Councillor Luxton chaired the Panel.

Councillor Luxton welcomed all to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Clark and Cox.  Councillor Story was substituting at the Panel.

Councillor Luxton declared a personal interest as she was a Trustee of Charter Leisure Centre.

Councillor Sharpe declared  a personal  interest as his wife was the Chairman at Sunninghill and Ascot Parish Council.

Councillor Story  declared a personal interest as his wife was an employee in the Museum, Arts and Local Studies team.

To Consider and Approve the minutes from 13 November 2018.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: The minutes of the meeting on 13 November 2018  to be a true and accurate record.

Julian Bullen to provide an update on the Braywick Leisure Centre.

Julian Bullen updated the Panel with the work being carried out at Braywick Leisure Centre site.

Points discussed included:

·         In March 2019, 240 car parking spaces would be handed over. The current set up on the site would be relocated to another area of the site, ready for hand over.

·         To date, the site had had 5000 lorry deliveries, 6000 litres of concrete poured into the site.

·         The road system had worked really well with no disruptions or complaints.

·         The wheel washing and street cleaning vehicles had not created any nuisance.

·         There had been no issues with traffic or dirt on highways.

·         The foundation work was now complete

·         The drainage work was all complete.

·         The swimming pool walls were up and the framing steels were due to arrive soon to be placed.

·         The completion was due in the summer 2020.

·         The process of procuring the leisure contract as the certainty was required.

·         The process included the demolition of the Magnet first and then the Braywick Leisure Centre would follow.

·         The link to the live webcam at Braywick Leisure Centre was www.lobstervision.tv/BraywickLeisureCentre

·         Kevin Mist was working closely with Parkwood Leisure in a generic way as a leisure contractor’s input was required.

·         There was no piling as all the groundwork had been completed. The ground under the sports hall and the swimming pool was 3-4 metres down and this had been determined because of the archaeological site.

·         The recent bad weather was discussed but Julian Bullen informed the Panel that the contractor had already allowed for the weather as the likely weather for the last ten years in this area would have been considered and allowed for.

·         Extra Communications was required to clarify that the sports hall could be used as a theatre, it had dual usage. It was not only used as a theatre. It would be useful to speak with the Maidenhead Theatre Company.

ACTION: Provide Councillor Stretton the specifications of the sports hall.

ACTION: Communications on multi use sports hall.

ACTION: Send out live link to the Braywick Leisure Centre.

Kevin Mist to provide an update on the Oaks Leisure Centre.

Kevin Mist, Community Project Lead, updated the Panel on the Oaks Leisure Centre progress. The project was very similar to the Braywick Leisure Centre. Work was being carried out to submit a planning application on Monday 4 February 2019 and hopefully go to Planning Panel in late May 2019.

Since the last Panel, some aspects had been altered like the outside surface which the Panel thought looked very nice and Kevin Mist confirmed was cheaper. The height of the proposed building had also been reduced by 0.9m, which was also a cost saving. The mass of the building had therefore reduced which was one of the recommendations from the planners and the bottom of the external surface would be frosted and etched with the name.

Other points discussed by the Panel included:

·         Some modern covering for the windows was required. The Panel suggested blinds or lighting and suggested steering away from curtains.

·         The swimming pool would be 25metres with six lanes and a changing village with wet and dry areas. There would be disabled access, a wheelchair access lift into the pool and also stairs.

·         There was a changing place facility.

·         There would be two changing rooms at the rear for children.

·         There would be a set of dry changing rooms on the first floor too.

·         Lighting on top of the pool was still being considered.

·         The layout of car parking had changed to include the additional car parking.

·         It would be most productive to get through the groundwork in the school holidays as there would be fewer disturbances.

·         Once the work had begun, it would take approximately 70-80 weeks to completion. The earliest date that residents would be able to use the facility would be summer 2021.

·         The Panel commented that there would be two major projects completing around the same time, Heatherwood Hospital and Oaks Leisure Centre.

·         A lot of work was currently being carried out with Parkwood Leisure, the current operators, to look after the current site.

·         The swimming pool, dance studio, spinning studio and gym would be accessible by residents at all times. Discussions would take place between the school, RBWM and Parkwood Leisure on an exchange programme between the sports hall and the swimming pool.

·         Councillor Luxton highlighted that residents would be given maximum use.

·         Councillor Stretton requested further information about the funding and was informed by Kevin Mist that the current funding was enough to take the project to Riba Stage 3, to the planning application and a little further. Thereafter, a future capital budget would go to Council to be approved by the end of June 2019. If this was not approved, no further work would be carried out. The cost of the project was £14.2 million.

To comment and agree recommendations as set out in the Cabinet report.

Andy Jeffs, Executive Director, went through the Budget Report and highlighted everything that was in the remit of the Culture and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel, The Panel was asked to note the contents of the report and make recommendations to Cabinet.

Councillor Stretton asked questions on the growth summary, housing and the overspend last year, the £34 million subsidy for work and pensions, the breakdown of the library services and loss in café income, enforcement, *Norden Farm and the SLA, *Maidenhead Local Plans site works, disable facilities grant, Braywick Park pitch improvements and S106 monies, Delivering differently, *Desborough Theatre improvements and what the £8K would provide.

ACTION: Andy Jeffs to provide further information to Councillor Stretton on the asterisked points above.

CCOSP noted the Budget Report and approved the recommendations in their remit.

Councillor Claire Stretton abstained as she did not agree with the recommendation that the Cabinet noted the report and approved the recommendations. Councillor Stretton commented that Cabinet should only be noted and recommending to Council to Approve the report and all its recommendations.

Panel to discuss and amend the work programme if necessary.

The Panel agreed to remove Councillor Sharpe’s suggestion about Ascot High Street as it was too early.

Kevin Mist suggested adding an Annual Report from Parkwood Leisure.

Andy Jeffs suggested that the Panel could see the new container library at the next meeting.

Councillor Stretton commented that she felt that reports came to the Panel far too late in the process and were therefore not scrutinised properly. Councillor Stretton suggested that the Panel be proactive and not reactive.

Panel Members to note the dates of future meetings:

Tuesday 19 February 2019

Monday 15 April 2019

The dates of future meetings on 19 February and 15 April 2019 were noted by Panel Members.

To consider passing the following resolution:-

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting whilst discussion takes place on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1-7 of part I of Schedule 12A of the Act".

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting whilst discussion takes place on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1-7 of part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Panel considered and noted the Part II appendix to the Budget Report 2019/20.

To consider the report and make recommendations to Cabinet.