Apologies were received from Cllrs Reed and Slade with Cllrs Wagland and White substituting. 

The Minutes of the last meeting held on 4^th October 2022 were AGREED as a true record.

Members thanked and gave appreciation to the Teams at the Depot and in Community Safety for all their hard work and public presence.

Following a full discussion, Members noted the report. 

The report provided an update upon previous Council tree planting initiatives in Brentwood Borough over the past two years, and set out the proposed tree-planting initiatives for the forthcoming winter season.

The success rate of the overall planting scheme is approximately 34%, which is lower than what would usually be anticipated. This was attributed to the severe drought conditions experienced this summer, and in the instance of St. Faiths Country Park, vandalism further exacerbated the situation.

Planting schemes for the winter of 2022/23 identify sites for approximately 14,500 trees, delivered through the Tree for Climate scheme, fully funded by central government. Funding, through the Urban Tree Challenge, for a further 167 larger street trees has been partly secured and requires a match funding commitment of £22,500 from the Council to deliver.

Cllr Laplain requested that further reporting to identify the net gain of trees comes to a future committee. 

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Gelderbloem SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

Members were asked to:

1. Note the planting scheme as outlined in paragraph 14, Table-2 of the report.

2. Approve that match funding of £22,500 is considered in the budget setting process for MTFS 2023/24, which is subject to full council approval on 1^st March 2023.

Reasons for Recommendation

The proposed tree planting scheme is identified as a key deliverable in the draft 2022 Environment Strategy, and represents an opportunity to deliver on a significant number of tree planting at a low cost to the Council.

The report presented an updated version of the draft Environment Strategy previously presented at the March 2022 Environment Enforcement & Housing Committee, at which it was agreed to approve the strategy for consultation, and to consider feedback and alter the strategy if required.

Key changes to the original document consist of including additional pages

summarising the impact climate change can have at a national and local level; the replacement of ‘Actions’ with ‘Aims’ in the main body of the strategy; and the development of a clearer action plan as an appendix to the strategy. The action plan, going forward, would form the basis any annual reporting on the progress of the strategy.

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Gelderbloem SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY.

Members are asked to:

1. To Approve the Environment Strategy as appended to the report.

2. To approve that the current temporary post of the Climate & Sustainability Officer is made a permanent position.

Reasons for Recommendation

The proposed Environment Strategy sets out the how Brentwood Borough Council can achieve its declared aims of carbon neutral within its own activity by 2040 and borough wide by 2050.

The report provided an oversight of the work being undertaken by officers in order to respond to the crisis and ensure we are supporting our residents, businesses, and staff. The Council’s function is to facilitate, co-ordinate and signpost individuals and organisations to where the support is provided. It is important that this is communicated to as wide an audience as possible so that people can access the right help and support as soon as possible.

Members thanked and commended the work of Officers on this.

This item is for information only.

At the 24th November 2020 Audit and Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Dr Barrett forwarded a recommendation for the scrutiny work programme to include a review of the historic relationship between Brentwood Borough Council and the Brentwood Leisure Trust (BLT). Subsequently this was agreed at the 26th January 2021 Audit and Scrutiny Committee (Min.670 refers) and added to the scrutiny work programme with the process to be dealt with by way of a cross party working group.

One of the recommendations of the Audit and Scrutiny Report (Appendix A) is that this is brought to the Community Environment and Enforcement Committee. The appendices to the Audit and Scrutiny report are set out in Appendices B-G and it is before Members tonight.

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Gelderbloem SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED.

Members are asked:

To note the report and recommendations from the Member Cross Party Working Group to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee on 15 November 2022.

Reasons for Recommendation

To ensure that robust governance is in place as part of any current and future

contractual arrangements.

A valid nomination has been received to re-list Iris Close Amenity Green, as an Asset of Community Value and this report asks the Committee to make a decision on this nomination. The Asset had previously been agreed to be listed by Members at the 20 November 2014 Community Committee.

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Gelderbloem SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUS.

Members are asked to:

List the land known as Iris Close Amenity Green, as indicated on the site map in Appendix B of the report, as an Asset of Community Value.

Reasons for Recommendation

The nomination has passed the test as a valid nomination and the including the submission of evidence that the group is eligible to nominate the land. The Asset passes the first and second statutory test as it furthers the social interests and wellbeing of the local community as set out in the Localism Act.  It has previously been listed by the Council.

To follow.

The development of a Football Hub at the Brentwood Centre is one of the key priorities of the Council’s Leisure Strategy which was agreed by members at the Policy, Projects and Resources Committee on 18 September 2018.

The proposal is to build 2 x Third Generation (3G) Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) community pitches and 4 grass pitches, together with a hub building which will provide changing rooms, toilets and kitchen/servery. 

At the 4 March 2020 Ordinary Council, Members agreed for the inclusion of £3.5m in the Capital Programme for the development of the Football Hub as part of the budget setting process. It was agreed at the Community and Health Committee on 10 March 2020, that expenditure would only occur, subject to the full business plan and operating model being approved by a future Policy, Resource and Economic Development Committee. The Business Plan is attached as Appendix A. The plan has looked at a number of options for the development: hub location, floor plan, facility mix and operating model to ensure that the business plan is both financially viable and supports the needs of the community both now and in the future.

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Gelderbloem SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY.

Members are asked to:

1. Agree the recommendations in the business plan (Appendix A) including: a) Option 3 preferred hub building size, 2 x 3G AGPs and 4 grass pitches as set out in Appendix 6 of the Business Plan. b) Option 4 preferred operating model as set out in Pages 8 and 9 of the Business Plan.

2. Subject to the agreement of the business plan and successful application for funding from the Football Foundation, agree the drawdown of the £2.8m allocation of funding to support the Football Hub Development.

3 Delegate Authority to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Chair of Community, Environment and Enforcement to agree for officers to commence a procurement exercise to appoint, main contractor, 3G pitch contractor and Project Manager and Quantity Surveyor support for the project delivery.

4 Progress the funding submission to the Football Foundation.

Reasons for Recommendation

The Play Pitch Strategy in 2018 identified a clear need for both grass pitches and 3G AGPs to be added within the Borough and the A12 Corridor in particular.

The Local Football Facility Plan in 2020 which was to highlight where investment in football facilities would need to be accurately targeted. The purpose of plan is to identify the priority projects for potential investment in Brentwood. There is also a need to take into account that 3G AGPs are meeting recreational demand from high levels of non-traditional football participation at the Brentwood Centre.

The Council’s Leisure Strategy 2020-25 identifies the development of a football hub at the Brentwood Centre site as one of the key priorities of the Strategy.

Fees and charges made by the Council for various services are reviewed on an annual basis by the relevant Committees relating to the services provided.  Recommended amendments to the fees and charges are incorporated into the budget setting process to take effect from the following financial year.

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Gelderbloem SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED.

Members are asked to:

Agree to the proposed charges for 2023/24 as attached in Appendix A-D of the report subject to the annual budget setting process.

Reasons for Recommendation

Officers review fees and charges annually and this will be used to inform the 2023/24 budget setting process.

One item of Urgent Business was presented to the Committee on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund 2022/23.

On 13 July 2022, the Policy, Resources and Economic Development (PRED) Committee granted delegated authority to the Strategic Director, in consultation with the Chair of PRED Committee, to prepare and submit an Investment Plan for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).  On 1 August 2022, Brentwood Borough Council submitted its UKSPF Investment Plan.  On 5 December 2022, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) confirmed that they had concluded the validation of the Brentwood Investment Plan.

A memorandum of understanding signed by the council’s Chief Executive needs to be returned by 23 December 2022 for the 2022/23 UKSPF grant of £51,262 to be released.

Cllr Russell MOVED and Cllr Gelderbloem SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY.

Members are asked to:

R1. Delegate authority to the Strategic Director to accept the 2022/23 UK Shared Prosperity Fund grant of £51,262.

R2. Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, in conjunction with the CEE and PRED chairs, to allocate funding for 2022/23 in line with the council’s submitted UKSPF Investment Plan.

The meeting concluded at 7.55pm