Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Regeneration and Planning

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor Tony Nicholson

(Key decision):

(1) To agree to enter into a lease/management arrangement for Riverside Country Park with Newhaven Town Council on terms to be agreed and to be reported to Cabinet before completion of that lease/management agreement.

(2) To agree to amend the existing boundary line at Lewes Road Recreation Ground, Newhaven to reflect the boundary of the previous landfill site to enable devolution of the Lewes Road Recreation Ground to Newhaven Town Council

(3) To agree to vary the standard form of overage provision to allow a specific development, commensurate with the use of the site, to take place at Lewes Road Recreation Ground, Newhaven.

(4) To agree in principle the devolution to Lewes Town Council of Mountfield Road Pleasure Ground and and Stanley Turner Recreation Ground, subject to:

(i) exploring with the Charity Commission the substitution of Lewes Town Council as sole charitable trustee in place of Lewes District Council

(ii) consideration of the future management arrangements of the car park at Mountfield Road.

(iii) officers reporting back to Cabinet for final agreement on final terms of devolution.

(5) To agree to devolve the Hollycroft Field site, including play space to East Chiltington Parish Council on the basis that the whole of the site including grass verges will be transferred, subject to due diligence and associated matters on the part of the Parish Council and agreement on the future maintenance of the site.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Regeneration and Planning to note progress and consider recommendations from Devolution Committee regarding the next steps in the process for devolution of open spaces.

In response to a question from Councillor Nicholson, the Assistant Director for Legal and Democratic Services advised that officer recommendation 3 was site specific and an exception to the typical overage rules that would apply to future applications.

The Cabinet were given a verbal update on Valley Road Play Area and East Side Recreation Ground. They were advised that the transfer of Valley Road Play Area had been completed and the transfer of East Side Recreation Ground was imminent.

The Cabinet agreed a slight revision to officer recommendation 5 to reflect the whole Hollycroft Field site and this was detailed below.

Councillor Smith stated the importance of monitoring costs to the Council for future devolutions.

Visiting member, Councillor Chartier declared an interest in this item as a Lewes Town Councillor.

Resolved (Key decision):

(1) To agree to enter into a lease/management arrangement for Riverside Country Park with Newhaven Town Council on terms to be agreed and to be reported to Cabinet before completion of that lease/management agreement.

(2) To agree to amend the existing boundary line at Lewes Road Recreation Ground, Newhaven to reflect the boundary of the previous landfill site to enable devolution of the Lewes Road Recreation Ground to Newhaven Town Council

(3) To agree to vary the standard form of overage provision to allow a specific development, commensurate with the use of the site, to take place at Lewes Road Recreation Ground, Newhaven.

(4) To agree in principle the devolution to Lewes Town Council of Mountfield Road Pleasure Ground and and Stanley Turner Recreation Ground, subject to:

(i) exploring with the Charity Commission the substitution of Lewes Town Council as sole charitable trustee in place of Lewes District Council

(ii) consideration of the future management arrangements of the car park at Mountfield Road.

(iii) officers reporting back to Cabinet for final agreement on final terms of devolution.

(5) To agree to devolve Hollycroft Field site, including play space to East Chiltington Parish Council on the basis that the whole of the site including grass verges will be transferred, subject to due diligence and associated matters on the part of the Parish Council and agreement on the future maintenance of the site

Reason for decisions:

To further progress the devolution of open spaces to Town and Parish Councils.