(i)       that the Assistant Director of Corporate and Business Services be requested to consult the private sector and businesses in the aviation sector for their views on the principle of establishing a helipad facility for Torbay and that this should give the opportunity for the private sector undertaking feasibility work and to put forward proposals;

(ii)      that an informal working group comprising the Mayor and business leaders be established to investigate the economic benefits to Torbay of having a helipad facility;

(iii)      that further discussions be held between the Spatial Planning Department and Devon Air Ambulance in respect of their needs for adequate facilities; and

(iv)     that due to the economic growth in Brixham in the fishing and tourism industry there is a need to improve transport links in and out of Brixham and the surrounding area to cope with this growth and the Assistant Director of Corporate and Business Services be requested to consult with the fishing industry, Brixham Town Council, rail user groups and existing rail owners to establish, in principle, if the formation of a light railway system will benefit the long term economic prospects of Brixham and the surrounding area.

To enable further exploration of options for a potential helipad and light rail system for Brixham.

Alternative options were set out in the submitted report and were discussed at the meeting.

This decision will come into force and may be implemented on Tuesday, 6 December 2016 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

The submitted report provided an update in respect of two Mayoral pledges, namely a helipad for Torbay and a light rail system to Brixham.  The Council does not have any funding to progress either of these projects and the report proposed that no further work be undertaken by the Council on feasibility studies but that the private sector could undertake feasibility work themselves and put forward their own proposals in the future for a helipad or light rail system to Brixham.

The Mayor considered the recommendations of the Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) made on 23 November 2016 and his decision is set out above.

None