.

INDIVIDUAL EXECUTIVE DECISION MAKING MEETING

EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR ECONOMIC REGENERATION & CULTURE

RECORD OF DECISION

The following items were approved on 28 November 2005

New vision for older housing – project delivery stage

Signed ______

Cllr D Budd

28 November 2005

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