Agenda item

Members of the Committee are requested to bring their copy of the agenda for the Executive meeting on 17 May 2023

The Committee considered the following reports on the Part 1 agenda for the meeting of the Executive on 17 May 2023.

In February 2023, the Executive approved the procurement of a new multi-disciplinary team (Report No. HPR2023/007) to take forward the delivery of the Regeneration Plan for Crystal Palace Park; the rationale for that report being urgent was due to the timescales associated with the grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which the Council was successful in securing to progress the development phase of the scheme.

This report was a recommendation to award the contract for multi-disciplinary consultancy services to deliver the capital schemes from RIBA Stages 2-7.  The report was marked as Urgent as the project would be utilising grant funding which had timescales attached for delivery. Call in would therefore not apply.

The report also provided an update on the outcome of the advertisement of the Open Space Notice in relation to the proposed disposal by way of a grant of a long lease of Crystal Palace Park to the Crystal Palace Park Trust, pursuant to section 123(2A) of the Local Government Act 1972.

In response to a question the Head of Regeneration reported that extensive work with potential suppliers had been undertaken to ensure the quality aspect of the contract.  The quality aspect was taken very seriously, and a supplier day had been held.  The Regeneration Team were very happy with the outcome of the tendering process and the proposed contractor had a background in heritage.

RESOLVED: That the Executive be recommended to

1.  Approve the recommendation outlined within the Part 2 report in relation to the award of the works contract for the multi-disciplinary team to deliver the Regeneration Plan.

2.  Approve the representations outlined in relation to the proposed disposal by way of a grant of a long lease of Crystal Palace Park to the Crystal Palace Park Trust, pursuant to section 123(2A) of the Local Government Act 1972.

3.  Note the objections made together with responses to these contained within the Report and formally agree to the Disposal of the Open Space Land.

The report summarised a recent review of the Council’s work under the Armed Forces Covenant and planned future work to support Bromley’s Armed Forces Community as part of the renewal of the Covenant.

The Committee noted that very few staff took advantage of the time off that was currently available and a key element of the action plan being developed was to improve this.  Noting that the Council offered the 10 statutory days paid leave, the Chairman suggested that options for extending the entitlement to time off should be considered in the future to encourage more staff to participate.  Another Member suggested that it may be helpful if the paid leave allowance reflected the minimum commitment required for organisations such as the Territorial Army.

A Member suggested that in relation to recruitment policies, options for offering guaranteed interviews for veterans meeting the minimum person specification should be considered and reflected in the developing action plan.  Similar policies could be offered in relation to the provision of housing with the period that veterans have been serving not being considered as a period out of the Borough.

The Committee requested that a report outlining the number of service personnel supported by the Armed Forces Covenant be provided at a future meeting.

RESOLVED: That the Executive be recommended to

1. Note the review of the implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant in Bromley;

2. Note the ongoing work being done to meet the aspirations outlined in the Armed Forces Covenant for Bromley signed on 24 April 2013; and

3. Note that Sara Bowrey, Director of Housing, Planning, Property and Regeneration and Councillor Mike Botting are Council Officer Armed Forces Champion and Council Member Armed Forces Champion respectively.

The report provided Members with an update to the provision of a new Heath and Well Being Centre (HWBC) by the NHS South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) in Bromley Town Centre.

A Member of the Committee, who was a Bromley Town ward councillor highlighted that ward members had been given very little time to provide comments on the proposals within the report.  The Chairman responded that the revised proposals had been developed very quickly and commended officers for the speed of the work that had been done.  The Chairman noted that whist there was an obligation to consult ward members where possible, sometimes due to the speed required to develop proposals it was not always possible to consult.

The Director for Planning, Regeneration and Housing emphasised that this was an NHS scheme.  Early feasibility work had indicated that the space in the newly aquired ‘Direct Line’ building was a viable alternative for the Health and Welling Centre.  The project was currently at an early stage and there would be further consultation.

A Member noted that it was helpful to hear that the Integrated Care Board (ICB) fully supported the proposals.

RESOLVED: That the Executive be recommended to note the report.