Agenda, decisions and minutes

Planning and New Communities Joint Portfolio Holders' Meeting - Tuesday, 26 January 2010 10.00 a.m.

Venue: Monkfield Room, First Floor. View directions

Contact: Ian Senior 03450 450 500

Items
No.	Item
48.	Apologies for Absence Minutes: Councillor Dr David Bard (New Communities Portfolio Holder) was unable to be present. Part 4 of the Constitution, relating to delegation rules) states that “… The Leader, and in his / her absence, the Deputy Leader, shall have all the delegated powers, functions and responsibilities of any portfolio holder in their absence. The Deputy Leader shall assume the full powers of the Leader in any circumstances in which the Leader is unable to act, and shall act as Leader if the post of Leader is vacant (Article 7.03…refers.” Councillor Ray Manning (Leader of the Council) was unable to act. Accordingly, Councillor Simon Edwards (Deputy Leader) assumed the full powers of the Leader, and attended the meeting in place of the New Communities Portfolio Holder.
49.	Declarations of Interest View the background to item 49. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest.
50.	Minutes of Previous Meeting PDF 122 KB View the background to item 50. The Portfolio Holders are asked to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2009 as a correct record. Minutes: The Deputy Leader and Planning Portfolio Holder agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2009 were a correct record, and signed them accordingly.
51.	Revenue and Capital Estimates: Planning PDF 99 KB View the background to item 51. Additional documents: Appendix A 09-10 Rev and 10-11 final version amended 25 Jan 10.xls , item 51. PDF 42 KB Appendix A (1) HPDG 09-10 and 10-11 amended 25 Jan 10.xls , item 51. PDF 45 KB Appendix B Planning Services Capital Est Jan10 , item 51. PDF 49 KB Appendix C Planning Services Estimates 2009-10 Rev and 2010-11 amended 25 Jan 10.xls , item 51. PDF 57 KB Proposal Form 2010-11 - Historic Buildings etc - 13 Jan 10 , item 51. PDF 210 KB There are a further 3 documents.View the full list of documents for item 51. Minutes: The Planning Portfolio Holder considered the Revenue Estimates up to the year 2010-11 and the Capital Programme up to the year 2014-15. Those present received a revised Appendix A and discussed a number of issues raised in the report. The Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities) highlighted the benefits the Council had enjoyed by being able to obtain Housing and Planning Delivery Grant monies, but cautioned against ongoing reliance on this as a funding stream. Concern was expressed at imminent redundancies within the Planning Service, and the implications for the Council when the local economy recovered, resulting in a likely increase in the number of planning applications received. Concern was also expressed at apparently budgeting for an overspend. The Planning Portfolio Holder endorsed the Revenue Estimates at Appendix A (as revised) to the report; the Capital Programme at Appendix B, and associated proposal forms at Appendices C1 to C4, andrecommend them for consideration by the Cabinet.
52.	Revenue and Capital Estimates: New Communities PDF 147 KB View the background to item 52. Additional documents: Appendix A - Net expenditure , item 52. PDF 57 KB Appendix B - Capital Programme , item 52. PDF 40 KB Appendix C1 - Village sports , item 52. PDF 96 KB Appendix C2 - Community Facilities , item 52. PDF 161 KB Appendix C3 - Arts , item 52. PDF 159 KB Minutes: The Deputy Leader considered the Revenue Estimates up to the year 2010-11 and the Capital Programme up to the year 2014-15. In response to a question about whether the Council could claim extra government funding should Northstowe now be classed as an Eco-town, the Corporate Manager (New Communities) referred to a ‘Gap Analysis’ being undertaken to determine the chances of successfully bidding for funds enabling the further studies needed in assessing Eco-town status. Concern was expressed about redundancies in the short term potentially leaving the Council without sufficient capacity later on in terms of the number and experience of staff available. The Deputy Leader (a) endorsed the Revenue Estimates and the Capital Programme at Appendices A and B to the report, andrecommend them for consideration by the Cabinet; and (b) confirmed the proposals for capital expenditure shown at Appendix C (1-3), for inclusion in the Council’s draft capital programme.
53.	Revenue and Capital Estimates: Sustainability PDF 146 KB View the background to item 53. Additional documents: Appendix A - Net expenditure , item 53. PDF 47 KB Appendix B - Capital Programme , item 53. PDF 40 KB Appendix C1 - Capital, Awarded Watercourses , item 53. PDF 149 KB Appendix C2 - Capital, Climate Change , item 53. PDF 160 KB Minutes: The Deputy Leader considered the Revenue Estimates up to the year 2010-11 and the Capital Programme up to the year 2014-15. It was noted that the PPS1 grant from central government went straight into the Council’s General Fund summary. The Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities) undertook to investigate whether this could be reflected in the accounts as income to the New Communities Portfolio. The Deputy Leader (a) endorsed the Sustainability Revenue Estimates and Capital Programme shown at Appendices A and B to the report and recommended them for consideration by the Cabinet; and (b) confirmed the proposals for capital expenditure shown at Appendix C2.
54.	Section 106 Administration Fees PDF 136 KB View the background to item 54. View the decision for item 54. Decision: The Planning Portfolio Holder and New Communities Portfolio Holder agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should, with effect from 1 January 2010, increase the level of legal fees charged in association with the additional administration work necessitated by the completion of a section 106 agreement. Such fee will be applied at a level appropriate to the degree of complexity involved (subject to a maximum charge of £250 for each Agreement and review on an annual basis). Minutes: The Planning Portfolio Holder and Deputy Leader considered a report outlining the proposal for South Cambridgeshire District Council to apply an administration fee for handling planning obligations entered into under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The Section 106 Officer explained that, while the scheme would not in itself fund officer costs, it would at least help cover the additional costs, pro rata, of additional time commitments required on an Agreement-by-Agreement basis. Concern was expressed about future staffing levels within the Planning and New Communities Service currently being created. Responding to a call for a significant increase in fees, the Planning Portfolio Holder said that the level should be set relatively low at the outset and increased gradually. He agreed in principle with the idea of seeking alternative ways of funding the Council, but said these had to be realistic The Planning Portfolio Holder and Deputy Leader agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should, with effect from 1 January 2010, increase the level of legal fees charged in association with the additional administration work necessitated by the completion of a Section 106 agreement. Such fee would be applied at a level appropriate to the degree of complexity involved (subject to a maximum charge of £250 for each Agreement and review on an annual basis).
55.	Adoption of Statement of Community Involvement PDF 138 KB View the background to item 55. View the decision for item 55. Appendices 1 and 2 are available on the Council’s website. Additional documents: Appendix 1 - SCI Text , item 55. PDF 120 KB Appendix 1a - Consultees , item 55. PDF 21 KB Appendix 1b - Information on LDF , item 55. PDF 14 KB Appendix 1c - Community involvement in the LDF , item 55. PDF 13 KB Appendix 1d - Types of planning applications , item 55. PDF 21 KB There are a further 4 documents.View the full list of documents for item 55. Decision: The Planning Portfolio Holder and New Communities Portfolio Holder agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should adopt the Statement of Community Involvement, as contained in Appendix 1, subject to the addition to that document of an Appendix clarifying the process for consultation with parish councils. Minutes: The Deputy Leader considered a report outlining the results of a public consultation exercise carried out in relation to the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). The Planning Policy Manager highlighted the fourth bullet point in paragraph 12 of the report. He also outlined the rationale behind the 21-day period during which parish councils could ask that the full Planning Committee considered planning applications. Following the disbandment of the Chairman’s Delegation process, a shorter timescale was needed to make sure that South Cambridgeshire District Council met the requirement of delegating at least 90% of applications received. In response to the Deputy Leader, the Planning Policy Manager made it clear that the 21-day period would run from the day on which parish councils were notified. The Deputy Leader suggested adding into the SCI details about consultation with parish councils. The Planning Portfolio Holder and Deputy Leader agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should adopt the Statement of Community Involvement, as contained in Appendix 1, subject to the addition to that document of an Appendix clarifying the process for consultation with parish councils.
56.	Draft Advisory Heavy Commercial Vehicles Route Map PDF 126 KB View the background to item 56. View the decision for item 56. Additional documents: CAF Map , item 56. PDF 539 KB Decision: The Planning Portfolio Holder agreed that, in response to consultation from Cambridgeshire County Council about the draft advisory HCV route map, South Cambridgeshire District Council supported the strategic routes identified as being the most appropriate through routes for HCV traffic, and strongly supported the downgrading of the A1123 from a strategic to local route. However, the Council would urge the County Council to monitor the impact before deciding whether to make the downgrade of the A1123 permanent to make sure that HCV traffic would not seek alternative routes and thus impact on local communities in South Cambridgeshire. South Cambridgeshire District Council would expect continued involvement, together with local communities, in addressing local concerns particularly in areas close to where new development is proposed to ensure appropriate measures are put in place to mitigate any impact from HCV traffic on local communities. Minutes: The Planning Portfolio Holder considered a report on Cambridgeshire County Council’s consultation on a draft advisory Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) route map as the first stage in the process of reviewing its HCV policy. Concern was expressed that nothing should be done that might increase the incidence of HCVs taking alternative routes along minor roads and residential streets. The Deputy Leader called for South Cambridgeshire District Council to support strongly the downgrading of the A1123, but added that Cambridgeshire County Council should make sure that adequate funds were made available for ongoing maintenance of this route, in the event that downgrading it meant there was less money available from elsewhere for such maintenance. The Planning Portfolio Holder agreed that, in response to consultation from Cambridgeshire County Council about the draft advisory HCV route map, South Cambridgeshire District Council: supported the strategic routes identified as being the most appropriate through routes for HCV traffic, and strongly supported the downgrading of the A1123 from a strategic to local route; supported strongly the downgrading of the A1123, while urging Cambridgeshire County Council to make sure that adequate funds were made available for ongoing maintenance of this route, in the event that downgrading it meant there was less money available from elsewhere for such maintenance; and requested continued involvement, together with local communities, in addressing local concerns particularly in areas close to where new development is proposed to ensure appropriate measures are put in place to mitigate any impact from HCV traffic on local communities.
57.	Joining the national "10:10" carbon emissions reduction campaign PDF 155 KB View the background to item 57. View the decision for item 57. Appendix 1 is available on the Council’s website. Additional documents: Appendix 1 - 1010 Information Sheet , item 57. PDF 351 KB Decision: The New Communities Portfolio Holder agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should formally join the national “10:10” carbon emissions reduction campaign. Minutes: The Deputy Leader considered a report on the national “10:10” carbon emissions reduction campaign. Concern was expressed at future staff capacity. The Deputy Leader agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should formally join the national “10:10” carbon emissions reduction campaign.
58.	New Communities Performance Update PDF 111 KB View the background to item 58. Additional documents: Appendix 1 - Scorecard Performance detail , item 58. PDF 133 KB Minutes: The Deputy Leader received and noted a report outlining progress made by the New Communities Service, up to 31 December 2009, in meeting its targets set in the published 2009-10 Service Plan. The report, taken together with the financial report provided a comprehensive overview of the state of the service, both financially and in terms of its delivery. Concern was expressed at the decision to cease publication of the Arts Guide as part of the South Cambs Magazine. The Corporate Manager (New Communities) said that this was as a result of a lack of resources.
59.	Forward Plans PDF 21 KB View the background to item 59. The Portfolio Holder will maintain, for agreement at each meeting, a Forward Plan identifying all matters relevant to the Portfolio which it is believed are likely to be the subject of consideration and / or decision by the Portfolio Holder, or recommendation to, or referral by, the Portfolio Holder to Cabinet, Council, or any other constituent part of the Council. The plan will be updated as necessary. The Portfolio Holder will be responsible for the content and accuracy of the forward plan. Additional documents: FP - New Communities , item 59. PDF 59 KB Minutes: The Deputy Leader and Planning Portfolio Holder noted the Forward Plans for the New Communities and Planning portfolios. The Forward Plans were updated as follows: Planning § 2 March 2010 – add Performance update § Unscheduled items – delete Cambridgeshire Horizons Integrated Development Plan New Communities § 2 March 2010 – add Climate Change Action Plan § 2 March 2010 – add Local Transport Plan § 2 March 2010 – delete Statement of Community Involvement (duplicate entry) § May 2010 (date to be re-arranged) – Gypsy and Traveller DPD
60.	Date of Next Meeting View the background to item 60. 2 March 2010 at 2.00pm Minutes: The next Planning and New Communities Portfolio Holders' meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday 2 March 2010, starting at 10.00am.