Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 2nd November 2017.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 2nd November 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary and other interests in relation to any Agenda item.

No declarations of interest were received.

A copy of the current Notice of Key Executive Decisions is attached. Members are invited to note the Plan and to comment as appropriate on any items contained therein.

The Panel received and noted the current Notice of Key Executive Decisions (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which has been prepared by the Executive Leader for the period 1st December 2017 to 31st March 2018.

The Panel are to receive a report on the Local Plan and the proposed submission consultation.

(Members, please note that a copy of the Council report and the appendices have been circulated to you separately. Please remember to bring them to the meeting.)

With the aid of a report by the Planning Service Manager (Growth) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Local Plan: Proposed Submission Consultation was presented to the Panel.

The Executive Councillor for Housing and Planning explained to Members that the Regulation 18 consultation concluded in August 2017, as well as the Call for Sites consultation which ran alongside it. The Executive Councillor is proposing that the Council agrees that the Local Plan proceeds to the Regulation 19 stage of the process, which tests the soundness and legality of the Local Plan.

The Panel was informed of the key differences between Consultation Draft 2017 and the Proposed Submission Draft, which were: a revision to definition of built-up; changes to Renewable Energy Policy as the previous policy position to restrict wind farms received no support from Parishes, companies or residents. The new position is that all areas in the District, with the exception of Great Fen, is available for wind farm applications; in the proposed submission draft there are an extra 12 sites allocated totalling 898 additional dwellings.

Members were asked to consider whether they wanted a Local Plan which updated previous policies and improves the ability for the Council to plan for development. The Executive Councillor reminded the Panel that if there was a delay to the submission of the Local Plan then the Council would have to plan for an additional 5000 houses.

The Executive Councillor wanted to put on record his thanks to the planning team for producing the Local Plan.

In response to the question, what are the risks to the Council in terms of challenge, the Executive Councillor informed Members that there is always a risk however, if the Council can demonstrate that it has a five year land supply, then it is in a better position to defend planning refusals. The Panel was informed that in terms of, has the Council gone through the right process, then yes. The Executive Councillor added that developers might be less than happy that their site wasn’t allocated and that he won’t be surprised to receive challenge in the next stage. The Planning Services Manager added that if the inspector states that a modification is required than they will invite the Council to make the modification.

The Panel was informed that through the Local Plan, the Council are stating that the site allocations are suitable for development however it isn’t giving permission for development. Each planning application would have to come before the Council’s Development Management Committee.

Following a question regarding Local Service Centres and has the Council made a robust check to ensure that they have made the right decision, the Panel was informed that the Members of Development Plan Policy Advisory Group (DPPAG) had looked into the issue thoroughly and are content with the outcome.

In regards to the two additional sites in Bluntisham, the Panel was informed that those sites have already been subject to planning applications and have therefore been included  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

Members are to receive the annual update report of the Council’s representatives on external organisations.

With the aid of a report by the Democratic Services Officer (Scrutiny) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Representatives on External Organisations – Annual Update Report was presented to the Panel.

A Member informed the Panel that they are the Council’s representative on an external organisation however they no longer receive an invite to their meetings which led the Member to state that some representatives may not receive invites to meetings or the organisation no longer meets.

A Member noted that some representatives have full time employment and may not be available to attend meetings of external organisations.

The Panel agreed with the comment that if Members are representing the Council on external organisations then Overview and Scrutiny do expect an update.

A discussion ensued regarding the Great Fen Project and it was noted that the Council provide £20k of funding to the organisation per year. The Panel agreed to invite Kate Carver to attend a Panel meeting to discuss the project in greater detail.

(At 7.40pm, during the consideration of this item, Councillor R C Carter left the meeting and did not return.)

Members are to receive the work programmes for all Overview and Scrutiny Panels.

With the aid of a report by the Democratic Services Officer (Scrutiny) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Panel reviewed all Panels’ work programmes since the last meeting.

It was noted that at the Panel meeting in January 2018, Members will receive a presentation on Civil Parking Enforcement. The Panel agreed to formally invite the Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Communities and Environment) to the meeting.