Agenda for Otterpool Park Working Group - Disbanded August 2020 on Thursday, 23rd April, 2020, 11.00 am

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Folkestone Room - Civic Centre Folkestone

Contact: Kate Clark 

Items
No. Item

18.

Declarations of Interest

Members of the Council should declare any interests which fall under the

following categories*:

 

a) Disclosable pecuniary interests (DPI);

b) Other Significant Interests (OSI);

c) Voluntary announcements of other interests.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

19.

Minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the working group meetings held on 6 November and 16 December 2019.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the working group held on 6 November and 16 December 2019 were approved.

 

It was agreed that an issue raised by Councillor Mullard at the 6 November 2019 meeting relating to the name of the development become an agenda item for the next meeting of the working group.

20.

Otterpool Park LLP - Structuring and initial activities

This report makes recommendations regarding the corporate structuring and initial activities of Otterpool Park LLP (the “Delivery Vehicle”), the Council’s delivery vehicle in relation to the development of the Otterpool Park garden town (the “Project”).

 

 

 

If members have any particular questions on the report it would help the management of the meeting if they could send them on or before next Tuesday to committee@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk.  Members can raise matters in the meeting of course but knowledge of the areas of any concern prior to its commencement will aid the running of the meeting.

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Members received a draft cabinet report which makes recommendations regarding the corporate structuring and initial activities of Otterpool Park LLP (the “Delivery Vehicle”), the Council’s delivery vehicle in relation to the development of the Otterpool Park garden town (the “Project”).

 

Members paid particular attention to the following:

 

Legal controls – members asked a series of questions about the controls placed on the company by the council.  Members were advised there are a series of documents that provide the control framework – as outlined in the Members’ Agreement.  It is also a requirement for the company to have an approved business plan in place and more detail is included on this matter in the report. Members asked that the report makes clear when decisions are made by full council or as executive decisions made by cabinet.

 

Independent Directors – members asked that progress be made as soon as possible to outline the process for the appointment of independent members. 

 

Council involvement – members asked that consideration be given to ways that councillors can be involved in the approval of the business plan. Officers confirmed it was the intention that members of OSC have early opportunity to consider the draft business plan and that further consideration would be given to the role of full council.

 

Members also requested that working groups are held regularly to keep them informed of progress and to allow input into future discussions on matters of substance. It was agreed that the forward schedule of workshops would be re-circulated and meetings would be held more frequently.

 

The finalised report will be presented to Cabinet in May and members of the working group unanimously agreed:

 

1.            To receive and note Report C/19/69.

2.            To recommend to Cabinet the report and recommendations as shown in the report.

 

(Voting: For 5; Against 0; Abstentions 0)