Agenda and draft minutes

No apologies of absence was received.

To note any urgent items of business which the Chairman has consented to being considered under the provisions of Section 100(B) 4(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Chair informed the Committee, in relation to Items 9 and 11, that a Joint Extraordinary Meeting of the Dragonfly Board and the Council’s Dragonfly Shareholder Board was to be held the day after the meeting.

To carry out its function effectively, it was put to the Committee that scrutiny of Items 9 and 11 be material and that, if required, an Extraordinary Meeting of the Committee be held to review the minutes of tomorrow’s meeting.

To a question of when this Joint Extraordinary Meeting of the Dragonfly Board and the Council’s Dragonfly Shareholder Board was learned of, the Chair answered 14 hours prior to the Committee meeting.

Moved by Councillor Tom Munro and seconded by Councillor Jeanne Raspin

RESOLVED that, to carry out its scrutiny role, Items 9 and 11 be materially reviewed and that, if required, an Extraordinary Meeting be held to review the minutes of the Joint Extraordinary Meeting of the Dragonfly Board and the Council’s Dragonfly Shareholder Board.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a) any business on the agenda;

b) any urgent additional items to be considered;

c) any matters arising out of those items;

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

Councillor Tom Kirkham declared an interest in Pleasley Pit Trust.

To consider the minutes of the last meeting held on 3^rd September 2024.

The Head of Business Growth informed the list of UKSPF Growth and Start-Up Grants requested in the previous meeting was on the provided copies for the Committee’s consideration.

Moved by Councillor Will Fletcher and seconded by Councillor Jen Wilson

RESOLVED that the Minutes of a Local Growth Scrutiny Committee held on 3^rd September 2024 be approved as a true and correct record.

The most recent List of Key Decisions was provided to the Committee.

A Member asked which decisions were passed by the Executive the day before the Committee.  The Monitoring Officer informed a number of items were not considered and deferred to the following Executive meeting.  The Committee was informed of the decisions taken by the Executive.

A Member asked which funding stream had been utilised for the Shirebrook Market Place: REimagined Project Phase 2.  The Head of Business Growth informed it had been funded through the UKSPF.

RESOLVED that the List of Key Decisions and Items to be considered in the private document be noted.

The Head of Business Growth presented the report to the Committee.

Work on the flood mitigation of the site was proceeding.  A significant area was within a functional floodplain (where water naturally collected).  This became particularly evident following Storm Babet in October 2023.  As the landlord, the Council was working with Beaumont Rivers, a private contractor, to mitigate future events.

Details of the work being undertaken was available in the report.

It was noted that the Head of Business Growth had convened a meeting of Members and Officers of the Council, along with Beaumont Rivers and Councillor Sharron Hartshorn of Mansfield District Council, representative of Pleasley Ward, to further understand the work which had been ongoing in Pleasley Village in the wake of Storm Babet.

This meeting had been arranged to ensure that work to the watercourse upstream of the Park was being co-ordinated alongside the works in the Vale, and that all interested parties were engaged in discussions.  A further meeting was to be arranged in the coming weeks.

To a question on the third-party contractor appointment by the insurance loss adjuster, the Head of Business Growth explained this contractor, Monaghan’s, would be working collaboratively with the Council’s appointed third-party contractor, Beaumont Rivers, on the flood remediation works.

The Head of Business Growth noted that work on flood mitigation was the priority, and that once this matter was further addressed, then applications for external funding to develop the site could follow.

Due to the requirement for the Environment Agency to authorise some aspects of the work, the work on flood mitigation could not be accelerated.

On a question regarding the timescale of renovation work of the listed Coach House and Gardener’s Cottage, the Head of Business Growth explained this was being developed alongside the Council’s Conservation Officer, and that information would be passed along to Members.  It was believed a decision on these could be reached in 3-6 months.

Moved by Councillor Will fletcher and seconded by Councillor Jeanne Raspin

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Approved by Councillor John Ritchie, Portfolio Holder for Growth

The Director of Property & Construction (Dragonfly Development Ltd.) presented a more recent Delivery Update report to the Committee.

The Committee proceeded through each update, with Members asking questions on each development.

An example of questions included Members seeking clarification on the costs of the Roseland Crematorium (more information would be provided to the Committee’s meeting in February 2025).

Officers who provided answers to the Committee included the Director of Property & Construction (Dragonfly Development Ltd.), the Head of Business Growth, the Section 151 Officer, and the Monitoring Officer.

The Chair informed the Committee that the £15 million awarded by the previous UK National Government to the Council though the Regeneration Fund had been honoured by the new UK National Government.

Moved by Councillor Will Fletcher and seconded by Councillor Jeanne Raspin

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Work Programme to the Committee.

A Member asked that the minutes of the Joint Extraordinary Meeting of the Dragonfly Board and the Council’s Dragonfly Shareholder Board meeting taking place the day after the Committee be included in the Work Programme.

Moved by Councillor Tom Munro and seconded by Councillor Jen Wilson

RESOLVED that: 1) Members review this report and the Programme attached at Appendix 1 for approval and amendment as required; and,

2)    All Members are advised to contact the Scrutiny Officer should they have any queries regarding future meetings.

The Chair introduced the item and stated the minutes of the Dragonfly Shareholder Board meeting from 19^th April 2024 would be discussed first.

After reviewing the minutes from the 19^th April 2024 meeting, the Committee proceeded to review the minutes from the 30^th September 2024 meeting.

To a question on Minute No. SHBD03-24/25, the Monitoring Officer confirmed any reports taken to the Executive would be reviewed by the Council’s three statutory officers.  These included: the Monitoring Officer; the Section 151 Officer; and the Chief Executive.  This was the standard drafting of all reports and if a Key Decision, subject to any call in by a Member and/or Committee.

To a question on Minute No. SHBD06-24/25, the Monitoring Officer explained the Service Level Agreement was needing to be finalised.

Due to the technical nature of a question regarding Minute No. SHBD07-24/25, the Chair advised the Member to clarify their inquiry and contact the appropriate Officer in writing.  It was requested that this correspondence include the Members of the Committee; the Member and Director of Property & Construction (Dragonfly Development Ltd.) agreed to do so.

To a question on Minute No. SHBD08-24/25, the Director of Property & Construction (Dragonfly Development Ltd.) explained a Draft Business Plan was with the Council as of the end October 2024.  The Director of Property & Construction (Dragonfly Development Ltd.) also informed the Committee of recent attendance of the Council’s Risk Management Group on Dragonfly’s Strategic Risk Register.

The Monitoring Officer added the minutes of this Risk Management Group meeting could be provided to the Committee, with the Chief Executive highlighting that updates of the Risk Management Group were also provided to the Finance and Corporate Overview Scrutiny Committee.

To a question on the Business Plan process, the Monitoring Officer informed Dragonfly Development Ltd. and Dragonfly Development Management needed to produce a Business Plan for the Council to review.  This would be a Key Decision and subject to any call in by a Member and/or Committee and would be presented to the Executive.

The Committee were informed that if they wished to see the Business Plan before the Executive, as part of its scrutiny role, this could be arranged.

To a question regarding Minute No. SHBD09-24/25, the Head of Business Growth explained the percentage of income generated was determined by the percentage of contribution made; the Council had provided 96% of investment, and Shirebrook Town Council (with regards the valuation of land used) 4%.

All responsibility and management of the crematorium site fell with the established Joint Venture Company that supervised this business.

Moved by Councillor Jen Wilson and seconded by Councillor Jeanne Raspin

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To move:-

“That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1, Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006)”.

Moved by Councillor Tom Munro and seconded by Councillor Jen Wilson

RESOLVED that the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1, Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).

To be provided as a handout at the meeting.

The Committee discussed the exempt item in private.