To receive any verbal reports from Members regarding Ward matters and Outside Organisations.
Decision:
The Chair led a discussion regarding ward matters and outside organisations.
Members gave updates on the following:
· Hitchin Station Access – Councillor Paul Clark
· North Herts College Development – Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg
· Hitchin Initiative – Councillor Keith Hoskins
· Hitchin Town Hall – Councillor Paul Clark
· Hitchin Band – Councillor Dr Simon Harwood
Minutes:
Audio recording – 1 hour 7 minutes and 8 seconds.
The Chair led a discussion regarding ward matters and outside organisations.
Members gave updates including:
Hitchin Station Access
Councillor Paul Clark advised that work on Station Access is continuing; concerns about the loss of Section 106 funding had been allayed; the next meeting of the working group had been pushed back in order to identify case studies and future funding options.
The Chair noted that there were some long term issues about the moving of the aggregate site balanced with the current needs for pedestrian and cyclist access.
North Herts College Development
Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg advised that Section 106 funding which had been allocated for station access from the North Herts College development had been rescued as a result of pressure from local Members and officers. This was particular beneficial in view of the increased number of residents making use of the station because of the proposed housing development. She further noted that the low level of social housing allocation within the development had been seen as a trade-off for the other benefits to infrastructure and sporting facilities included in the scheme.
Councillor Val Bryant advised she had been on the Planning Committee which approved the application and explained her reservations around the concept of an enabling development, the level of social housing, and the proposed building materials.
Councillor Mike Hughson advised that decisions of the Planning Control Committee were constrained by planning law. He noted that Members should not be angry at North Herts College itself but consider examining why the College was in need of financial relief.
Hitchin Initiative
Councillor Keith Hoskins provided an update on the relaunch of the Hitchin Initiative with a new structure and a refocussed direction. The initiative was still in its early stages but there were promising signs of collaboration between private enterprise and local government and the Initiative would dovetail with the work of this Committee and other existing panels.
Hitchin Town Hall
Councillor Paul Clark raised the issue of the sprung floor in the Town Hall with a missing metal key and requested whether the Committee could undertake work to locate or replace a key.
Councillor Keith Hoskins advised that the Town Hall fell under his remit and he would take the issue on.
Councillor Judi Billing advised that Members consider settling issues like this between themselves rather than bringing them as items for the Hitchin Committee.
North Hertfordshire Museum
Councillor Paul Clark advised that residents had asked to see a greater prominence of Fair Trade products at the Museum and that he would take this issue up with his ward colleague Councillor Keith Hoskins.
Councillor Keith Hoskins advised that it had been made clear with a displayed sticker that the Museum (and indeed the Council as a whole) stocked fair trade products.
Hitchin Band
Councillor Dr Simon Harwood updated the Committee on the status of the Hitchin Band which was looking to move in to permanent premises and alerted colleagues to the commercial opportunity this represented.
Councillor Keith Hoskins advised that this was part of his portfolio and that himself and officers were dealing with various applicants including the Hitchin Band looking for premises within the town centre.