Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 November, 2016 were signed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Report of the Executive Director of Place.

The petition sponsor, Councillor R Bailey, and the petition organiser have been invited to attend the meeting for consideration of the petition.

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place responding to a petition bearing 312 signatures which was supported by Councillor Bailey, who attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners. The petitioners were requesting that the City Council investigates the possibility of removing the Upper Precinct escalator. The report also provided information on previous and continuing negotiations to remove the escalator.

The petitioner organiser, Mr A Denyer, also attended the meeting and was invited to speak on behalf of the petitioners.

The report indicated that the desire to de-clutter the Precinct was not new and has been a long held ambition of the Council. Prior to the receipt of the petition, the Council had been in discussions with the previous owners of the Upper Precinct. At that time, the former owners were not prepared to commit to the removal of the escalator.

Immediately following the sale of the Upper Precinct last year, the Council had commenced exploratory discussions with the new owners to remove the escalator and improve the shops. These discussions were continuing and would, if successful, achieve the same aims as the petition.  

The Cabinet Member noted that this work was part of a larger attempt to both de-clutter the city centre and bring more legibility that includes the extensive public realm schemes that have already taken place and the current projects to re-open the link from Hertford Street to Broadgate Square and the removal of the large planters in Smithford Way.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration:-

(1)  Requests that officers continue to negotiate with the current owners of the Upper Precinct in order to assist in facilitating the removal of the escalator.

(2)  That following these negotiations, requests that officers submit a report to Cabinet outlining how the Council may assist in removing the escalator.

(3)  Requests that officers inform the petitioners of the situation.  

There are no outstanding issues.

There were no outstanding issues.

There were no other items of urgent public business.