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Saturday 2 September 2017

Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultants' report due to be presented to Reference Group > Thursday 21st September

REFERENCE GROUP MEETINGS:

The Port Royal Scoping Study consultants' report is key to the next steps in 'regenerating' Port Royal:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation update
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation and "independent experts"

The report is due to be presented to the Reference Group, as stated in the notes from the last meeting of the Group:

SIDMOUTH TOWN COUNCIL 
Notes of the meeting of the Port Royal Scoping Study Reference Group 
held at Council Chamber, Woolcombe House, Woolcombe Lane, Sidmouth, 
on Thursday 29 June 2017 

Welcome and Introductions 
The Chairman of the Group, Councillor Jeff Turner, welcomed everyone to the meeting including Ed Heynes the appointed consultant for the Scoping Study. He commented that the consultants had been busy collecting information and researching the scoping area. He added that although only part way through the study, the ongoing public consultation exercise and the recent two public consultation events had been appreciated by those attending with some themes emerging from the views expressed to date.

...

Next steps 
The group noted that the consultation ended on 31 July 2017 and that after that time the consultants would produce a report on their findings. This report would be available to the Reference Group before it was included in reports to both Councils. 

EAST DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL
Search - Reference Group - Sidmouth Town Council
12 July 2017 - Port Royal scoping project consultation still open for comments following successful Kennaway House events - East Devon

It is understood that it is planned to hold the next Reference Group meeting on Thursday 21st September at 7pm

And it is expected that members of the Group will be sent the final report from the consultants by that time.


COUNCIL MEETINGS:

Looking at the timetable:


> Monday 4th September at 6.30pm: Sidmouth Town Council to meet.


Port Royal is not on the agenda:
Agenda_STC-040917.pdf

> However, it is expected to be raised, as the 3Rs campaign group is expected to be present on Monday:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: an alternative view: a new campaign: an online petition > The '3Rs' vision to "retain, refurbish and reuse" > latest campaign news

> Wednesday 6th September at 5.30pm: East Devon District Council's cabinet to meet.

Port Royal is on the agenda (page 12):

5. Port Royal Update: 
Lead/reporting Officer Decision maker: Deputy Chief Executive 
proposed date for decision: Council 25 October 2017 
Other meeting dates where the matter is to be debated / considered: Cabinet 4 October 2017 
Operative Date for decision: 26 October 2017 

060917combinedcabinetagenda_opt.pdf

> It is not exactly clear, however, what 'decision' is to be made, either by the District Council's cabinet on 6th September or 4th October - or by full Council on 25th October - or by someone else on 26th October.

> Monday 2nd October at 6.30pm: Sidmouth Town Council to meet.
The agenda not available as yet.

Wednesday 4th October at 5.30pm: East Devon District Council's cabinet to meet.
The agenda not available as yet.

> Wednesday 25th October at 6.30pm: full East Devon District Council to meet.
The agenda not available as yet.

> The 3Rs campaign group expect to present their petition to full Council then:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: an alternative view: a new campaign: an online petition > The '3Rs' vision to "retain, refurbish and reuse" > latest campaign news

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS > GATEWAYS:

It was made clear in July last year that there would be no going back once 'Gateway One' had been passed through, according to a presentation given to a joint meeting of the Town Council and Neighbourhood Plan steering group:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >>> ‘Scoping Report for the eastern end of Sidmouth’ >>> District Council pushes for "a three month scoping exercise completed mid November" and "a decision on full planning and design approach December 2016"

The final route for making decisions on the Scoping Study were set out the following month:
Terms of Reference - Joint Working Arrangements for the Port Royal Scoping Exercise Project - Sidmouth Town Council and East Devon District Council

And these were approved after some debate at the Town Council in September:

Several questions were raised at the time: 
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >>> Scoping Report and Project Brief >>> questions

- including:

Will the end of the Study mark Gateway One? In which case, as outlined by Officer Alison Hayward at her presentations to the STC and NPSG, will it be impossible to revisit any of the elements of the Study, either quantitatively (“fact”) or qualitatively (“opinion”) – or to reconsider the scope of the Project once Gateway One has been passed?

Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >>> Scoping Report and Project Brief >>> 26 questions

Meanwhile, the SVA has responded to the process more recently:
THE SID VALE ASSOCIATION’S RESPONSE TO THE PORT ROYAL SCOPING STUDY QUESTIONNAIRE | Save Our Sidmouth

We will see what comes out of the Reference Group meeting on 21st September...
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