Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Vice Chairman for the municipal year.

RESOLVED: Councillor Parish was appointed Vice Chairman for the Municipal Year.

To receive any apologies for absence.

None.

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.

Councillor Kemp declared an interest as a Norfolk County Councillor.

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 Beal, Kemp, Moriarty, Morley, Pope, Rust and Ryves for Agenda item RD12.

The Councillors present under Standing Order 34 were also invited by the Chairman to participate in the Workshop Session under item RD9.

If any.

There was none.

The Panel considered the report which had been circulated with the Agenda.  A brief overview of the work of the Custom Build and Self Build Policy Development Task Group was provided to the Panel.

The Panel also noted that, should the need arise, the Informal Working Groups which were to be disbanded could be revived or new Informal Working Groups could be established.

RESOLVED: 1.That the Custom and Self Build Policy Development Task Group continues to operate and the Democratic Services Officer be instructed to seek Membership of the Task Group from the Group Leaders for the 2019/2020 municipal year.  The Panel resolved that the Task Group should be made up of 4 Members (2 Conservative, 1 Independent and 1 Labour).

2. The following Informal Working Groups to be disbanded as they have concluded their work:

            - Guildhall Informal Working Group

            - Riverfront Informal Working Group

            - Heritage Action Zone Unlocking Brownfield Sites Informal Working Group

To receive a presentation on the above funding opportunity, to hold a workshop session on the scheme.

The presentation to include an update on the Creative Hub.

Officers provided information on the High Street Heritage Action Scheme and the funding opportunity, as included in the attached presentation.

The Property Services Officer provided some background information on the Scheme, explaining that the Historic England Urban Panel had previously identified King’s Lynn as an area of significance and had encouraged it to apply for Heritage Action Zone status.  King’s Lynn had subsequently been designated as one of only a handful of Heritage Action Zones in the country.

Members broke out into groups for a workshop session to consider if a bid should be submitted to the fund, how much should the Council bid for, what areas should be focussed on and should public realm improvements be included. 

The Panel was informed that £40 million was available in the fund countrywide and Councils could submit bids ranging from £250,000 to £2 million, with the expectation that this would be match funded.

Feedback from the workshop sessions included:

·        The town centre offer needed to focus on offering something that could not be provided on the internet.  Move away from retail, which could be done online at home and focus on leisure and restaurants.

·        The offer needed to be suitable for all age groups.

·        Play areas and soft play complex.

·        Utilise the post office building.  It could be converted into small units.

·        Utilise the space above shops for flats.  Living above flats would help bring activity into the town centre.  Rent rates could be capped to encourage people to move into the town centre.

·        Car parking needed to be considered if more people were being encouraged to live in the town centre.

·        Creative Hub/IT cafes to bring in young people.

·        Relocate the library into the town centre.

·        Men’s shed.

·        Crafting and sewing.

·        Indoor skate park in the town centre.

·        Street Art.

·        Greenery and water features.

·        Some money to be used for public realm to soften some areas and combine this with street art.

·        Exhibition space.

·        Look at other funding opportunities for public realm.

·        Work in partnership with charities and youth based organisations.

·        Use vacant units for pop up shops and give people the opportunity to test new businesses.

·        Refurbish shop fronts.

·        Encourage development around the bigger units.

Each of the breakout groups had different thoughts on how much the Council should bid for, ranging from £1 to £1.25 million.

The Chairman thanked Members for their contributions.

RESOLVED: The feedback from the workshops would be used to assist with the application for funding.

The following items were suggested for addition to the Work Programme:

·        Walk around King’s Lynn.

·        Southgates.

·        Flood Risk.  The Panel was informed that this item would fall within the remit of the Environment and Community Panel.

RESOLVED: The Panel’s Work Programme was noted.

To consider passing the following resolution:

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

To receive a presentation on the above, along with a briefing note which will follow.

Members of the Panel had conducted a tour of the Corn Exchange and the proposed cinema area, prior to the meeting.

The Executive Director presented Members with information on the proposals and the report that would be presented to Cabinet on 18^th June.

Councillor Beal addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and officers responded to questions relating to the cost of showing a film and the percentage which would be payable to the film provider.  Information was also provided on the ticket price and occupancy rates.  Councillor Beal referred to other cinemas in the area, including attendances at Hunstanton. 

The Executive Director referred to the Consultant’s report which had been presented to Cabinet in October 2018 and provided more information on costs, projected profits and a sensitivity test. 

Councillor Morley addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and commented that the risk and cost was too high and he was suspicious of the data which had been included in the report.  He also commented that if there was a demand for a greater cinema offer in King’s Lynn, then surely a large multiplex would have already taken advantage of this.  Councillor Morley also commented that the space could perhaps be better utilised to accommodate the needs of young people.  The Executive Director responded that multiplex cinemas had been interested in coming to King’s Lynn, but it was important to encourage people into the town centre and protect the existing offer at the Majestic.  The Executive Director explained that the owner of the Majestic had been supportive of the proposals. It was also explained that the idea of the cinema had originally been considered as part of the Guildhall redevelopment, making use of the White Barn.  However plans for the Guildhall had now moved on.

Councillor Moriarty addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34.  He was concerned that the market could change in the future and there could be less demand for cinemas with films being made available at home earlier.  He did agree that it was important to bring life into the town centre, but car parking would need to be considered.  The Executive Director acknowledged the concerns, which were mirrored by the industry as a whole.

Councillor Lowe raised concerns about competition between the Corn Exchange and the Majestic.  He was also concerned that there were not enough restaurants available in King’s Lynn to support the early evening economy.  It was explained by officers that programming would be looked at and that the owner of the Majestic had been supportive of the proposals.  The Portfolio Holder for Project Delivery, Councillor Gidney, commented that he felt that King’s Lynn had a lot to offer, it was important to continue to build on the offer for the future and that there were a lot of restaurants available in the evening.  He also commented that an out of town cinema would have a detrimental effect on the Majestic.

Councillor Lowe commented that an out of town cinema would be better  ...  view the full minutes text for item RD12:

To note that the next meeting of the Regeneration & Development Panel is scheduled to take place on 30^th July 2019 at 6.00pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Regeneration and Development Panel would be held on Tuesday 30^th July 2019 at 6.00pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall.