Agenda and draft minutes

To consider the appointment of a Chair for the duration of the meeting.

08/21 – APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR:  The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Christine Willoughby, was unanimously appointed Chair for the meeting.

(10.30 am)

COUNCILLOR CHRISTINE WILLOUGHBY (THE DEPUTY MAYOR) IN THE CHAIR

09/21 – APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:  An apology for absence had been received from Councillor Sid Hawke.

(10.31 am)

Members to advise of any declarations of interest.

10/21 – DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:  There were no declarations of interest.

(10.31 am)

of the meeting of 23 December 2021.

11/21 – MINUTES: The Minutes of the meeting of the Urgency Committee held on 23 December 2021 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

(Eight Members voted for the motion and there were two abstentions)

(10.32 am)

To determine whether to exclude the press and public during the consideration of any exempt information items.

12/21 – EXEMPT INFORMATION:  Appendix 1 to the report considered at Minute 14/21 was considered to be exempt under paragraph 3 of Schedule 12a to the Local Government Act. Discussion on the item however took place in open session.

 (10.32 am)

To consider any questions under Standing Order 27.

13/21 - PUBLIC ARRANGEMENTS - QUESTIONS:  There were no questions to consider under Standing Order 27.

(10.32 am)

The Executive Officer Strategic Property and Major Projects to submit a written report.

14/21– KIRKBY MALZEARD CHURCH WALL REPAIR: The Executive Officer Strategic Property and Major Projects submitted a written report in relation to works to repair and rebuild a collapsed church wall at Kirkby Malzeard Church.  Approval was sought for additional funding of £491,670 from the Capital and Investment Programme to pay for the works. 

The churchyard wall had collapsed in February 2020, resulting in the closure of the adjacent highway and with the possibility of further collapse.  The responsibility for maintaining the churchyard and wall had transferred to the District Council in 1986 under Section 215 of the Local Government Act 1972.  In introducing the report the Executive Officer outlined the works required to rebuild the collapsed section of wall, and repair the remaining section to ensure there would be no further collapse.

A meeting of the Urgency Committee had been arranged as it had been agreed that the works were urgent and decisions could not wait for the normal governance procedure.  The works needed were scheduled to start in May and complete in September 2022 and could not wait for the following reasons:

1. Whilst the wall was not repaired there was the risk of further collapse, with associated Health and Safety Risks.

2. By doing works to repair the wall over the summer holiday period there would be less disruption to the adjacent primary school.

3. The repair works included the use of lime mortar, this construction method required moderate temperatures to cure so was best done over the summer period.

4. The adjacent road was currently closed as a result of this wall collapse, the sooner the repair works to the wall were complete, the sooner the road could re-open.

The Executive Officer responded to technical questions from Members on the works and confirmed that an experienced civil engineer had been employed to undertake an assessment of the works and design the proposed solution.

The report also sought approval from the Cabinet Member for Resources, Enterprise and Economic Development to award a contract for the works, at a meeting held immediately following the Urgency Committee.  As the Cabinet Member was away from the District the Leader approved the award of contract through the SCAPE framework to Kier as set out at exempt Appendix 1 at a value of £427,653.

RESOLVED:

That funding be approved in the Capital and Investment Programme for this project to the value of £491,670.

(Nine Members voted for the motion and there was one abstention)

(10.33 am – 10.45 am)

(D)