Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting of 16 January 2023.

The minutes of the meeting of 16 January 2023 were confirmed and signed.

Members to receive an update on the previous meeting’s Action Plan.

Members considered the update on previous actions and made the following comments:

·         Councillor Booth referred to the update on the development on Gaul Road, March which was discussed at the meeting attended by Clarion in December. He stated his concern that information received from the Planning Team and Clarion was conflicting and he asked why the Planning Team update said there had not been a pre-application discussion when Clarion were insistent that they had been involved in pre-application discussions. Councillor Mason said that the item had been marked as complete but agreed that further investigation was needed for clarification. Nick Harding said he would provide an answer by the end of the meeting.

·         Councillor Hay asked if there is any further update regarding the shared planning arrangements with Peterborough. Nick Harding responded that Peterborough City Council had confirmed they are withdrawing all their current support as of 1^st April 2023. This includes planning policy, Section 106s and associated management, ecology, and strategic housing. Councillor Booth voiced his concern about extra cost and further delay in development of the local plan if we must start again with new staff, when the plan is already about two years behind schedule. Councillor Mason offered to discuss this further outside of the meeting. 

To provide the Overview & Scrutiny Panel with an update presentation on the CPCA’s Growth Works Service and the impact on Economic Growth in Fenland.

Members considered the update on CPCA Growth Service and impact on Economic Development in Fenland. Fliss Miller, Jonathan Finley, Rebecca Bekkenutte, Richard Cuda, Martin Johnson, Gareth Preece, Steve Clarke, Nigel Parkinson and Ed Colman were welcomed to the meeting.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Booth noted that Fenland receives the smallest contribution in SME CapEx grants. He asked why Fenland has less than 10% of the investment when he understood we were going to be one of the priority areas. Richard Cuda responded that a weighting system had been created that puts Fenland at the top. Martin Johnson explained there are a number of success stories in the Fenland area, one being the Turmeric Co., with Agrimech in Manea due to come before the Board next week. Agrimech will be expanding their manufacturing facility which will double their capabilities to build machinery for export and will receive about £100k of a £400k project. Martin Johnson added that a higher weighting determines which businesses go forward for internal assessment before going to representatives from the business board. He stated that Growth Works are certainly out in Fenland making connections and he encouraged members to let them know of any businesses they are aware of requiring capital expenditure assistance. Councillor Booth thanked Martin Johnson for this information but said his answer did not support the evidence; £21k is not even an average wage for one person. Richard Cuda clarified that the figure referred to actually related to the number of jobs. Martin Johnson added that the investment to Agrimech was actually at least £140k with another £100k coming shortly if approved. Councillor Booth thanked both for the clarification.

·         Councillor Miscandlon said he had this morning attended an impromptu Skills Committee meeting at the CPCA where various questions were raised about the data within the programme. It appears that Peterborough does well for grants because they can complete agenda forms for the Skills Committee correctly, but he would like to know what help is being given by the CPCA to lesser councils that either cannot or do not have the officer time to complete the forms so therefore miss out. It was also noted at that meeting that there is a lack of training providers for apprenticeships within Fenland, and the data appears to suggest students are being paid to go to other areas from the budget set for this area. Councillor Miscandlon stressed that there needs to be training providers in this area; it is a situation of great concern to this Council, and he would like to know what is being done to help FDC and the residents of Fenland. 

·         Fliss Miller responded that there are several training providers in Fenland. The CPCA has just invested in the North Cambridgeshire Training Centre; there is the College of West Anglia and a number of national providers providing training courses locally. The CPCA has just launched a training provider network forum to encourage working  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSC27/22

To consider and note the progress in delivering the Economy Corporate Objectives to include Planning 2022/23.

Members considered the Progress of Delivering the Economy Corporate Objectives to include Planning for 2022/23 presented by Councillor Benney, Nick Harding and Simon Jackson.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows: 

·         Councillor Miscandlon said that Growth Works are holding businesses events in Huntingdon and Peterborough and asked why they have not considered doing the same in the four Fenland market towns. Simon Jackson responded that there is a conversation about holding a similar event in Fenland and there had already been a successful event in Wisbech. He added that the team has a relationship with some thirty to forty businesses, but the biggest issue found when speaking to them is both a lack of skills, and a lack of people coming through the door whether they are skilled or not. They do engage with local colleges and there is a new, proactive chairman in the Chamber of Commerce Committee who would like to work with FDC, however any event must be focussed and have an outcome rather than be held for the sake of it.

·         Councillor Miscandlon said there is a proposed science park in Kings Dyke so it is important to engage now with companies that may occupy the site that may be wanting to employ. Simon Jackson advised that a significant amount of time has been spent with the site owner and his agent and agreed that there should be some exciting opportunities going forward. Following a call for sites they had submitted an application to be in the local plan and later this year should be submitting a plan for the Victory works site.

·         Councillor Mason asked if there was a timescale for that application. Simon Jackson replied that the latest information he has is only that the agent will be submitting an application for the area known as Victory works, not including the pit, sometime this year.

·         Councillor Hay said that she has been hearing from businesses that they are against expanding because of a lack of good infrastructure. Dualling of the A47 and a March to Wisbech railway line need looking at as an example. Nick Harding acknowledged there is a need to keep up the momentum regarding the A47 to get the ear of Government as it would make such a difference to the economic future of the area and in terms of the Wisbech Access Study, staff are pushing for consideration of junctions that are not yet funded to ensure they do receive the required funding. Councillor Wicks said it was also not important to forget the Ely north junction.

·         Councillor Mason said that in respect of the A47 dualling, there has been a business case and land acquired but there is an opinion that until there is development beyond Kings Lynn, there may not be much milage in economy for the area. Simon Jackson said this does not stop the significant number of enquiries received from businesses looking to move into the area. The biggest block is surface land  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSC28/22

This report sets out the Council’s progress in delivering the Transformation and Communication portfolio.

Members considered the Transformation & Communications Portfolio Holder update.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Hay noted that press releases are shared with some local magazines and asked why Centrepoint is not included as this is published in Chatteris quarterly. Councillor Tierney said the more ways to communicate the better and this magazine can certainly be added to the list. Councillor Hay thanked Councillor Tierney and said she would forward the contact details.

·         Councillor Mason commented on the Whittlesey Neighbourhood Plan. A lot of work went into the plan over five years and at the beginning there was quite a degree of public consultation. The draft was a very worthwhile document, but he wondered if it would have been more beneficial at the end to have another consultation just to outline what the final draft was before holding a referendum on it. He had a lot of people comment that they did not know what the plan was in its final form, and they found it difficult to access the information. Therefore, for future benefit, maybe there should be a consultation at the end of the process. Councillor Laws said she did not disagree; unfortunately, Whittlesey Library directed some people to Fenland’s Local Plan instead of the Neighbourhood Plan which caused additional confusion and she was also approached by some people because they did not understand what a neighbourhood plan would deliver. It had been promoted well and publicised quite widely as to where people could find that information, but some would say it had not been publicised enough. It was unfortunate that we did miss the publication dates for two free Whittlesey magazines, but this was due to the dates being changed for Christmas. If the article she had written had been published in those there would not have been so many enquiries. However, with the Neighbourhood Plan it would not be the responsibility of FDC to consult but that of the parish or town council. There is something to be learned from that and maybe it is a suggestion that should be put forward to Wimblington, who are currently pursuing a neighbourhood plan, that they hold that consultation and viewing period before a referendum, however we did the best we could.

·         Councillor Tierney said it is important to understand the responsibility of different councils. This is Overview and Scrutiny for Fenland District Council but the neighbourhood plan is brought forward by the town council so we cannot be involved with the consultation of any kind, that is the for the town council to do but as a partner it is important to help promote, and we did everything we could. Anything to be learned needs to go to the town council.  

·         Councillor Laws commented on the negative aspects of social media that also led people to be misinformed regarding the plan and possibly encouraged them to vote against it. Councillor Miscandlon agreed and said that the district plan needs to be explained to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSC29/22

To consider the Draft Work Programme for Overview & Scrutiny Panel 2022/23.

Members considered the Future Work Programme.

·         Councillor Mason said the formation of the Panel will change considerably after the district elections in May, but the work plan remains, and he offered his best wishes to whomever will be sitting on the Panel after that time.

·         Councillor Wicks said it is important in the absence of a report by the Mayor of the Combined Authority that his attendance be arranged sooner rather than later.

·         Councillor Miscandlon noted that Anglian Water are due to attend in October but suggested this be brought forward bearing in mind the amount of water leaks that are being reported currently. Councillor Wicks agreed; there have been considerable problems within the villages that has impacted them greatly. Councillor Miscandlon said he is aware they are not under an obligation to attend but they were very accommodating previously.