Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED: Councillor Howland was appointed Vice Chairman for the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Beales, Collingham, Long, Middleton, Tyler, Watson and Wright.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED: The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

Those declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

There was none.

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposes to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

There was none.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chairman.

Councillors Bird and Pope for all agenda items.

If any.

The Chairman informed those present that he had received correspondence relating to the King’s Lynn Riverfront proposals.  The Chairman explained that he had forwarded the correspondence to the relevant officers.

A tour of Hunstanton Heritage Gardens had been conducted before the meeting.  The Panel was provided with a presentation on the Hunstanton Heritage Gardens, as attached.  The following points were highlighted:

·        The project was complex and involved a lot of sub-contractors.

·        The children’s play area had been well received and had increased footfall in the area.

·        The Bronze Henry Le Strange statue had now been installed.

·        The Butterfly Shelters had been restored at the Heritage Lottery Funds request.  Work to the shelters would be finished shortly along with landscaping and pathways.  Frosted glass panels and railway posters would also be installed to the shelters.

·        There was a three year activity programme to go alongside the Capital Works to run to 2019.  Lots of different activities had been planned to encourage residents and visitors to become involved in the Gardens.  The Activity Programme would be monitored and feedback would be provided to the Heritage Lottery Fund.  A further visitor survey would be conducted in 2018 to determine if footfall in the area and visitor satisfaction had increased.

·        Work was slightly behind schedule and this was because of vandalism, weather and additional restoration works which had been required.  Works were scheduled to be completed within the next few weeks.

·        Project costs were included in the presentation.

The Chairman thanked the Regeneration Programmes Manager and Regeneration Project Officer for the tour and presentation and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

In response to a question from Baron Chenery of Horsbrugh, the Panel was informed that the Henry Le Strange Statue was hollow Bronze.  Contributions for the statue had been received from local donations, Le Strange Estate, Heritage Lottery Fund and the Borough Council.

The Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Health, Councillor Nockolds explained that the project had been complex and although some residents would have preferred the project to be carried out in phases, she felt that it was important to get it all done in one season.  Councillor Nockolds commented that the Gardens looked good, would last for many years, be well maintained and would be a real benefit for residents and visitors.  She thanked the officers involved in the project for their hard work.

The Executive Director explained that without the funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund it was likely that the Council would have had to fund comprehensive maintenance and capital works of this scale to the Gardens in the future.

The Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Health, Councillor Nockolds commented that the Activities Coordinator had worked hard and engaged with visitors and residents.  She had also worked to bring the Soap Box Derby back into Hunstanton.

Councillor Howland referred to the costs for professional fees.  The Regeneration Programmes Manager explained that the costs included a range of specialist skills including landscape architects, conservation architects, quantity surveyor and structural engineers.  It was a team of around eight people and their support staff and was less than 10% of the overall capital cost of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item RD23:

Documents attached for information:

-        Hunstanton Prospectus

-        Hunstanton Visitor Survey

The Regeneration Programmes Manager provided those present with a presentation on the Hunstanton Prosperity Coastal Community Team, as attached.  The following points were highlighted:

·        In 2008 the Hunstanton Masterplan was created and set out a vision for Hunstanton.  Since then the Borough Council and Regeneration Project Team had taken this vision forward.

·        In 2015 the Department of Communities and Local Government invited local partnerships to form and prepare a shared vision for coastal towns.  The Council applied for Coastal Community Team status and was awarded £10,000 to develop an economic plan.

·        The Regeneration Project Team formed into the Coastal Community Team and produced the Economic Plan and commissioned the Hunstanton Prospectus, which was an update of the Masterplan.  A visitor survey had been carried out, the results of which were circulated to the Panel in the advance of the meeting.  A summary of results was also included in the Presentation.

·        The Hunstanton Prospectus had been endorsed by Cabinet in early 2017.

·        The Hunstanton Prospectus included priority themes, projects and a masterplan map identifying potential development sites.

·        The presentation outlined the CCT priorities and next steps, which included responding to the findings of the Visitor Survey and working with One Public Estate.

The Chairman thanked the Regeneration Programmes Manager for her presentation and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

The Panel discussed the amount of visitors to Hunstanton during peak season.  It was explained that the resident population was approximately 4,500 and with the addition of visitors, this could peak to anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000.  The Regeneration and Economic Development Manager informed those present that there were approximately 7.7 million day visitors to West Norfolk each year.

Councillor Fraser referred to retail and felt that the offer in Hunstanton needed to be looked at.  She asked if work was carried out to encourage larger retailers into the Town.  The Regeneration Programmes Manager explained that the resident population of Hunstanton and its seasonality sometimes did not appeal to the larger retailers.  Potential development sites had been identified in the Hunstanton Prospectus and there could be opportunities for retail and leisure expansion on these sites in the future.

Reference was made to the potential to create a Marine Lagoon and the Panel was informed that a bid would be made to the Norfolk Business Rates Pool to carry out a feasibility study. 

Councillor Bird addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34.  He felt that the retirement and care industry was becoming more prominent in the Town and could increase opportunities for full year jobs in the town, rather than seasonal work.  He also referred to the A149 and how it was often congested.  Councillor Bird referred to the amount of second homes in Hunstanton.  With regard to retail, Councillor Bird commented that without the stock of buildings and units it was difficult to encourage retailers into the town.

Councillor Beal commented that he felt that second homes were a strong industry and provided income for a lot of  ...  view the full minutes text for item RD24:

This item has been added to the Work Programme at the request of Councillor Crofts, who will present his itemfor discussion.

The Panel was reminded that Councillor Crofts had requested that this item be considered by the Panel.  Councillor Crofts explained that he felt that not many bus companies offered trips and excursions to King’s Lynn.  He thought that work needed to be carried out to promote King’s Lynn as a destination for coach trips.

The Chairman suggested that the Panel break out into groups to come up with ideas on next steps and how to encourage bus trips into King’s Lynn.  The Panel made the following comments and suggested:

·        It was noted that the Corn Exchange already sent out details of shows.

·        A coach drop off point could be incorporated into the Riverfront Development Plan and Councillor Crofts agreed to attend Cabinet under Standing Order 34 when the item was discussed.

·        Coach parking/drop off points which had been suggested included NCP Car Park, South Quay, Boal Quay, Baker Lane, King Staithe Square.

·        Promote the Heritage and History of the Town to tour operators.

·        Create a package for tour operators which could include leaflets, a programme of events, money off vouchers and a driver package.

·        Austin Fields was a good place for coach parking, but a more central drop off point was required.

·        Driver facilities should be made available to encourage tour operators into the town.  This could include chemical toilet emptying facilities, toilets, industrial bins and refreshment provisions.

·        The Hardings Way bus route to be opened up to coaches.

·        Research to be carried out to ask why tour operators did not come to King’s Lynn.

·        Ask the Business Improvement District/King’s Lynn Town Centre Partnership if retailers would like to be involved in promoting more coach trips into the Town Centre.

·        Work with local retailers to see if they would be prepared to provide vouchers for coach trips.

The Chairman thanked the Panel for their input.  The Executive Director explained that officers would present a report to a future meeting of the Regeneration and Development Panel to outline the next steps.

Members of the Panel were reminded that an eform was available on the Intranet which could be completed and submitted if Members had items which they would like to be considered for addition to the Work Programme.

The Chairman explained that he had previously asked the Panel if they felt that it would be beneficial to have a list of places of local importance that were not necessarily listed or protected.  The Chairman agreed to raise this with officers.

RESOLVED: The Panel’s Work Programme was noted.

To note that the next meeting of the Regeneration & Development Panel is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 29^th August 2017 at 6.00pm in the Education Room, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Regeneration and Development Panel would be held on Tuesday 29^th August 2017 at 6.00pm, venue to be confirmed.