Agenda and decisions

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned either a

(a)   personal interest

(b)   prejudicial interest

(c)    disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI)

and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

To consider the final report and recommendations resulting from the scrutiny review of Blackpool Better Start.

The Executive resolved as follows:

To approve the final report and five recommendations resulting from the scrutiny review of Blackpool Better Start.

To consider the Blackpool Literacy Strategy to 2030.

Once approved this strategy will form part of the Executive Policy Framework.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To approve the Blackpool Literacy Strategy attached at Appendix 3a to the Executive report, with effect until 30 August 2030.

To seek approval for the match funding and Prudential Borrowing for an European Regional Development Fund renewable energy project at the @the Grange Park community building comprising the installation of roof mounted solar photovoltaics and a ground source heat pump to improve the building’s sustainability and reduce the associated carbon dioxide emissions.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To approve the match funding of £68,300 to be funded by Prudential Borrowing required to support @the Grange Park community building renewables project.

To seek approval for the project and the Prudential Borrowing required for a renewable energy project to install new wind turbine heads at the Solaris Centre to provide cost viable renewable electricity, contributing towards the Council’s Climate Emergency target of achieving 100% clean energy across the Council’s full range of functions by 2030.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To approve the project and the Prudential Borrowing of £22,380 required to fund the renewable energy project to install new wind turbine heads at the Solaris Centre.

This report outlines the support and level of investment required in order to deliver the development of no.131 units of affordable housing on two vacant and underused sites within the Grange Park Estate. It seeks to formally seek approval for the project to be delivered through to completion.

To consider Blackpool’s Tree Strategy 2021-2031.

Once approved this strategy will form part of the Executive policy framework.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To approve Blackpool’s 10 year Tree Strategy with effect until 31 December 2031, which will contribute to the Council’s climate change agenda.

To consider a report on how to implement a change with the Community Lighting Partnership (CLP) to change the current High Pressure Sodium (SON) and Cosmopolis (CPO) street lighting sources to Lighting Emitting Diode (LED) luminaires. This report outlines the advantages to the Council of changing the current luminaires, the associated energy cost savings and climate change impact in terms of the carbon reduction achieved by implementing this proposed change.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. That subject to the approval of the Head of Legal to engage Browne Jacobson (legal advisors) to assist the Council and commence contract procedures with the Community Lighting Partnership (CLP) to enable a change to the Blackpool Street lighting and Traffic Signals PFI Contract,  namely the replacement of all High Pressure Sodium and Cosmopolis lanterns  with Lighting Emitting Diode lanterns

2. To fund this scheme by Prudential Borrowing of £4.8m, the borrowing to be repaid from energy savings resulting from the installation of LED’s.

3. To commence implementation of the change following the successful completion of the contract formalities to enable a saving of £688,000 per year to be achieved and reduce carbon emissions by in excess of 1000 tonnes per year.

To update the Executive of the Levelling Up Fund bid submitted following the Executive’s decision on 12April 2021

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To note the Round One Levelling Up Fund bid and the process undertaken to prepare it.

To provide the Executive with an update on the submission of a Community Renewal Fund bid following the Executive’s decision on 12April 2021.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To note the Community Renewal Fund bid and the process undertaken to prepare it.

To seek approval to appropriate for planning purposes, a parcel of land to the rear of the Former King Edward Apartments within the Blackpool Central Site as shown edged blue and coloured green on the attached plan 1 (“the Subject Land”), pursuant to Section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972 (“LGA 1972”), conditional upon the grant of the hybrid planning permission with application number 21/0517 to enable the building of a Multi-Storey car park which is the ‘Enabling Phase’ (as illustrated edged green on plan 2) of the Blackpool Central development and to invoke section 203 and section 204 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (“HPA 2016”) .

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. To delegate authority to the Director of Communications and Regeneration, to appropriate for planning purposes the Subject Land under section 122 of the LGA 1972 and conditional on the grant of planning permission subsequently invoke section 203 and section 204 of the Housing and Planning Act  2016.

2. To delegate authority to the Director of Communications and Regeneration to negotiate and enter into legal agreements with third parties in order to secure the modification or release of rights or covenants (and the grant of new rights) (“the Rights) which may otherwise be an impediment to the ‘Enabling Phase’ of the Blackpool Central Site.
3. In the absence of legal agreements being entered into to release the Rights, to delegate authority to the Director of Communications and Regeneration to deal with the settlement of any claims for compensation made pursuant to section 204 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 that may arise by virtue of the operation of the overriding power contained in Section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

4. To authorise the Head of Legal Services to enter into any such documentation as may be necessary to give effect to or flowing from the appropriation for planning purposes of the Subject Land.

To consider the results of the tender exercise for the Golden Mile Centre.

(This item to be considered in private by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 as the report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information))

It is considered on balance that the public interest would not be served by publishing the information as it could prejudice the proposed development.