Issue - meetings

Appendix 3 to the report is exempt from publication as it contains commercially confidential information (exempt under paragraph 3, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended)).

The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration presented a report on the proposed delivery of a Health and Wellbeing Hub in the Barking Riverside area.

The Cabinet Member advised that Barking Riverside had been identified as one of the NHS’s Healthy New Towns, showcasing how new development could embed improved health and wellbeing from the outset, as well as being a key feature of the Council’s aspirations to create a District Centre in the locality.  The new Hub would combine a new leisure centre with pool together with health and community facilities to encourage physical activity, social interaction with others and healthy living.  The New Model of Care would see statutory and community partners working together to empower residents and facilitate activation of the Barking Riverside community by ensuring that services were accessible and appropriate for maximising health outcomes for all residents.

The Cabinet Member referred to the Section 106 Agreement which formed part of Barking Riverside Limited’s (BRL) outline planning approval for the area and the further feasibility work that had been undertaken by BRL, in consultation with the Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), to develop the plans for the area.  As a combined leisure, health and community facility was not originally envisaged, it was noted that it would be necessary to vary the current Section 106 Agreement with BRL to enable the plans to be progressed.  The feasibility work had also identified a preferred option whereby the Council would lead on the delivery, financing and management of the Hub, which would include borrowing via the General Fund and recouping the projected funding gap, after receipt of the BRL contribution of circa £22.25m, via rental income.  It was further noted that the Council’s leisure service provider, Everyone Active, would manage the leisure element of the Hub.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the development by the Council of the Barking Riverside Health and Wellbeing Hub on the terms set out in the report, which include the Council taking a long leasehold interest of the site shown edged red in Appendix 1 to the report at nil cost and entering into a Land and Works agreement with Barking Riverside Limited for the development;

(ii)  Approve the borrowing of up to £39.95m within the General Fund, subject to satisfactory due diligence and receiving confirmation of BRL’s contribution of £22.253m, as detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report, being paid to the Council on Practical Completion;

(iii)  Support the proposed variation of the current Section 106 Agreement with relevant parties in respect of the Barking Riverside Development to reflect the changing circumstances and delivery of the Health and Wellbeing Hub, which shall be subject to the necessary approvals via the planning regime; and

(iv)  Delegate authority to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Strategic Director, Law and Governance, to agree and execute any agreements and contract documents to fully implement the project.