Minutes:
In response to a question from Councillor Ms L A Duffy, Councillor D B Dew agreed to circulate to Town and Parish Councils guidance on how the Community Infrastructure was calculated.
Following a question from Councillor D A Giles about progress of RECAP, Councillor D M Tysoe advised Members that a report would be submitted to the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) containing a detailed position statement. Councillor Tysoe also undertook to circulate the Minutes of the last RECAP meeting to all Members.
Arising from a question from Councillor K J Churchill about the timescale for responses by Corporate Directors to enquiries by party Group Leaders, the Executive Leader indicated that generally such matters should be addressed through the proper channels and that without more information on the case he could not provide a more detailed response.
In response to a question from Councillor T Hayward on the potential for savings should the Council reconsider its position on the removal of the viaduct in Huntingdon at the Planning Inquiry on the A14, Councillor D B Dew stated that the figures referred to had not been tested, that the County Council was not prepared to adopt the viaduct and that one of the purposes of the new route was to take traffic away from the Town Centre and consequently the Council would continue to support its removal.
Regarding a question from Councillor Ms L A Duffy about the level of rates payable on community halls, Councillor J A Gray concurred that the position was inconsistent and that change was desirable; however, at present this was governed by national legislation. He suggested that an Overview and Scrutiny Panel might investigate the position in the District and the cost of addressing any anomalies.
Councillor J P Morris asked a question about how the Council would achieve its affordable housing targets given changes in Government requirements in this respect. Councillor D B Dew responded that he shared the Councillor’s concerns and that the Housing Team was addressing it, which could include making representations to the Government.
In response to a question from Councillor R J West about the powers available to the Council to prevent developers from leaving sites in an unsightly condition following demolition works, Councillor D B Dew undertook to work with Councillor West as Member Champion for Listed Buildings and Heritage on the scope and resources to be devoted to this kind of enforcement.
Arising from a question from Councillor R Fuller about the risks associated with opposition from parish councils to development plans for Houghton and Wyton, Councillor D B Dew confirmed that failure to allocate large sites could risk encouraging speculative development applications on the grounds that the Council did not have an adequate land supply. He recognised that parishes were entitled to have views, but thought greater efforts to explain the planning position were required.
Councillor Mrs A D Curtis asked whether, given the position of the Local Plan, the Council was well placed to face the future and in response the Executive Leader confirmed that, in his view, the Council was aware of the challenges and risks and was better placed than many other authorities to create opportunities for the District. He shared the Councillor’s hopes for a continued Council Tax freeze.
In response to a question from Councillor D A Giles about when he could expect to discuss recycling in flats and graffiti removal at the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being), Councillor D M Tysoe stated that the role of Overview and Scrutiny was to investigate matters that had District-wide significance rather than ward matters and that, in his view, recycling in flats was a matter for the Registered Provider, in which case he would ask those Members who sat on the Registered Provider’s Board to take it up. He would reply in writing on the question of graffiti.
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