Agenda item - Public Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by members of the public:

Petitions: to receive any petitions presented to the full council or

(a)      at the meeting itself;

(b)      Written Questions: to receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 18 January 2019;

(c)      Deputations: to receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 18 January 2019.

105 (a) Petitions

105.1    There were none

105 (b) Written Questions

105.2    One question was received.

105.3    Mr C Harrison asked the following question:

I refer to the BHHC Report on Agenda Item 114Page 160, Item 3.22 refers to the provision of a Parent Company Guarantee (PCG) from Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd’s Parent Company. In view of the complexity and size of the project, the number of stakeholders, the challenging timescales, and the current economic climate, has the Project Team considered whether a Performance Bond may be appropriate, in addition to the PCG?

105.4    The Chair gave the following response:

The prospect of a Performance Bond was discussed during legal and commercial negotiations, but is not something that the developer offered. A Performance Bond would bring additional cost, which would further impact the viability of the scheme. The Council concluded that to impose a performance bond on a major PLC developer, which had been through a public procurement process, would be unusual and that the package of security measures (i.e. PLC guarantee, indemnity on the HIF funding (albeit relying on the PLC), £7m of the BHCC funding being held back until the HIF sums have been spent, and finally a restriction on sale of the final 84 private units) provided sufficient confidence and security. At the point of entering into contract, the Council will again satisfy itself of the financial strength and resilience of Crest Nicholson

105.5    Mr Harrison asked the following supplementary question:

How is risk management being dealt with on this project, were there a risk workshop meetings, a risk register indicating the impact and likelihood of each risk and stating who owns them and how they may be mitigated?

105.6    The Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture gave the following response:

              The risks on the project were managed by an officer run project board, and there was external advice and support provided through Deloitte who advised on financial and commercial aspects of the project. The project is reported to a Strategic Delivery Board, which is cross party and Chaired by the Leader of the Council. Final decisions would come to this committee, and so there are robust governance arrangements in place.

105 (c) Deputations

105.7    There were none