Agenda

The following assets have entered the interim moratorium protected period ending on 02 April 2018 and 16 April 2018:

The Ancient Shepherds Public House, 5 High Street, Fen Ditton, Cambridge, CB5 8ST

The Pear Tree, High Street, Hildersham, CB21 6BU

Friday 21 April: Guardian: More than 200,000 homes in England lie empty

More than 200,000 homes in England with a total value of £43 billion were empty for at least six months during 2016 despite the national shortage of properties to rent and buy.

Saturday 22 April: Express: Waste firm blamed over rubbish collection

Residents have complained about a lack of rubbish collection after a new waste firm was appointed by the local council.

Sunday 23 April: Sunday Times: Affordable housing pledges swept under mat

An investigation by the 35% Campaign has found that developers are reneging on promises to build affordable housing alongside those being sold at full market rates.

Tuesday 25 April: Guardian: £300m business rates relief fund now available for councils to distribute

A £300 million relief fund to help small businesses worst hit by the recent change to business rates is now available for councils to share out.

Tuesday 25 April: Telegraph: Caterpillar could solve plastic bag crisis

A waxworm that can eat its way through polyethylene more than 1,400 times faster than other organisms could be the solution to the global plastic bag crisis.

Wednesday 26 April: Guardian: The future of local services

Peter Hetherington references the LGA’s previous analysis about the funding gap facing local government by the end of the decade in a commentary piece.

A list of decisions currently within the call-in period is available on the Council’s website.

The call in procedure is set out in full in Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution, ‘Scrutiny and Overview Committee Procedure Rules’. 

Cabinet agreed

(i)    Endorsed the consultation response set out in Appendix A to the report from the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development and Housing Director, subject to officers being given delegated powers to make minor amendments, as agreed; and

(ii)   that where an identical response has been agreed by both this Council and Cambridge City Council in response to individual questions that these are included in a joint consultation response.

This decision was first published on Friday 21 April and so the deadline for call-in Friday 28 April at 5pm. If not called-in this decision can be implemented on Tuesday 2 May (Monday 1 May being a bank holiday).

The Cabinet endorsed the consultation response set out in Appendix A to the report from the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development and Housing Director, subject to officers being given delegated powers to make minor amendments, to include  consideration for longer term tenancies than the three years proposed within the consultation paper.

This decision was first published on Friday 21 April and so the deadline for call-in Friday 28 April at 5pm. If not called-in this decision can be implemented on Tuesday 2 May (Monday 1 May being a bank holiday).

Cabinet agreed the recommended response in principle but that delegated authority be given to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development to make further technical comments in consultation with the Strategic Planning Portfolio Holder. The outcome of such delegation was that the following was submitted as South Cambridgeshire District Council’s formal response:

1.    Support the principle of upgrading the A428 between the Black Cat and Caxton Gibbet which will support the delivery of the national, regional and local growth agenda.

2.    On the basis of the evidence provided up to this point in the process, the Council support the Orange Route Option, provided it includes grade separated junctions at Cambridge Road / B1428 and Caxton Gibbet / A1198. The Purple and Pink options would have significantly greater environmental disbenefits, and are therefore not supported. This is subject to any final alignment and confirmation that the existing A428 will be retained as a local road and that the new road will not sever existing minor roads connecting villages either side of the proposed alignment.

3.    Support proposals for the Black Cat roundabout which enable free flowing traffic on all the strategic routes as well as providing all movements on the local road network (Options A and C).

4.    Advise Highways England that the Council is seeking to ensure that future design for the Caxton Gibbet junction minimises impacts on nearby existing and planned developments, including Cambourne West. As the junction layout was not included in the route options consultation, the Council would like to engage in early discussions about the design and how it will enable free-flowing traffic and safe cycle / pedestrian crossing.

5.    Advise Highways England that the scheme should not prejudice the delivery of any future strategic proposals, including the A1 improvement scheme and wider Oxford to Cambridge Expressway proposals.

6.    Advise Highways England that the scheme should not prejudice Greater Cambridge City Deal proposals for the A428 corridor, including bus and cycle improvement measures, and where possible synergies should be sought.

7.    The Council supports the intention to provide opportunities for improving access for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians and would urge Highways England to secure opportunities for the enhancement of existing and/or provision of new infrastructure to the highest standard. The scheme should also seek to redress severance caused by the existing road through the provision of crossings at appropriate points.

8.    The Council would like to explore Legacy opportunities with Highways England.

This decision was first published on Friday 21 April and so the deadline for call-in Friday 28 April at 5pm. If not called-in this decision can be implemented on Tuesday 2 May (Monday 1 May being a bank holiday).

Cabinet

1.    Noted progress to date on the implementation of the shared planning service.

2.    Agreed the development of the multi-phase programme for delivery of theproject (see Appendix 1 of the report).

3.    Approved the broad principles of the proposed management structure (Appendix 2) as the basis for the continued development of the organisational structure.

4.    Agreed the allocation of additional resources to support the programme as set out in paragraph21 – 24.

5.    Agreed the early introduction of a “Greater Cambridge Planning Service” designation on signatures of emails from planning staff of bothCouncils

6.    Noted the need for seamless ICT systems across Greater Cambridge and to note the commitment to early work (and costs) on the procurement of a common ICT system for planning.

7.    Noted the high level objectives identified by the project team and invite them to consider adding to them the need to retain and support an understanding of Place in the way shared service was structured, delivered and managed.

8.    Noted the competitive market for planning staff, and asked officers to explore measures that will strengthen the recruitment and retention of planning staff.

This decision was first published on Friday 21 April and so the deadline for call-in Friday 28 April at 5pm. If not called-in this decision can be implemented on Tuesday 2 May (Monday 1 May being a bank holiday).

Please click on the link below to find details of decisions made by officers under delegated authority:

https://www.scambs.gov.uk/content/access-information

The Interim Chief Executive, with the approval of the Housing Portfolio Holder,

AGREED        to undertake a proof of concept exercise to explore whether a production assembled flat pack home could form part of the Council’s strategy to tackle the shortage of affordable housing within South Cambridgeshire.