Agenda item

To consider performance against the key activities identified in the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2014/15 for the period 1st October to 31stDecember 2014.

(Executive Councillor, D B Dew has been invited to attend for this discussion).

(Councillor D B Dew, Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning & Housing was in attendance for the discussion on this item).

With the assistance of a report by the Corporate Team Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel was updated with progress on the key activities identified within the Council’s Corporate Plan during the period 1st October to 31^st December 2014. Panel Members then proceeded to review the actions and activities within the strategic theme to ‘Enable Sustainable Growth’.

In reviewing the action to invest in initiatives the will deliver affordable housing, Members sought clarification as to the levels of affordable housing that are provided within new development and whether a minimum target should be incorporated into the Local Plan for both strategic and non-strategic development sites. In response to which, Members were advised the Council aspired to provide 35% affordable housing in all sites (both strategic and non-strategic). However in practice this was more achievable within the non-strategic sites as the competing infrastructure requirements within the more strategic sites may mean that the levels of affordable housing were driven down during negotiations. The Panel were advised that it would be difficult to state a minimum level within the Local Plan, and that efficiencies in the delivery of other infrastructure elements could be pursued. Comment was also made with regard to the need to find mechanisms to make the development of rural exception sites more attractive to developers as development in these areas could be crucial to the rural areas.

Members also sought clarification on the current position with regard to the potential loan to Luminus for extra care in St Ives. In response to which Officers explained that although due diligence has now been undertaken with regards to the loan, a revised planning application for the scheme was still outstanding.

With regards to the action to Update the Buildings at Risk Register, Members were informed that that vacancies within the Planning Policy Team had now been filled and the Executive Councillor was confident that the update to the 2011 Register would be started in Quarter 4. Members suggested that this should be treated as a priority for 2015.

In terms of enforcement, Members commented on the growing number of complaints that they were receiving from Parish Council’s on this subject. The Panel were informed that the Cabinet were currently considering the Council’s whole range of enforcement activities with a view to making improvements. To clarify the actions which can be undertaken by the Authority in relation to listed buildings and current enforcement activities, the Panel requested that a report should be submitted to a future meeting and that the Executive Councillor should be invited back to discuss the matter further at this time.

With regard to the processing of planning applications, the Panel noted that delays in validating applications and the issuing of older / out of time applications have continued to impact on performance figures in the quarter.  In response to questions as to whether it will be possible to recover from the current position, the Executive Councillor explained that plans are in place to ensure that all applications will be validated within 1 week and older / out of time applications determined before the end of the financial year. Members commented on the impact that this may have on the size of future Agendas for the Development Management Panel.

Having noted that the Executive Councillor was confident that the Authority would be able to recover its performance and meet nationally set performance targets from 1st April 2015, Members also received an update on the work which will be undertaken to improve the efficiency of the planning application process, to make planning officers more accountable and improve the operation of the Development Management Panel. Members were advised that there will be an opportunity for them to consider the proposed changes to the delegation arrangements in the Spring.

Finally and with reference to a recent example whereby a Member had sought to refer an application to the Development Management Panel, the Panel has discussed the engagement of Members within the Planning process and acknowledged that Members should raise any issues with an application at an early stage. Members were also reminded that the weekly list of applications provides an opportunity for Members to be kept up to date with issues within their wards and to keep an eye on the planning process.