The Council has decided to establish a Task and Finish Group to investigate Private Management Companies operating Public Open Spaces, Flood Alleviation Schemes, and Estate Roads.

URL: https://democracy.stratford.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=4020

Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose:

Content: Councillor Cowcher – Deputy Leader – Planning and Economic Development Portfolio   Consideration was given to a response to a Notice of Motion presented to Council on 14 April 2025, regarding Private Management Companies Operating Public Open Spaces, Flood Alleviation Schemes, and Estate Roads.   The Motion called upon the Council to establish a Task and Finish Group (T&FG), under the auspices of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC), with membership not limited to members of the OSC. The T&FG would be tasked with reviewing current practice of public assets run by private companies and consider the possibility of them being managed more effectively. The T&FG was to report back to the OSC within three months of being established, and onto Council at the conclusion of its work.   In receiving the report, The Cabinet noted that this issue had been raised by the Competition and Markets Authority and directed to Parliament, with a view to requesting a change in legislation, however no time frame had been agreed. It was also reiterated that there was currently no avenue available to modify those provisions already in place. Supplementary Planning Guidance had been produced to encourage developers to offer open space to the relevant Town/Parish, or District Council.   The options available to The Cabinet were to support the recommendation, support the recommendation but amend the scope of the Task and Finish Group, or not support the recommendation.   During the discussion, in regard to 1.3.1 (6) of the agenda report, it was agreed that this would be a lower priority than the other areas of the scope, due to the significant work required to compile this record.   At this point, the Head of Development advised The Cabinet that there was a minor amendment to point 5.1.1 of the agenda report, to change ‘agreements’ to read ‘applications’.   Councillor Crump, Chair of the OSC, provided feedback from the meeting of the OSC held on 2 July 2025 and noted that the focus of the T&FG should be fact finding in order to provide evidence to support a wider, national political debate on the issue. Members had noted the scale of this work, the subsequent demand on officer resource and the potential difficulty in meeting the proposed three-month deadline, however, did anticipate that as a minimum, an interim report would be available within the three month timeframe.   Following which, it was            RECOMMENDED to Council:   (1)  That a Task and Finish Group be established by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to investigate, report and identify solutions in respect of Private Management Companies operating Public Open Spaces, Flood Alleviation Schemes, and Estate Roads across the District, with 1.3.1 (6) of the remit, as detailed within the agenda report, being a lower priority to enable focus on the other areas within the initial scope; and   (2)  That the Notice of Motion, as amended, be supported.   Note: This item is not subject to call-in as it is a recommendation to Council

Date of Decision: July 7, 2025