Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Monday, 16 July 2007

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:-

1. Apologies for Absence:

2. Minutes: 18 June 2007

3. Urgent Business (if any): To be accepted at the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting.

4. Exclusion of the Public (if any) : The Committee is asked to consider whether by resolution to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the item of business marked with an 'E' reference because of the possibility of the disclosure of exempt information. A draft resolution is attached for use by the Committee if it so wishes.

Open Items

5. Whipping declarations:

6. Questions (if any) on the business of the Cabinet: Recommendation from Cabinet in relation to Minute 63 as set out below:-

63. Wigan Pier Quarter – performance venue and Trencherfield Mill (minute 140 of August 2006 refers): The Cabinet considered a report and forms CPR1 on the options available, within the budget that had been set, for the development of Trencherfield Mill and the creation of a performance venue in Wigan .

The Chief Executive reported that, at its last meeting, (minute 16 refers), the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had decided as follows:-

Resolved: After listening to evidence from the stakeholders and officers, this Committee requests Cabinet to consider the following points:-

• the disappointment at the un-kept promise of a performance space at Wigan Pier;
• a suitable performance space for amateur groups is essential;
• the problems associated with the shared use of the Linacre Theatre; and
• ensure that all options are further investigated to meet the needs of all users as far as possible.

In addition, she submitted papers from stakeholders that had been considered by the Committee at the time of the decision.

The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was to meet the Cabinet’s requirements in relation to budget and functions.

The Cabinet appreciated that the development of cultural attractions within Wigan Pier was a complex project due to the range of grant programmes supporting the area’s regeneration, the demands of working with a listed building in a unique setting, and the differing needs and demands of people who had been engaged in the project over the last few years. At present, only one option (developing an Arts and Heritage Learning Centre within Trencherfield Mill together with the refurbishment of the Linacre Theatre) could be delivered within budget, on time, and balancing the competing demands on all of the Council’s cultural aspirations and was therefore the most effective solution that would deliver sustainable benefits for the future of the Borough.

Resolved: The Cabinet:-

• approves the proposed development of an Arts and Heritage Learning Centre at Trencherfield Mill and the development of the Linacre Theatre at Wigan and Leigh College;
• approves budget release as set out below and amends the capital programme accordingly:-

• authorises the Officers to complete the development of (and submission to Cabinet for approval) a robust business case for these developments including detailed design, feasibility and costs; appropriate management and operational arrangements; partnership arrangements with Wigan and Leigh College; whole life costs and an investment appraisal;
• authorises the Officers to appoint Austin Smith Lord (Arts and Heritage Learning Centre) and Tim Foster (Linacre Theatre) to undertake the detailed design and feasibility work;
• authorises the Officers to discuss the proposals for an Arts and Heritage Learning Centre in Trencherfield Mill and the possible overage from the workplace/office developments with Government Office to ensure that they do not affect the conditions of grant aid secured for the Pier Quarter development;
• authorises the Officers to proceed with the temporary storage solutions and associated costs to enable The Way We Were to be closed and decommissioned and the machinery hall to be refurbished, and to bring forward sustainable longer term solutions for Cabinet approval at a later date;
• authorises the Officers to work with Wigan and Leigh College to procure the most cost effective route to refurbish the Linacre Theatre; and thanks the Officers for the comprehensive report submitted and for the work involved in its production.

7. Select Committee minutes: No 3 – 2 July 2007 (.pdf, 15kb) enclosed.

8. Annual Report of Wigan Council’s Health Select Committee 2007/08 (.pdf, 349kb) : Report of the Deputy Chief Executive enclosed.

9. Call ins (if any):

Closed Items

E.1 Call ins (if any): details to follow.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC - SECTION 100A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972: Resolved: The public is excluded from the meeting during the items of business specified below as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during these items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified:-