Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Friday, 10 July 2015 10.00 am

Venue: Meeting Room 1, 135 Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, Milton, Abingdon, OX14 4SB

Contact: Steve Culliford, Democratic Services Officer. Tel. (01235) 540306 Email: steve.culliford@southandvale.gov.uk

Items
No.	Item
1.	Apologies for absence To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: None
2.	Minutes PDF 97 KB View item 2. as HTML 92 KB To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 6 February 2015 (previously published). Minutes: RESOLVED: to adopt as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 6 February 2015 and agree that the chairman signs them.
3.	Declarations of interest To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. Minutes: None
4.	Urgent business and chairman's announcements To receive notification of any matters which the chairman determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chairman. Minutes: None
5.	Statements, petitions, and questions relating to matters affecting the Cabinet Any statements, petitions, and questions from the public under standing order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting. Petition to save the outdoor pool in Abingdon At the Council meeting held on 20 May 2015, Ms Naomi Richardson presented a petition to save the outdoor pool in Abingdon. In her address she referred to the outdoor pool as a vital outdoor amenity for Abingdon and the surrounding area. She highlighted the health and safety benefits of providing an alternative swimming option to the River Thames, the health benefits for children and the wider economic benefits to the town arising from increased visitor numbers attracted to Abingdon by the outdoor pool. At the council meeting the Leader of the council responded that: there was no intention to close the facility; that initial responses to the public consultation on the future of the Abbey Meadows indicated over 80 per cent of respondents were in favour of retaining the outdoor pool; and that £500,000 of funding had been identified to invest in the future of Abbey Meadows. Council agreed to refer the petition to Cabinet to consider as part of its deliberation on the future of Abbey Meadows. Minutes: No members of the public had registered to speak at this meeting. However, Cabinet noted that at the Council meeting held on 20 May 2015, Ms Naomi Richardson had presented a petition to save the outdoor pool in Abingdon. In her address to the Council meeting she had referred to the outdoor pool as a vital outdoor amenity for Abingdon and the surrounding area, highlighted the health and safety benefits of providing an alternative swimming option to the River Thames, the health benefits for children, and the wider economic benefits to the town arising from increased visitor numbers attracted to Abingdon by the outdoor pool. At the council meeting the Leader of the council responded that: there was no intention to close the facility; that initial responses to the public consultation on the future of the Abbey Meadows indicated over 80 per cent of respondents were in favour of retaining the outdoor pool; and that £500,000 of funding had been identified to invest in the future of Abbey Meadows. Council referred the petition to Cabinet to consider as part of its deliberation on the future of Abbey Meadows. Cabinet noted this.
6.	Abbey Meadows, Abingdon PDF 161 KB View item 6. as HTML 190 KB To consider the report of the head of economy, leisure and property. Additional documents: Abbey Meadow Public Consultation Summary (July 2015) , item 6. PDF 716 KB View as HTML (6./2) 578 KB Minutes: Cabinet considered the report of the head of economy, leisure and property. This set out the outcome of the public consultation on the future of the Abbey Meadows in Abingdon, set out a response to the consultation, and suggested a way forward. Cabinet was pleased with the consultation response and asked officers to prepare a project plan by October 2015 setting out timescales and costs of additional facilities and improvements identified in the report. Cabinet supported the top ten highest ranked schemes. Some larger projects would need budget approval and were more likely to be carried out in the post 2016 summer season. However some improvements might be carried out in the current financial year over the autumn/winter 2015/16. Cabinet asked officers to start the preparatory work as soon as possible. The leisure team would lead on this project in the future. It was hoped that the project manager’s post would be filled and work could commence on this shortly. Cabinet noted that the contractor managing the open air pool was currently carrying out improvements. RESOLVED: to (a) approve the wording in the consultation summary as set out in appendix 1 to the head of economy, leisure and property’s report, and publish this to the council’s website; (b) proceed with the appointment of a project manager to investigate the cost implications of the improvement works to the outdoor pool and the other top ten priorities; (c) develop a programme of phased activity to implement these works, bringing forward growth bids as required, and submit this to Cabinet by October 2015.