170 new homes along with a shopping parade planned in Middlesbrough
Council leaders have approved the disposal of land at Hemlington Grange West to make way for for 170 new homes and a shopping parade.
The council-owned site was originally envisaged for local business use but the outcome of a review indicated there was no demand in that location. A report to the Executive, which met to discuss the move on Wednesday, said the sale would help meet Middlesbrough’s housing needs while supporting economic growth.
Assuming an average council tax rating of band C, it would bring in around £358,000 each year for the cash-strapped local authority. Executive member for finance and governance, Cllr Nicky Walker said, as a councillor for the adjoining ward of Hemlington, she was concerned about the potential impact of a new shopping parade on existing shops in the surrounding area, which she said are already “struggling”.
In response, Cllr Theo Furness, Executive member for regeneration said: “The Hemlington Grange South site is being built on and there’s further building in the local plan. It’s going to be a huge centre of the population and there will be a lot of people living there and I feel a more convenient shopping centre for people for those people living close by is beneficial to that area.
“There might be a bit of spill over where people on the Stainton side of your ward might go to that shopping parade… but I think to not provide an area for shops in a large new developing area would not be the best idea.” The Executive agreed to approve the disposal of the land and investigation works and public consultation will now take place prior to submission of an outline planning permission.
At the same meeting on Wednesday, members of the Executive, which consists of the Mayor of Middlesbrough Chris Cooke and Labour councillors, heard details of the third progress report from the Middlesbrough Independent Improvement Advisory Board. The board is providing oversight and challenge in the council’s culture transformation and financial recovery programme.
Board member Mark Edgell said there was evidence of “significant” progress around cultural change, improved member behaviour and cross party relationships. “We don’t have complete confidence that these changes are embedded and we do know you can and should go further but the steps you have taken are positive and you are to be congratulated,” he said.
“Not just because he’s chairing this meeting, but we do feel the mayor himself has led a lot of this with his open and engaging style. What we have seen is good cross-party working and a reduction in complaints about member from members.”
Sitting in the audience of the meeting, Cllr Jim Platt, Kader ward councillor from the MICA group, asked: “I just wondered how you came to the conclusion that cross-party relationships are good because if you look around the table here everyone on this table comes from one party and the other parties are 43 per cent of the council.” Mr Edgell replied: “This is a normal arrangement of a normal council that the group with the largest number of councillors will form the Executive, will form the Cabinet.
“That’s the way that normal councils work. At the previous council there was no outright control, so it’s quite normal for there to be a mixed Executive or a mixed Cabinet.”
He said they have seen a reduction in complaints about councillors, particularly from other members. “We’ve heard and we’ve seen views that behaviours in full council meetings and elsewhere are getting better,” he said.
Cllr Platt said: “Were you at the full council meeting last Wednesday by any chance?” Mr Edgell said: “No, I did look at it briefly online but I wasn’t there.”
As reported, last week’s full council meeting became heated when councillors were restricted from asking supplementary questions to the Mayor Chris Cooke and Executive members. Cllr Luke Mason Cllr Luke Mason, Conservative ward councillor in Coulby Newham described as “a disgrace” after being told the chair’s decision on the matter was final.
Meanwhile, the Executive meeting also heard from Mr Edgell the board’s views on the council’s financial position. The local authority was provided with £13.4m in support from the government as it battles to make savings and put a transformation plan into action.
The challenge of finding savings for £13.9m over the next few months was “huge”, said Mr Edgell, adding: “You need to do it because otherwise you will run out of reserves and you will face a different form of intervention which you don’t want.
“It’s absolutely crucial you meet the budget you have set because if you don’t meet that challenge there will be no financial bailout. The board would urge you to have a laser focus on delivering your financial budget during this financial year.”
Chris Cooke said there was good progress being made but they were “definitely not out of the woods”.