Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest in respect of matters contained in the agenda.

Councillor L Edge declared a non registrable interest in Agenda Item 9 – Land at A59.

There was no public participation.

The Director of Resources submitted a report seeking member approval for the slippage of a capital scheme budget from the 2021/22 financial year to the 2022/23 financial year.

Actual expenditure on this Committee’s capital programme was £7,950, which was 15.9% of the revised estimate budget.

One of the two schemes in the revised capital programme were completed in-year.

Slippage of £3000 was requested to fund expenditure on that scheme in 2022/23.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approve the slippage of £3,000 budget into the 2022/23 capital programme for the Economic Development Initiatives scheme.

Report of Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report to inform Committee of general progress on tourism activity, including measures taken to support the visitor economy following the pandemic, and the priorities as we continue through to recovery.

The report explained that Officers had worked closely with the Ribble Valley Tourism Association to launch a ‘Response and Recovery Plan’, following the suspension of the previously reported ‘Destination Management Plan’ due to the pandemic.

The ‘Response and Recovery Plan’ aimed to support tourism, through effective communication and forward-thinking marketing initiatives.

The report included predictions, campaigns, events, and areas of focus set out in the plan. It was noted that The Tourism Gathering had been successful and had attracted more than one hundred participants from local tourism and hospitality businesses.

Committee were asked to note that the main issue was the way in which the Council continued to respond to the pandemic and other economic and environmental influences. The Council’s strategy was evolving with the changing circumstances and was reflected in the ‘Response and Recovery Plan’, noting that in the near future a more comprehensive tourism strategy would be developed.

Members agreed that they would welcome further detail on The Council’s Tourism Strategy in support of this topic.

None.

There were no reports from representatives on outside bodies.

RESOLVED: That by virtue of the next item of business being exempt information under Paragraph 1 Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be now excluded from the meeting.

Report of Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

Councillor S Farmer took over the remit of Chair for this item.

Councillor Edge took no part in the debate or vote[CH1] .

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report updating Committee on the Development Appraisal work for the land along the A59 in Clitheroe.

Members were reminded that, following an approach from Taylor Weaver Ltd with an offer to the Council to purchase land along the A59, in March 2021 Committee resolved to:

1.    Agree to the appointment of consultants to undertake a Development Appraisal of the land;

2.    Agree a total budget of up to £20,000 for the Development Appraisal to be sourced from the Economic Development Initiatives budget.

In September 2021, Committee agreed to increase the budget to £30,000 due to the challenge in procuring consultants to undertake the work within the previously agreed budget.

The report included the intended considerations of the Appraisal and the requirements of The Council as the client.

It was noted that there were high infrastructure costs due to various constraints on the site including access and physical characteristics. The report explained that two options had therefore been considered in respect of the site development, and a viability appraisal of both options had been undertaken.

The resulting Land Appraisal was contained within the report and Officers updated Committee of their considerations in respect of the Appraisal, recommending that the Council not pursue with the consideration of purchasing the land.

Officers answered a number of questions from Members, who discussed the appraisal and noted that it would be a useful source of information going forward when considering other land.

Members requested some further data behind the high-level numbers that supported the appraisal to gain further understanding.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Agree that Officers inform Taylor Weaver Ltd that the Council will not be pursuing with the consideration of purchasing this land.