Agenda item

Councillor Colin Dougan, the Transformation Portfolio Holder, provided an outline of the work streams within his portfolio. As part of his briefing, and in response to Members’ questions, he noted the following:

Building Control – Despite private inspectors being able to provide building control inspections, the Council continued to carry out 70% of inspections in the Borough.

Business and Community Development - The Council had recently developed an Economic Development Strategy with a significant action plan, focussing on inward investment. This included a new service provided jointly with Base Point and the Surrey Chambers of Commerce aimed at making free business start-up clinics for new businesses in the Borough. The Council had also been instrumental in re-invigorating the Yorktown and Watchmoor Business Association and establishing the Frimley Business Association.

Corporate Property – The Council own and managed a number of properties, including the Depot, the Arena, the freehold of the Mall and Atrium and a number of buildings leased to community groups. Nearly 20% of Surrey Heath House was occupied by external users, notably Surrey Police, Surrey Heath Clinical Commissioning Group, Surrey County Council, with the Department for Works and Pensions having agreed to lease part of the Ground Floor. Each organisation paid rent, reducing the burden on Council Tax Payers.

In response to a Member’s concerns on usage, it was confirmed that Pembroke House, which was owned by the Council, had ceased to be occupied in 2003 and following substantial fire damage in 2008, had been exempted from Business Rates.

Freedom of Information/Data Protection – The Council had seen a significant increase in Freedom of Information requests during the previous year, though the bulk of these were business rates enquiries from commercial concerns which carried no charge, but were used for commercial purposes.

ICT – One of the main recommendations of the Digital Services Working Group was that Members should use Tablets to access agendas and minutes which would result in savings on paper.   Members’ e-mails had also been migrated to the Cloud.  In addition to the introduction of a new telephone system, the Council was working on an upgrade to its web site.

Internal/External Service Review – The Council had recently undergone a peer review by members and officers of the Local Government Association (LGA). The LGA had subsequently submitted a very positive report and most of their recommendations had already been implemented ahead of a further visit in November 2015. Internal reviews had been carried out on a number of projects, notably including the Joint Waste Project.

Key Projects/Partnerships/Regeneration – The Council’s top priority was the redevelopment of the A30 London Road Frontage. In addition, the Council had ongoing projects involving the Land East of Knoll Road (LEKR), plus the development of Pembroke House on the Frimley Road. The Council had recently bought St Georges, a light industrial site next to the Toolshop building, off the Frimley Road, which the Council already owned, and Ashwood House, on Pembroke Broadway.

The LEKR project involved the landowners (this Council, Surrey County Council, Surrey Police and Portesbery School) investigating their aspirations for the site, but the Council’s top priority remained the London Road Frontage.

Councillor Dougan agreed to draw the Corporate Property Team’s attention to Ward Councillors’ concerns over the condition/ future viability of the shopping mall in Heatherside and whether or not there were opportunities to purchase and improve the site.

Budgets – with the exception of licence costs, expenditure on budgets within the Portfolio were either on or under target.

            Resolved, that the presentation be noted.