Agenda item

To report any changes to the membership.

Minutes of a meeting of the Cabinet CIL Committee held on Monday 25 January  2021, this meeting was held virtually.

1                Membership

1.1       It was noted that Councillor Smith was no longer a member of the Cabinet CIL Committee and was replaced by Councillor Swaddle.

2                Declarations of Interests

2.1       Councillor Swaddle advised that as a member for the Regents Park ward, he declared interest in the Carbon Offset Section 106 bids vii) ZSL London Zoo.  However, this did not prevent him from voting on the matter.

2.2       Councillor Caplan advised that as a member for the Little Venice ward, he declared and interest in the CIL bid for allocation i) Blomfield Road Public Realm. However, this did not prevent him from voting on the matter.

3.3       Councillor Green advised that as a member for the Little Venice ward, he declared and interest in the CIL bid for allocation i) Blomfield Road Public Realm. However, this did not prevent him from voting on the matter.  Councillor Green advised that listed within his gifts and hospitality was a gift registered from the Soho Business association which is involved in the application v)  Digital Waste Infrastructure for Soho.

3                Minutes

3.1       RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2020 were approved.

4                Westminster Community infrastructure levy- Project Allocations (Q4)

4.1       On the Blomfield Road Public Realm, Councillor Caplan advised that this had been a project that the Paddington Waterways and Maida Vale Society had been discussing for some time, and the site had seen many vehicle accidents.  Councillor Caplan felt that there were still some design details to be agreed and that costs were subject to the future design.  The Committee members welcomed the scheme put forward by the neighbourhood forum.  Mr Mistry confirmed that the costs were an upper tier estimate and was subject to changes once the initial scoping of the design had been conducted.

4.2       With regard to the External Play Area for College Park School, Councillor Green advised that he welcomed the scheme and that the council should be doing all that it could to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.  Councillor Caplan agreed and advised that it was an important project for the borough.  The Committee welcomed the Air Quality and Traffic Monitoring in Soho project.  Councillor Swaddle requested that consideration be given to integrating the air quality monitoring with the council’s wider Smart City project, for sharing data for an integrated solution that could work for the long term.  Councillor Caplan expected that the dates were flexible in order to reflect Covid and post Covid, i.e. data collect was a true reflection of traffic in the area.

4.3       On the Digital Waste Infrastructure for Soho bid, Councillor Caplan advised that waste consolidation was a huge priority for the council, and he supported the project.  Councillor Swaddle and Councillor Green also supported the project and looked forward to seeing the results.  The Committee members welcomed the Greening and Landscaping Scoping for Soho and the feasibility approach adopted.

4.4       When discussing the Energy metering, monitoring, and targeting improvements at ZSL London Zoo, the Committee members all agreed that reducing Carbon emissions was a key priority for the council.  The Committee members all agreed that it was a good project and an opportunity to improve energy consumption.  It was agreed that a final report of outcome and/or savings are reported to the council at the end of the London Zoo project as evidence of outcomes and use of funds.   The Committee noted that the Carbon Offset: Studies for Westminster Schools Carbon and the Carbon Offset: Low Carbon Streets bid were deferred.

4.5       The Committee members welcomed the Carbon Offset: Solar Panels and Batteries for Schools.  Councillor Green advised that it was crucial to support decarbonisation in order to deliver the councils objectives.  Councillor Caplan advised that if there was significant change, due to the planning process that the bid should return to the Cabinet CIL Committee.  The Committee members all agreed that if any of the schools failed to obtain planning permission, the bid would need to come back before the Cabinet CIL Committee.

4.6       RESOLVED:

Westminster Community Infrastructure Levy – Project Allocations (Q4)

The Committee approved following Neighbourhood CIL bids for allocation:

i)                Blomfield Road Public Realm

ii)               External Play Area for College Park School

iii)              Air Quality and Traffic Monitoring in Soho

iv)             Soho Parish School Gates Replacement

v)               Digital Waste Infrastructure for Soho

vi)             Greening and Landscaping Scoping for Soho

To approve the following Carbon Offset Section 106 bids:

vii)            Energy metering, monitoring, and targeting improvements at ZSL London Zoo

viii)           Westminster Carbon Reduction Targets: Solar Panels and Batteries for Schools (in principle)

The Committee noted the neighbourhood portion of CIL received to date.

5                Any Other Business

5.1       There was no other business discussed.

The meeting ended at 7.38 pm