Decision - Paignton Townscape

Paignton Townscape

Decision Maker: Elected Mayor

Decision status: Recommendations approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decision:

(i) That the decision taken by the Council to borrow £1.172m from PWLB for the Paignton Townscape scheme is postponed and that alternative sources of funding are explored and a detailed business case is produced before any further work is carried out on this scheme; and

(ii) that the implementation of the Paignton Townscape scheme is considered as part of the 2019/20 budget setting process.

Reasons for the decision:

Since the original decision was taken the Council has reviewed its financial position for 2018/2019 and is in the process of developing its budget for 2019/2020. The Council is projecting an overspend of circa £2.8m for 2018/2019 with continued pressures on its resources especially in children’s social care. In light of the budget situation it was recommended that the decision taken by the Council to borrow £1.172m from PWLB for the Paignton Townscape scheme is not implemented and that alternative sources of funding are explored and a detailed business case is produced before any further work is carried out on this scheme.

Alternative options considered:

To implement the decision of Council but this was not recommended due to current and ongoing financial pressures facing the Council.

Implementation:

This decision will come into force and may be implemented on 18 September 2018 unless the call-in process is triggered (as set out in Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

Information:

The submitted report provided background to a decision taken by the Council on 22 February 2018 to borrow £1.72m from PWLB to fund a scheme for Paignton Townscape as part of £25m approved by the Council for town centre regeneration.

Whilst Town Centre Regeneration is a priority for the Council, current and future financial pressures mean that it would not be prudent for the Council to invest in this scheme at this time. There has been no detailed business case approved and there are currently no other income generating Town Centre Regeneration schemes in the pipeline which could be used to help fund the interest repayments.

The Elected Mayor considered the recommendations of the Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) at the meeting on 3 September 2018 and his decision is set out above.

Interests and Nature of Interests Declared:

None

Publication date: 10/09/2018

Date of decision: 03/09/2018

Effective from: 18/09/2018

This decision has been called in by:

Councillor Christine Carter who writes Reasons for call in of Paignton Townscape Decision Delaying the Paignton Town Regeneration will have a detrimental effect on the town and Crossways continues to be a blight on the town centre. Failure to progress this town centre regeneration will reinforce the feeling that Paignton is the poor relation to the other towns in the Bay. There is a fear from local residents that this project will never be progressed. Members should note that in a motion put by the Liberal Democrats to Council in February 2016 it was noted that figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats demonstrated that there had only been £12 spent per head of population on such projects in Paignton over the last 9 years, compared to £161 in Torquay and £1,201 per head in Brixham. "
Councillor Ian Doggett who writes Called in for the reasons set out by Councillor Carter."
Councillor Steve Darling who writes Called in for the reasons set out by Councillor Carter."
Councillor Mandy Darling who writes Called in for the reasons set out by Councillor Carter."
Councillor Nick Pentney who writes Called in for the reasons set out by Councillor Carter."