Agenda item

RESOLVED:

1.    The development of a long term Asset and Place Strategy and Delivery Plan to 2030, in line with district and borough local plans, which would deliver a re-modelled operational estate and long term income for the Council and to use released assets to support growth in Surrey was approved. 

2.    That this work be led by the Council’s Asset Strategy Board.

3.    The appointment of an Advisory Panel to support the Asset Strategy Board in its work be composed of two Councillors and up to three outside advisers including the Chairman be approved.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Economy, Growth and Commercial (in consultation with the Leader) to appoint up to two further external advisers, and to agree the Advisory Panel’s terms of reference and work programme.

5.    To provide support to the Programme which consisted of:

·         a programme team to co-ordinate the strategy and delivery plan work and organise space planning workshops with partners.

·         high level design and feasibility studies for each scheme (at least 20)

·         social-economic-techno analysis (in support of the work already completed by Surrey Futures).

·         commercial financial modelling expertise to develop funding strategies for each scheme and validate future income streams.

·         legal support to advise on delivery models.

To RECOMMEND that Council:

6.    Approve a programme budget of up to £500,000 to enable the development of the strategy and the financial validation, as transformation expenditure to be funded from capital receipts flexibility. This figure includes a previous decision by Council to allocate £275k. 

Reason for Decisions:

This hugely ambitious plan for change needs extensive technical support and engagement with partners to develop a strategy and plan that is deliverable and has the support of partners. The technical work needs to be completed before we are able to have confidence that the outcomes in the strategy are deliverable.

This report seeks to secure an approval from Cabinet to draw down resources to help deliver complex technical modelling, feasibility and design studies, legal and programme support.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Highways and Growth Select Committee]

The Cabinet Lead Member for Place introduced this report that sought approval to develop a Surrey Asset and Place Strategy with a delivery plan to 2030 which would be presented to Cabinet in April 2019. He explained how the Council was looking to remodel, reuse and to review place and assets to make the best use of resources. There were 40 projects underway with districts and boroughs to which he thanked them for the hard work done to date. He went on to say that £500k was needed to pay for expertise to develop and support the strategy.

This report was brought alongside the report on the agenda proposing the Council’s Organisation Strategy, Preliminary Financial Strategy, People Strategy and Transformation Programme (i.e. the Council’s new integrated strategic and financial framework).The development of the Asset and Place Strategy formed part of the Council’s Transformation agenda to deliver the new Community Vision for Surrey in 2030.

Members spoke of the many streams that needed to be brought together and joined up and stressed the importance of no one being left behind.

RESOLVED:

1. That the development of a long term Asset and Place Strategy and Delivery Plan to 2030, in line with district and borough local plans, which would deliver a re-modelled operational estate and long term income for the Council and to use released assets to support growth in Surrey was approved. 
2. That this work be led by the Council’s Asset Strategy Board.
3. That the appointment of an Advisory Panel to support the Asset Strategy Board in its work be composed of two Councillors and up to three outside advisers including the Chairman be approved.
4. That authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Economy, Growth and Commercial (in consultation with the Leader) to appoint up to two further external advisers, and to agree the Advisory Panel’s terms of reference and work programme.

5.    That support be provided to the Programme that consisted of:

·         a programme team to co-ordinate the strategy and delivery plan work and organise space planning workshops with partners.

·         high level design and feasibility studies for each scheme (at least 20)

·         social-economic-techno analysis (in support of the work already completed by Surrey Futures).

·         commercial financial modelling expertise to develop funding strategies for each scheme and validate future income streams.

·         legal support to advise on delivery models.

To RECOMMEND that Council:

6. Approve a programme budget of up to £500,000 to enable the development of the strategy and the financial validation, as transformation expenditure to be funded from capital receipts flexibility. This figure includes a previous decision by Council to allocate £275k. 

Reason for Decisions:

This hugely ambitious plan for change needed extensive technical support and engagement with partners to develop a strategy and plan that was deliverable and has the support of partners. The technical work needed to be completed beforehand to ensure confidence that the outcomes in the strategy were deliverable.

This report sought to secure an approval from Cabinet to draw down resources to help deliver complex technical modelling, feasibility and design studies, legal and programme support.