Agenda and minutes

To sign the minutes of the meeting held on 7 November 2016.

The minutes of the meeting held on 7 November 2016 were taken as read and signed by the Chair as correct.   

Councillors are reminded of the need to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests that relate to business on the agenda and which have not already been included in the register of interests, before any discussion takes place on the item. Unless the interest is sensitive, you must also disclose the nature of the interest. In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, you must then leave the room and must not participate in any further discussion of the item.  Councillors requiring clarification should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer prior to the day of the meeting.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made.

To receive a presentation which will provide an update on the Leisure Complex and Bus Station Scheme.

The Client Lead (Build), Emma Osmundsen, provided a brief update on the tender process and subsequent cessation of the interim arrangements for the Bus Station that had taken place since the last meeting of the Programme Board on 7 November 2016.  She reported that tenders for the project contract had not met the approved budget, and due to the complexity of the tender documentation supplied they were currently being evaluated.  The team continued to work through the detail and were carrying out a full tender analysis to be in a position to identify the appointment of a contractor, and report back to Members.  The Chair noted that a planning application for the redevelopment of the Exeter Bus and Coach Station redevelopment area on Paris Street would be presented to the Planning Committee on 27 March 2017.

Justin Pickford provided a brief update on the interim bus arrangements work and confirmed that the public realm in Sidwell Street was in the process of being reinstated.  He responded to a comment by the Chair who said that he had visited Sidwell Street and found elements of the interim works had been left in an unsatisfactory state, and confirmed that the City Council’s contract cleaners had subsequently tidied and cleaned the area.  The Chair also referred to the state of the pavement in Sidwell Street, and was concerned that the footpath was now made up of a mix of tarmac and paving slabs, resulting in a patchwork surface, which was not aesthetically pleasing.  He felt that this was less than the city deserved.  He sought some assurance that the works associated with the interim arrangements would be completed satisfactorily and he suggested that Devon County Council also had some responsibility over the footpath. Justin Pickford reassured Members that the interim works had not resulted in the overall removal of paving slabs rather that, the installation of the temporary bus shelters had created an increase in the footpath and the removal of brick planters had created areas of the footpath which were not previously paved. The tarmac would be retained, but no further slabs would be removed.  He responded to a Member’s comment on the return of Sidwell Street to its former traffic order condition and confirmed that the public access, provision of parking and the original Traffic Orders would all be reinstated. He also confirmed that the interim arrangement proposed for Paris Street, which had also included an amendment to the Traffic Orders, provision of temporary bus shelters outside of the Civic Centre and up Paris Street, white lining and signage had been put on hold until nearer the time of the closure of the existing Bus Station.

Communications

The Communications Officer, Rob Sims presented a communications update and circulated a note outlining the main work carried out by the communications team, which would be attached to the minutes. He also directed Members to the quantity of information on St Sidwell’s Point and the Bus Station included on the Exeter City Council web  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

The date of the next Leisure Complex and Bus Station Complex Board meeting will be identified to coincide with the programme gateway.

The Chair anticipated that allowing for the ongoing work by the Design Team to address the complexities of the tender returns and the ongoing commercial sensitivity, a further meeting of this Board would be arranged as soon as possible and certainly to coincide with the revised programme gateway.

In addition, he suggested a Members’ Briefing session should also be arranged, specifically on the various aspects and benefits of passivhaus energy to ensure that Members had the necessary background information.