Issue - meetings

To consider the contents of a Town and Parish Charter.

Approved the contents of the Huntingdonshire Town and Parish Charter, subject to the Appendix C referring to the fact that the District Council would advise Town and Parish Councils of developments which were taking place through “permitted developments” and the inclusion of Local Joint Committees in Huntingdonshire as an example of an appropriate forum in which to engage with communities.

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By way of a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet was invited to consider the content of a proposed Huntingdonshire Town and Parish Charter which sets out a framework for partnership working to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the district. The Charter had been considered also by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being) whose comments were relayed to the Cabinet.

Members were informed that the Charter would be an evolving document which would take into account any future changes such as the proposals for Local Joint Committees in Huntingdonshire, the Parish planning process and any changes announced by the Department of Communities and Local Government in respect of the Localism Act.

In considering the contents of the Charter, Executive Councillors concurred with the Overview and Scrutiny Panel that in Appendix C reference should be made that the District Council would advise Town and Parish Councils of developments which were taking place through “permitted developments”. Having also supported the Panel’s view that Local Joint Committees in Huntingdonshire should be included within the document as an example of an appropriate forum in which to engage with communities, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

that, subject to the inclusion of the suggested amendments referred to in the text of the preamble hereto, the contents of the Huntingdonshire Town and Parish Charter be approved.

To receive a report from the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services seeking comments on the Huntingdonshire Town & Parish Charter prior to its consideration by the Cabinet.

20 Minutes.

(Councillor R Howe, Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities, was in attendance for consideration of this item).

Pursuant to Minute No. 13/09, and with the aid of a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Panel were provided with a further opportunity to comment on the Huntingdonshire Town and Parish Charter prior to its submission to the Cabinet. In introducing the report, Mr D Smith, Healthy Communities Manager, reported that the document had been circulated to all Town and Parish Councils for comment but that only a few minor suggestions for changes had been received. Members acknowledged that the Charter would be an evolving document which would take into account any future changes such as the forthcoming proposals for Local Joint Committees in Huntingdonshire, the Parish planning process and any changes announced by the Department of Communities and Local Government in respect of the Localism Act.

The Panel recommended that, in view of the extension of homeowners’ and businesses’ rights, the District Council should inform Town and Parish Councils of extensions that are taking place through permitted development. Provision to this effect should be made in Appendix C of the Charter document. Members then questioned how robust the procedure would be for pass-porting the meaningful proportion of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding to local communities. There was some concern that such funding would not be utilised for infrastructure works and instead would be used for other purposes such as administration. In response, Mr Smith confirmed that the Government had set clear guidelines on how much funding local authorities would receive and indicated that the Council was required to produce an annual report on CIL spending.

RESOLVED

  that, subject to the inclusion in Appendix C of provision for the District Council to inform Town and Parish Councils of developments which are taking place through permitted developments, the Cabinet is recommended to adopt the Charter document as a living document.