Meeting documents

To consider a report of the Strategic Director (Martin Hamilton).

(a)       That the progress with the redevelopment of the peninsula and associated timeline be noted

(b)       That the allocation of up to £53,000 from the project budget for an evaluation of opportunities to be derived from integration of the harbour into the overall scheme, be approved

(c)        That the allocation of up to £100,000 from general reserves to fund a two year contact for a Town Centre Manager for Weymouth and associated project costs be approved and to be augmented by £20,000 from the Weymouth BID for the year 2017/18.

The Strategic Director (Martin Hamilton) updated members on progress with the redevelopment of Weymouth Peninsula site and sought agreement to use some of the allocated budget to facilitate  an evaluation of how best to maximise for the town’s benefit the integration of the harbour within the overall scheme. The report also sought to address the development of a new town centre management arrangement to assist in improving the overall town centre offer in parallel with the redevelopment of the peninsula.

The Strategic Director advised that the redevelopment of the Harbour and improvements to its financial viability  would enable the council to progress the development of the harbour alongside the redevelopment of the peninsula.  These developments would significantly improve the local economy and should attract additional visitors to the town.

The committee had discussed the importance of ensuring that the existing town centre was strengthened as part of this development. Members were now asked to consider the proposal to appoint a Town Centre Manager to take overall "ownership" of the town centre , identify problems and liaise with various agencies to secure an early remedy to issues.  This post holder would be appointed by the Economic Development Team.

There was overall supportive for the report, but some members expressed concerns that this matter was not following due process.  Cllr G Taylor highlighted that at its last meeting the committee agreed to hold an informal session to discuss its priorities and a further report would be presented to Management Committee.  The informal session had met, but the list of priorities was yet to be considered by the Budget Working Group and then a report was due to be presented to Committee members.  She and others felt that a decision on the Town Centre Manager should be delayed and considered with all the other projects as was initially agreed. There was concern that expenditure decisions where being made in a piece-mill fashion and this could effect other projects at a later date.

However other members were keen to get on with making this appointment as further delay would cause more issues. It was proposed that the amount from the general reserve for Town Centre Management be reduced to £100,000 as the Weymouth Bid had committed £20,000 for the year 2017/18. The amended recommendation was proposed by Cllr J Cant and seconded by Cllr R Kosior

Decision

(a)       That the progress with the redevelopment of the peninsula and associated timeline be noted

(b)       That the allocation of up to £53,000 from the project budget for an evaluation of opportunities to be derived from integration of the harbour into the overall scheme, be approved

(c)        That the allocation of up to £100,000 from general reserves to fund a two year contact for a Town Centre Manager for Weymouth and associated project costs be approved and to be augmented by £20,000 from the Weymouth BID for the year 2017/18.

Cllr G Taylor and Cllr C James asked that it be recorded that they voted against decision (c) above because they considered that due process had not been followed.