Cabinet AGREED
(a) to establish a Northstowe Trust, including an early Trust Board, as soon as possible;
(b) that the Trust Board initially should comprise one representative from each of the funding partners, the SCDC representative being an elected member;
(c) that the Trust Board should appoint a Director for the Northstowe Trust who would produce a Business and Development Plan for the Trust within six months, which would help inform the s106 Agreement in relation to the Trust; and
(d) that the Council commit funding as outlined in this report for the first 18-24 months of the Trust, subject to the funding being matched by the other three funding partners.
Cabinet AGREED, in principle, to the establishment of a Northstowe trust, including representation from the surrounding villages, in 2007/08 and ENDORSED the following further steps now required:
(a) commissioning detailed financial advice including the development of a business plan for the trust;
(b) commissioning legal advice on establishment and running of the trust;
(c) engagement with existing communities in and around the site to consider the benefits to the wider area and to identify key individuals who may become involved in the trust;
(d) further work on a number of key areas such as the Energy Supply Company and IT Networks and their potential links to the trust;
(e) a visit to Milton Keynes to learn more about the Trusts there and the relationship with English Partnerships and possibly a visit to Caterham Barracks; and
(f) production of a plan for establishing the Northstowe Town Council.
Cabinet NOTED that it was proposed to bring a further report to Cabinet in spring 2007, once the outcomes of the next steps have been considered by the Northstowe Development Trust Working Group.
AGREED to appoint the Leader and the Portfolio Holders for Community Development and for Planning and Economic Development to the Northstowe Development Trust Working Group.