Issue - meetings

To seek approvals for public realm improvements to the Millennium Square, Walton-on-the-Naze including funding from the Business Investment and Growth Budget.

That Cabinet notes the contents of the report and –

a)       approves the principle of public realm improvements to the Millennium Square Walton-on-the-Naze, as outlined in Appendix A to item A.7 of the Report of the Portfolio Holder for Commercialisation, Seafronts and Parking;

b)       authorises the seeking of statutory or other consents and agreements as may be required;

c)       authorises a contribution of £50,000 towards delivery of the proposed scheme to be funded from the Regeneration and Growth budget;.

d)       requests that the Head of Public Realm completes the design and costing of the project; and

e)       authorises the Corporate Director (Operational Services), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Commercialisation, Seafronts and Parking and the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, to invite tenders, enter into contracts or commission works by the Engineering Services Team in order to complete the project within the budget and approvals.

There was submitted a report by the Portfolio Holder for Commercialisation, Seafronts and Parking (Report A.7), which sought Cabinet’s approvals for public realm improvements to the Millennium Square, Walton-on-the-Naze, including funding from the Regeneration and Growth Budget.

Cabinet recalled that the Millennium Square located within the High Street Car Park, Walton-on-the-Naze had been conceived and developed in order to provide a meeting place for visitors to the town centre and a focal point for events. The original design and concept had created a shared area of public space used primarily for car parking, but which could also be used for local events on an ad hoc basis but the reality had been that the result had compromised both and did not perfectly meet either of the Council’s ambitions.

Cabinet was informed that the current proposal to address was:

• An enhanced and more attractive public area designed to encourage increased use of high quality public realm in the heart of the town centre; and

• To provide options for year round outdoor market pitches or other uses of the public area that would also provide more effective year round use of the car parking area.

The specifications for construction, the preferred design and mood board of materials were attached to the report as Appendix A for Cabinet’s consideration.

It was reported that the estimated cost for delivering this project was £90,000. Project costs could be reduced if required, or met as outlined in the financial section of the report.

Having considered the information submitted and the advice of Officers contained within the report:

It was moved by Councillor Turner, seconded by Councillor G V Guglielmi and:

RESOLVED that Cabinet notes the contents of the report and –

a)         approves the principle of public realm improvements to the Millennium Square Walton-on-the-Naze, as outlined in Appendix A to item A.7 of the Report of the Portfolio Holder for Commercialisation, Seafronts and Parking;

b)         authorises the seeking of statutory or other consents and agreements as may be required;

c)         authorises a contribution of £50,000 towards delivery of the proposed scheme to be funded from the Regeneration and Growth budget;.

d)         requests that the Head of Public Realm completes the design and costing of the project; and

e)         authorises the Corporate Director (Operational Services), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Commercialisation, Seafronts and Parking and the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, to invite tenders, enter into contracts or commission works by the Engineering Services Team in order to complete the project within the budget and approvals.