Decision details

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Communities, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 8.

The report provided details of the small sites programme, which was planned to develop up to 56 new affordable homes on Adur Council owned sites.

Members were asked to comment on or remove any schemes considered unsuitable for further consideration following the recent consultation exercise and approval was sought for an increase to the capital programme of £15.934m, funded from borrowing and external funding, to enable the programme to progress.

Members considered the viability of the sites within the programme and concluded that some were marginal. Concerns were raised about the inclusion of the Downs Way site, as it had been considered a number of times in the past and set aside due to a number of issues including access and parking.

An amendment to recommendation (v) was proposed by Councillor Neil Parkin, seconded by Councillor Angus Dunn and the recommendations, as amended, were unanimously approved.

Decision: 

The Joint Strategic Committee

      i.        noted the progress on the schemes and approved the approach being taken;

     ii.        noted the list of included sites set out at section 4.6 of the report, based on the feedback from the recent public consultation exercise, and agreed the amendment of the list to remove Downs Way;

    iii.        approved the business plan;

   iv.        recommended that Adur District Council approve the  proposed capital expenditure of £15.935m from the development budget to deliver the projects funded by grant of £2.24m and prudential borrowing of £13.695m;

    v.        any proposed substitutions or amendments to the sites within the programme, to be agreed by the Joint Strategic Committee; and

   vi.        approved the principle of the sale of sites to aid delivery of the programme and reduce potential rents should the need arise. Delegation to be given to the Director for Communities, in consultation with the Adur District Council  Executive Member for Customer Services and the Leader of Adur Council, to agree sites for disposal;

  vii.        delegated authority to the Director for Communities, following a tender process, to award the building contracts and all associated contracts to enable delivery of the sites.

Call In:

The call-in deadline for decisions (i), (ii), (iii), (v), (vi) and (vii) will be 5.00pm on 16 October 2020.

There is no call-in for recommendations to meetings of Adur and Worthing Councils, decision (iv).