Issue - meetings

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor Bayliss presented the report to the Committee. He took Members through the report in detail and emphasised the challenges, all of which were set out in the report.

He explained that when he first saw this site a number of years ago, he saw a tired and underinvested property but there was no noise being made about this. Whilst this Council has a responsibility for the site, the dwellings themselves are the responsibility of the tenants, some of which were in a state of disrepair and incapable of being moved. One of the early considerations was to dispose of the site to a private operator, after a number of fire risk assessments. This was resisted at the time as Councillor Bayliss reported he had reservations about this and the way some operators work. It was then that work on the current proposal began; the history of which was set out in detail in the report. Councillor Bayliss advised that his personal preference was Option D but he was happy to support Option E as it finds favour with the residents, the scouts and the Scrutiny Committee. 

The Leader thanked Councillor Bayliss for his comprehensive report and took questions and comments from Members.  There were none.

The recommendations as set out on page 7 of the report were moved by Councillor Bayiss, seconded by Councillor Blunt and subsequently

RESOLVED THAT:

(1)       the comments received from Community Scrutiny Committee on 6 May 2020 be noted;

(2)       the proposal for the improvement of Appleby Magna Caravan Park, using option E as detailed in the report, and supported by the Community Scrutiny Committee, be approved;

(3)       authority be delegated to the Strategic Director, in consultation with the portfolio holder and the Section 151 Officer, to engage architectural, building and related services to allow the implementation of Option E.

Reason for decision: To allow the improvement work to the caravan site at Appleby Magna to be progressed, using the existing approved budget.