Agenda and minutes

Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a record be kept of the Members present and that this record form part of the minutes of the meeting. Members who cannot attend a meeting should tender apologies to the Town Clerk.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Bowater (substituted by Councillor Perham), Councillor Wallace (substituted by Councillor Spurr), Councillor Kharawala, Sarah Hughes, Central Bedfordshire Council and Tricia Humber, Community Forum.  Bob Chandler also apologised and tendered his resignation from the committee.

(i)    Under the Localism Act 2011 (sections 26-37 and Schedule 4) and in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, Members are required to declare any interests which are not currently entered in the Member’s Register of Interests or if he/she has not notified the Monitoring Officer of it.

(ii)   Should any Member have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in an item on the agenda, the Member may not participate in consideration of that item unless a Dispensation has first been requested (in writing) and granted by the Council (see Dispensation Procedure).

Councillor Harvey declared a personal interest as a member of South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth and the Leighton Buzzard Society.

No disclosable pecuniary interests were declared and no dispensations were requested.

A request was made and agreed to bring item 5 Marigold House Social Value forward in the agenda.

To receive an update on the social value for the new facility (verbal).

Eddie Burton of contractor Farrans gave an update on the progress of the build and the social value commitment which formed part of their contract for the project.  Farrans would be working with Central Bedfordshire Council and the community on initiatives which would include a level 2 and a level 3 apprenticeship, engagement with schools including sustainability projects, a community art project and the opportunity for careers in construction events for secondary school pupils and college students who were interested in this career path.  Site visits would be possible for members of the community, businesses, school children and councillors.

Further details would be circulated.

The building would include community space which should be available for any community groups to hire.  Members agreed that regular updates should be provided to the Committee on the progress of the build and an invitation sent to Eddie Burton from Farrans and Central Bedfordshire Officers when the project was nearer completion to update on Marigold House.

Members thanked Eddie Burton and Ian Hanton for attending the meeting and providing an update on the social values delivery programme.

To receive questions and statements from members of the public in respect of any item of business included in the agenda, as provided for in Standing Order No.s 1(f) and 1(g).

There were no questions from the public.

(a)          To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the Partnership Committee meeting held on 2 December 2021 (attached). 

(b)          To receive any updates arising from the minutes.

(a)          The Committee received the draft minutes of the Partnership Committee meeting held on 2 December 2021. 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Partnership Committee meeting held on 2 December 2021 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingly.

(b)          Minute reference 128/LLP Community Forum Youth Survey Results – A meeting had been arranged with Central Bedfordshire Council colleagues to review the combined Youth Survey results.

It was confirmed that funding for gaming had been approved by the Policy & Finance Committee.

To receive an update form Central Bedfordshire Council on the review activity of the       ETRO including decision-making process and any follow-on activity

Jo Borthwick of Central Bedfordshire Council gave a verbal update regarding the traffic orders in the town centre following decisions made at the Traffic Management Meeting held 1 February 2022.  Three decisions had been made:

·         To permanently keep part of Lake Street as a one-way system

·         To allow cars and buses to use the High Street on non-market/event days for a period of up to 18 months.

·         Effective enforcement of these arrangements during the time needed to formulate a permanent plan up to a maximum of 18 months.

Concerns were raised by the Committee on the relocation of the taxis back to the top of the High Street and that enforcement notices be displayed regarding idling whilst parked waiting for a fare.  All relevant signage should be installed for the start of the new traffic order to enable immediate enforcement action if the rules were breached. 

Members agreed that collaboration between Central Bedfordshire Council and the Town Council would be vital to produce a longer term scheme which could work for the High Street and the residents of the area.  Any development on the Land South of the High Street and the access to the High Street would need careful consideration. All the bus services which previously used the High Street would return when the bus companies were able to do so after 10 March 2022 but in some cases there would be a lead time of several weeks before rerouting would happen. Vehicular access to the High Street would not be permitted on market and event days when West Street would have the main bus stops to serve the town. 

One other concern was free short-term parking in the High Street on permitted days and how many spaces would be included if this was agreed and that it would be enforced correctly to stop all day parking in these spaces.

A motion was moved and seconded regarding the High Street with 3 against, one abstention and 4 voting for the motion.

RESOLVED that this Committee requests Central Bedfordshire Council to:

(a)  Designate all available High Street Parking spaces as half hour limit, no return within 2 hours.

(b)  Mount an information exercise around and on the 10 March change day.

Provide an enforcement effort to ensure compliance with the regulations from the implementation of the new traffic orders onwards

(a)   To receive the IntoPlaces workshop on the Town Centre Workshop held 08/11/21 (attached)

(b) To receive the resolution from Leighton-Linslade Town Council’s Policy and Finance Committee as set out below and request that Central Bedfordshire Council provide a response by the next committee meeting date of 21 April 2021.

(i)           To share the information with Central Bedfordshire Council and to seek direction on how the local authority proposed to progress the place making agenda. (ref. 296/PF, 22/11/21).

The Committee received and considered the IntoPlaces Report on the Town Centre Workshop held on 8 November 2021.  The Committee agreed the report gave direction on what a prosperous, family-oriented High Street could look like, but more detail was required to determine what was needed and how this could be achieved. Collaboration was needed between Central Bedfordshire Council and the Town Council to determine how the High Street would look and be used. Any decisions should include and consider the Land South of the High Street.

RESOLVED to share the information with Central Bedfordshire Council and to seek direction on how the local authority proposed to progress the place making agenda.

To receive the reviewed Leighton-Linslade Partnership Project List with a covering report (attached) and to consider the recommendations contained within the report.

The Committee received the Partnership Project List and considered the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED to -

(i)          Receive and note the report.

(ii)          Receive and endorse the updated Leighton-Linslade Partnership Project List, for use (as agreed December 2020) to lobby on behalf of the parish to raise the profile of projects.

(iii)        Request of Central Bedfordshire Council:

a)    To acknowledge that the Partnership Project List produced by Leighton-Linslade Town Council has been endorsed by the Partnership (Joint) Committee.

b)   To advise whether the Partnership Project List can be added to the relevant information sources considered by the Planning department when determining planning applications and developing S106 planning obligations agreements in the parish.

c)    To advise whether the Partnership Project List can be added to the relevant information sources considered by S106 spending officers when developing projects for delivery in the parish relating to S106 agreements.

d)   To advise whether there is a formal process that must be followed at Central Bedfordshire Council for the Leighton-Linslade Partnership Project List to be formally recognised and communicated across the council and if so, what that process is and how it can be implemented.

e)    Whether the council would wish for any additional endorsed or aspirational projects/objectives relevant to the parish to be included in the Leighton-Linslade Partnership Project List.

f)     To advise the Partnership Committee and/or Town Council if any further actions are required from either body to achieve points b)-e) above and if so, to clearly set out what those actions are.

g)   To provide comments on each of the projects listed and whether CBC supports them and would help to prioritise them.

h)   To provide feedback on the above to the next Committee meeting on 21 April 2022.

To receive verbal/written updates as applicable.

(a)                 Welcome Back Fund 

Entertainments were still happening in the High Street until the end of March.

(b)                 Land South of the High Street

The South Side Working Party had had its first meeting with discussions continuing regarding the Land South of the High Street.

A question was raised regarding the deep clean in the High Street.  The contractor who originally submitted a quote which was accepted by Central Bedfordshire Council no longer had availability to complete the work by the deadline date for funding expenditure. Officers were asked to see if anything more could be done to deliver the deep clean of the High Street and if this proved not possible, whether funds could be utilised for any other purpose. 

(c)                 Taxis

The taxis were likely to be moved back to the top of the High Street as part of the new Traffic Order, but members agreed this was not the best solution and urged Central Bedfordshire Council to look at alternative locations for them.

To consider items to be programmed into Committee’s work for 2021–2022 (attached).

The Committee received and considered the objectives and work plan for the municipal year 2021-2022.

A request was made for “Reports from Central Bedfordshire Councillors” to be added to the agenda as a standing item.  The intention was to provide an opportunity for CBC Members to advise the rest of the committee on any meetings they had attended or briefings received which were relevant to Leighton-Linslade and which town councillors might not be aware of.

A request was made for an update on the Central Bedfordshire Schools for the Future programme in the next Central Bedfordshire update report or if appropriate, whether the information already circulated to Central Bedfordshire councillors could be circulated also to town councillors. 

RESOLVED to note the information.

To identify and confirm if any requested items for CBC’s attention

No items were highlighted for Central Bedfordshire’s attention.

To receive Committee’s budget financial monitoring report (attached).

The Committee received and considered the proposed budget for 2022-2023.

RESOLVED to note the report.