Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2025 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either 1 question or 1 statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via MS Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.   If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting. The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  Further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council

All submissions must be emailed in full to [email protected]

by 8.30am on 29 October 2025.

When submitting your question or statement please note that:

•         You can submit 1 question or 1 statement.

•         a question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.

•         It must be a single question and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted.

•         Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to 3 minutes to present your question.

•         when submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g., the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder)

•         Include your name, address, and contact details.  Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting.

•         questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

•         all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.

There were no questions or statements from members of the public or local organisations.

To receive questions submitted by councillors.

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub-divided questions count towards this total. Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.

The submissions must be emailed in full to [email protected] by 8.30am on 29 October 2025.

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13

There were no questions from councillors.

To consider the Forward Plan.

The forward plan was noted.

To introduce the Managing Director and Chair of Dorset Innovation Park Ltd.

The shareholder committee welcomed the Chair of the Dorset Innovation Park Ltd Board, David Happy MBE and the Managing Director of Dorset Innovation Park Ltd, Kevin Forshaw, who both provided a short introduction.

To receive a presentation from the Managing Director, Dorset Innovation Park Ltd.

The shareholder committee received a presentation from the Managing Director, Dorset Innovation Park, which provided an overview of the planning and implementation of the transition from Dorset Council to Dorset Innovation Park Ltd. The presentation included information on the role of the company, details around the fundamental company set-up, priority workstreams to support future operations and proposals to agree and communicate future park development.

The Chair of the Board recognised the work being undertaken to move the company forward and thanked all those that attended a recent open day at the park.

The shareholder committee discussed the matters covered in the presentation and comments were made in the following areas:

·       Dorset Council was ambitious for the potential of the site and in particular the opportunities to innovate and create higher paid, skilled jobs

·       A discussion was held in respect of the role of large data centres and whilst it was recognised that these were important, other innovative options would be investigated including green energy and use of lower energy chips, being more appropriate and energy efficient

·       In response to a question on the aspiration to take the innovation park into profit, the Managing Director noted that at this stage, it was hoped that this would happen in year 4, although this could potentially be earlier dependant on the progress with planned projects

·       A question was raised relating to the configuration of the building and provision of hot desks. Further consideration was required in respect of this, including discussion with the Ministry of Defence

·       The Dorset Innovation Park Business Plan would be brought to the February 2026 meeting of the shareholder committee for consideration. This would include a one-year plan and a forward look to the future

·       The company would be looking at issues relating to the buildings including heating requirements

·       The company would be investigating opportunities and proposals for the innovation park. The Business Plan to be presented to the shareholder committee would include staffing and budget information and plans to promote the site on a wide scale

·       The company board had plans to raise the profile and show the potential of the innovation park through events, lobbying and wider promotional activities including with Government and industry sectors

·       The Chair made a number of comments following on from the presentation including opportunities to use the conference centre on site for events (particular reference made to a forthcoming “Great South West” board meeting and a Paths to Prosperity meeting) and the importance of links with education providers with reference made to links with sixth form colleges, Coastland College and Kingston Maurward

·       Education outreach was key in considering skills development, raising awareness and aspirations

·       Reference was made to wider issues of the affordability and availability of housing and how this linked to the provision of jobs. It was recognised that this linked to wider council policies.

To receive a report of the Managing Director, Dorset Innovation Park Ltd.

Please note that Appendix 1 is an exempt document (paragraph 3).

The shareholder committee received a report of the Managing Director, Dorset Innovation Park, which presented the Shareholder Agreement between Dorset Council and Dorset Innovation Park Ltd.

The Chair highlighted that appendix 1 to the report was an exempt document and therefore the committee would need to move into exempt business if it wished to discuss the contents of the document.

In addition, it was confirmed that Cabinet had given delegation to the Executive Director Place, to conclude the Shareholder Agreement and that the report and Shareholder Agreement were for noting by the committee.

The report and Shareholder Agreement were NOTED.

To consider any items of business which the Chair has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items.

To consider passing the following recommendation:  

Recommendation  

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in item(s) No 12 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) 3 of Part 1 of schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.  

The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered. (Any live streaming will end at this juncture).

Reason for taking the item in private

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The shareholder committee did not go into exempt business at the meeting.

Exempt appendix associated with agenda item 9 – Shareholder agreement.

There was one exempt appendix associated with agenda item 9 – Shareholder Agreement. However, the shareholder committee did not go into exempt business for the item.