To receive any questions submitted from Members of the Council in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rules 30 and 30A.

Miss Jones

My question concerns the St. George’s Barracks working groups that have been created to look at issues around transport, employment and design. I understand these groups are comprised mainly of members of the St. George’s Barracks Advisory Group. Whilst I recognise the importance of the advisory group and the vital consultative role it plays in including parish councillors in the decision-making processes going forward. I question the validity of restricting membership of these working groups to representatives of the advisory group.

How is RCC going to ensure diversity of input and are there any plans to include representatives from all socio-economic groups and a younger demographic going forward - particularly given that part of the aim is to provide housing and employment for young people?

Response provided by Mr Hemsley (Portfolio Holder for One Public Estate):

It’s helpful to have an opportunity to update Members on the ongoing work on the St George’s Project. The project board now actually has approved five sub-groups, all with agreed Terms of Reference including membership and advisors to those groups covering the following areas: Design, employment, lifelong learning, health & dementia friendly, highways & transportation.

The sub-groups are intended to be working groups and as such it is important that each of these groups does not become too large, clearly it is also important that the sub-groups have the ability to seek advice beyond its membership. As an example, when reviewing the terms of reference for the health & dementia sub-group at the most recent board it was agreed that it was essential that the Rutland Access Group were invited at the appropriate time to advise and engage with the process.

For each of the sub-groups and indeed the overall projects it is anticipated that there will be key stages where wider consultation and engagement will be essential, some of this may be through focus groups targeted at for example young people and families etc. Young people and their families are our future and we will continue to work hard to engage and consult with them on the St George’s Project. We will do this in an accessible way that will encourage the widest possible involvement.

Of course, as the project progresses there will be statutory consultations through the planning process and as well the opportunity for the Growth, Infrastructure and Resources Scrutiny Committee to consider the work that has been undertaken. In relation to the advisory group, this group was established in 2018 and includes representatives from the surrounding Parish Councils and Parish Meeting in Normanton. It also includes two Market Towns and Ward Members from Normanton and the immediate surrounding wards as members of this group.

There are still some vacancies on the sub-groups as nominations have not been forthcoming from the advisory group and particular from the Parish Councils as they feel it is premature at this time to be involved in this work. As we have said at some stage, there will be a development on this brownfield site and the more control that the County has over that development the better for everyone.

If a member wishes to put their name forward to join a sub-group where a vacancy exists then I’m happy to put that to the project board for consideration. This is of course subject to retaining the agreed structure of the original sub-groups and retaining vacancies for the representatives from Parish Councils through the advisory group.