Agenda item

Lend Lease will be attending the meeting to discuss their consultation plans for the Elephant and Castle regeneration scheme. A report updating members on the consultation process for Elephant and Castle regeneration is circulated alongside the Elephant and Castle Consultation Strategy.

The Elephant Amenity Network has also produced a paper, which is also circulated.

5.1  The chair welcomed Rob Deck, Director, Lend Lease and Susie Wilson, Head of Community Engagement, Lend Lease.

5.2  The Director and Head of Community Engagement presented (the slides are attached to the minutes). He started by saying that Lend Lease understands the value of the consultation process; it brings value to the scheme. He explained that Lend Lease is a global developer, and dose not pretend to know the local area. However, he reported, that they do know how to create value.

5.3  The Director spoke about the wider opportunity area and stated that consultation and engagement is as much about research as understanding what makes people tick. The Director explained that when they put in the bid they were required to do a community consultation strategy. The fine detail of this is flexible to allow Lend Lease to respond to events as they unfold. The initial stage was focused on listening and Lend Lease is now about to go into proper consultation. Recent work has been about discussing the area with local groups and understanding what is important. He explained that they wish to hear the views of a good cross section of stakeholders. He reported that a number of important themes are emerging – and detailed these on the slide. 

5.4  The Director indicated that there will be difficult decisions to be made. He then went thorough the time table; indicating that there will be public exhibitions in June & July, November and spring 2012.

5.5  A member asked about the Forum. The Director said they were keen to broaden this out; it was not a decision making body. Its role was to send information to the management group and share information. The membership included public, private and voluntary representatives. The Forum will provide quality presentations and allow specific feedback at the right time. It will be convened as necessary. Lend Lease officers explained that they wished the Forum to be open, accessible and contain challenging voices. It was reported that the Forum will first meeting on 21 May and Cllr Colley will chair the first meeting.

5.6  Lend Lease ended their presentation by stating that they would be happy to feedback in a couple of months time to this scrutiny committee on progress.

5.7  The chair invited questions from members and there was a comment that many of the consultation methods outlined, such as attending a Forum or visiting a public exhibition, are about the public coming to you. Members asked Lend Lease what they are doing to reach people outside of these activities and how are you ensuring that information is accessible? Lend Lease officers replied that they have been talking to hard to reach groups, including faith, youth and older peoples’ organisations.

5.8  A member commented that people are keen to see development. Gaining trust is very important; alongside grabbing peoples’ imagination. The member suggested this could be done by the Town Hall square. The Director acknowledged that the scheme has had some false starts. He explained the whole scheme is due to be delivered over 15 years He added there will be challenges and dissenting voices  and one of the challenges  is maintaining visibility. He cautioned that Lend Lease have to be somewhat careful about promises. He commented that a recent visit to the Community Council had been helpful with around 100 people contributing.

5.9  The chair invited representatives of the Elephant Amenity Network to present. Representatives began by explaining that their group is an umbrella for many smaller local groups. They reported that they viewed their relationship with Lend Lease positively. There had been recent meetings and walkabouts and they hoped this would continue.

5.10   Representatives went on the recommend improvements in the variety of opportunities to participate and said that they thought focus groups, visioning workshops and activities such as Planning for Real exercises would improve the engagement work, emphasising that they would like more participatory opportunities. Representatives also said that barriers to involvement had not been spelt out as much as they could have been. 

5.11  They also commented that the Forum’s role had not been fully explored in the strategy; they would like to see the terms of reference and understand how the chair or facilitator will be chosen. And they would they would like more explanation of the governance and accountability of the management group. Elephant Amenity Network representatives also said that they would like Lend Lease to be clearer about the constraints; for example massing and financing.

5.12  Cllr Colley, Cabinet member for regeneration and corporate strategy, explained that she would chair the Forum and the terms of reference will be discussed at the first meeting. It was explained that the management group will be made up of two Lend Lease representatives; Southwark officers, Steven Platts (head of property) and Eleanor Kelly (deputy chief executive); and Cllr Colley. This group will be accountable to scrutiny, the public and the wider Lend Lease Forum.

5.13  The Lend Lease officers agreed that understanding constraints would be good and acknowledged that they cannot make assumptions about knowledge. The Director went on to say that he was pleased that Elephant Amenity Network is viewing their relationship positively, however at the same time Lend Lease has to ensure that they are not just listening to one group. Lend Lease emphasised that they have to ensure that they listen to a representative cross section of the population and a variety of stakeholders.

5.14  Simon Bevan, head of planning and transport, commented that Lend Lease will consult as the developer, and, once a planning application has been submitted, the council will consult as the local authority.

RESOLVED

The chair summed up by advising Lend Lease:

• It is very important that they engage with hard to reach groups, and these can just be very busy people.

•  That the website to kept up to date with accurate information.

 The chair recommended that Lend Lease be invited back once the wider Forum has met a couple of times and also once the planning process is more advanced.