Agenda

a)  Motion submitted by Councillor L Davenport-Ray

Planning for Huntingdonshire’s Future

The Council notes that:

1.  The availability of truly affordable housing is a vital issue in Huntingdonshire, with  a growing gap between average earnings and housing costs.

2.  That house developers have secured planning permission for over 1.4 million homes across the UK that have not yet been built.

3.  The need to deliver the right homes, at the right price, in the right location to address this crisis.

This Council notes that the Labour Government:

1.  Revised the ‘standard method’ for calculating house building targets creating a 35% increase for Huntingdonshire.

2.  Continues to support the revised ‘standard method,’ despite resounding criticism from the Planning Officers Society, creating a housebuilding target “unrelated to an area’s housing need” that does “not reflect a location’s ability to grow and provide supporting infrastructure.”

3.  Has not revised the definition of “affordable homes” (at least 20% below market value) to reflect true affordability for local people.

4.  Has not adopted a national target for building social or affordable homes.

5.  Has made no change to financial viability assessments, which often result in affordable home schemes being scrapped or reduced.

6.  Imposed a new national scheme of planning delegation that:

·  Cuts the number of members on our council’s Development Management Committee,

·  Delegates contentious decisions on planning matters to council officers and the Chair of the Development Management Committee,

·  Eliminates the ability of ward councillors to “call-in” planning applications to be heard by the Development Management Committee, and

·  Significantly reduces our council’s ability to engage with town and parish councils on planning decisions.

This Council believes:

1.  The combined effect of changes introduced by the Labour Government will:

·  Fail to deliver the affordable homes needed in rural communities,

·  Cut the power of councils and councillors to act on behalf of their communities on planning issues, and

·  Further erode public trust in the planning system.

This Council resolves to:

1.  Mandate the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister, relevant Secretaries of State, and local Members of Parliament to advocate for an urgent:

·  Reversal of national planning scheme of delegation changes that cut the influence of local councillors on planning decisions,

·  Review of the ‘standard method’ of calculating house-building targets,

·  Review of financial viability assessments and their use in deciding planning applications,

·  Revision of the ‘affordable housing’ definition to reflect earnings rather than market rates,

·  Adoption of a national target for building social and affordable homes, and

·  Instruction to housing developers to build-out homes that have planning permission.

2.  Mandate the Chief Executive to copy the letter at section 4, to encourage wider knowledge and coordinated advocacy, to the following:

·  The Mayor and Chief Executive of the Combined Authority of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough,

·  The Leader and Chief Executive of all Cambridgeshire and geographic neighbouring councils,

·  The clerks of all Huntingdonshire town and parish councils, and

·  The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Association of Local Councils (CAPALC).

b)  Motion submitted by Councillor K Maheshwari

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