Issue - meetings

To receive the report of the Leader

RESOLVED

(i)         That the “Horsham District Deal” be endorsed, so that it can be signed off by the Leaders of Horsham District Council and West Sussex County Council respectively.

(ii)        That the Leader of the Council be authorised to approve minor editorial changes prior to publication.

REASONS

(i)         The agreement between Horsham District Council and West Sussex County Council will ensure that both Councils fully understand and support growth priorities for Horsham as identified in the Deal.

(ii)        To give the Leader of the Council delegated authority to approve minor changes to the document, without the need for it to be referred back to Cabinet.

The Leader reported that, in 2015, West Sussex County Council worked with the Boroughs and Districts of West Sussex to identify key issues and priorities in relation to planned growth and development within their boundaries over the coming years.  A “Place Plan” had been produced containing demographic and socio-economic information; details of planned housing and economic growth; and planning/economic priorities.  The Place Plans supported prioritisation of investment and lobbying to attempt to secure additional funding for infrastructure.

Cabinet subsequently endorsed the “Horsham Place Plan”, which identified the key issues and priorities for Horsham District (Minute No, EX/40 (28.1.16) refers).

The “Horsham District Deal” was a proposed agreement between Horsham District Council and West Sussex County Council to formalise the priorities identified in the “Horsham Place Plan” and to work together to deliver these key projects, including the provision of new homes, employment floorspace and new infrastructure.  The four key priorities/projects for the District were:

·         West of Horsham and North of Horsham Infrastructure Provision

·         Horsham Town Centre- Delivery of a new Town Centre Vision

·         Hurst Road – rationalisation of the public estate (West Sussex County Council had forwarded this Council its share of the total funding received from Government following a successful joint bid from both Councils to the Government’s “One Public Estate Programme phase 6” (£60,000 out of a total of £100,000) to progress the Development Brief for Hurst Road)

·         Former Novartis Site, Horsham Town – redevelopment of the site.

Cabinet’s approval of the “Horsham District Deal” was therefore sought.

RESOLVED

(i)         That the “Horsham District Deal” be endorsed, so that it can be signed off by the Leaders of Horsham District Council and West Sussex County Council respectively.

(ii)        That the Leader of the Council be authorised to approve minor editorial changes prior to publication.

REASONS

(i)         The agreement between Horsham District Council and West Sussex County Council will ensure that both Councils fully understand and support growth priorities for Horsham as identified in the Deal.

(ii)        To give the Leader of the Council delegated authority to approve minor changes to the document, without the need for it to be referred back to Cabinet.