Agenda item

For Members to consider any petitions with more than 200 signatures on which a debate has been requested, in accordance with the Council’s Petition Rules and Standing Order 66.

NOTED the petition presented at the meeting by Tariq Abdul, objecting to the proposed redevelopment plans for St Raphael’s Estate and supporting, as an alternative to redevelopment, a scheme involving refurbishment and infill with limited new build.

In response to the petition, Councillor Southwood, as Lead Member for Housing & Welfare Reform outlined the consultation process the Council had undertaken with local residents and community organisations to date and reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to community-led development.  Given the technical difficulties experienced by the petitioner being able to connect to the meeting an offer was made to liaise further regarding the response provided following the meeting.

Following on from his announcements, the Mayor referred members to the list of petitions which had been tabled at the meeting.  The list included details of a petition relating to the regeneration of St. Raphael’s Estate which due to the number of signatures the Mayor advised he had agreed, in accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme, to be presented at the meeting.

The Mayor advised that unless otherwise indicated by members, he intended to allow the representative nominated by the lead petitioner up to five minutes to present the petition.  He would then allow Councillor Southwood, as Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, up to two minutes to respond to the petition.

The Mayor then welcomed Tariq Abdul to the meeting, as representative of the lead petitioner, and invited him to present the petition.

Due to technical difficulties experienced by Mr Abdul in being able to connect to the meeting remotely he was unable to fully present the petition.  Members were able to note, however, that the petition was objecting to the proposed redevelopment plans for St Raphael’s Estate and supporting, as an alternative to redevelopment, a scheme involving refurbishment and infill with limited new build.  Given that no written statement had been provided by the lead petitioner for reference in case of technical difficulties and the petition had been referred to the Lead Member for Housing & Welfare Reform and Strategic Director of Community Wellbeing the Mayor (having provided an opportunity for the connection to be re-established) advised that he would need to proceed, given the remaining business on the agenda.

On the above basis the Mayor, having noted receipt of the petition, advised that he would be willing to provide Councillor Southwood, as Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, with the opportunity to respond to the petition for the benefit of any residents following the meeting via the webcast.

In responding to the petition, Councillor Southwood advised that the Council had first been made aware of the petition prior to work on the master planning process with the local community having begun.  The process since then had involved a series of resident events and workshops through which the redevelopment plans had been developed in consultation with the local community.  Members were also advised of the work undertaken to support this process with the Resident Board in order to secure resident input at each stage of the process.  The master plan process had therefore evolved through resident input and with each stage subject to detailed local communication.

Whilst building affordable housing was a key objective for the Council, Councillor Southwood reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to community-led development and was also keen to point out that this provision needed to be in the interests of both current and future residents and members of the local community.  In concluding her response, Councillor Southwood highlighted that it would ultimately be the residents of St Raphael’s estate who had the opportunity to decide whether and how any scheme was progressed in the form of a resident ballot.

Recognising the technical difficulties experienced, Councillor Southwood ended by offering to liaise direct with the lead petitioners on her response and the way forward, should they wish to do so following the meeting.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Southwood for her response and advised that as this now concluded consideration of the petition he would move on to the next item.