Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest. 

The Portfolio Holders are asked to sign the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 2 March 2010 as a correct record.

The Planning Portfolio Holder and New Communities Portfolio Holder agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2010 were a correct record, and signed them accordingly. 

The New Communities Portfolio Holder agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should support the inclusion of Policy HH9 (Sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople) in St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Development Management Policies Draft Submission document  

The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered a report containing a proposed response to St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC) about its Local Development Framework documents.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council should support the inclusion of Policy HH9 (Sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople) in St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Development Management Policies Draft Submission document 

The New Communities Portfolio Holder approved revised guidance notes for the Sustainable Communities Capital Grants Programme as attached in

·                        Appendix 1 – Community Facility Grants

·                        Appendix 2 – Play Facility Grants

·                        Appendix 3 – Village Sports Facility Grants

·                        Appendix 4 – Youth Sport Initiative Grants

·                        Appendix 5 – Arts Capital Grants

The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered a report detailing proposed revisions to the guidance notes for the Sustainable Communities Capital Grants Programme, intended to formalise the process followed during 2009-10.

The Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) undertook to produce statistics showing the amount per capita provided in terms of grant aid to each parish in South Cambridgeshire.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder approved revised guidance notes for the Sustainable Communities Capital Grants Programme as attached in

·                        Appendix 1 – Community Facility Grants

·                        Appendix 2 – Play Facility Grants

·                        Appendix 3 – Village Sports Facility Grants

·                        Appendix 4 – Youth Sport Initiative Grants

·                        Appendix 5 – Arts Capital Grants

The New Communities Portfolio Holder noted the contents of the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities), and agreed that:

1. New planning policies should continue to take a positive approach towards self-commissioned housing, including enabled co-housing;
2. Officers should continue to work collaboratively with Cambridge City Council in the next stage of work for site K1 at Orchard Park – to include setting up a Self-Providers Forum, soft-market testing and, subject to the outcome of the market testing, procurement of a development partner for an Enabled Co-Housing Project;
3. Sites within South Cambridgeshire deemed suitable for self-commissioned housing be included in the soft-market testing of the K1 project, subject to agreement with the relevant landowner or developer.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered a report drawing attention to a document called Self-provided Housing in the Cambridge Sub-Region: Levers for Change, produced by Futureplanners. The report detailed the action agreed by Cambridge City Council in relation to development of its site K1 at Orchard Park.

With the support of Councillor Nick Wright, the New Communities Portfolio Holder acknowledged that the measure was good for business, showed commitment to the community, and gave local people a degree of influence over their environment.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder noted the contents of the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities), and agreed that:

1. New planning policies should continue to take a positive approach towards self-commissioned housing, including enabled co-housing;
2. Officers should continue to work collaboratively with Cambridge City Council in the next stage of work for site K1 at Orchard Park – to include setting up a Self-Providers Forum, soft-market testing and, subject to the outcome of the market testing, procurement of a development partner for an Enabled Co-Housing Project;
3. Sites within South Cambridgeshire deemed suitable for self-commissioned housing be included in the soft-market testing of the K1 project, subject to agreement with the relevant landowner or developer.

The Climate Change Action Plan was discussed by the Climate Change Working Group on 8 April 2010 and can be accessed via the following link:

http://scambs.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=779&MId=5117&Ver=4

If you want a paper copy of this Plan please contact Democratic Services on 01954 713408.

 The New Communities Portfolio Holder

1. requested that an Executive Summary be added to the consultation draft
2. approved the public and partner consultation process outlined in paragraph 14 of the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) relating to the release of the consultation draft of the Council’s new Climate Change Action Plan 2010-13, subject to minor variation (including extension) should there be any slippage that might result in the consultation period covering August; and
3. delegated to the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) approval of the finalised draft for consultation release, scheduled for the week beginning 24 May 2010.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered a report seeking his authority to release the consultation draft of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2010-13 (CCAP), and his approval of the proposed consultation process and timetable.

He urged local Members to encourage their parish councils to take part in the consultation exercise.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder

1. requested that an Executive Summary be added to the consultation draft
2. approved the public and partner consultation process outlined in paragraph 14 of the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) relating to the release of the consultation draft of the Council’s new Climate Change Action Plan 2010-13, subject to minor variation (including extension) should there be any slippage that might result in the consultation period covering August; and
3. delegated to the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) approval of the finalised draft for consultation release, scheduled for the week beginning 24 May 2010.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder noted a report outlining the progress made by the New Communities Service in meeting its targets, as set in the published 2009-10 Service Plan.

The Planning Portfolio Holder noted a report summarising the Planning Service’s performance during the period from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 in the context of Local and National Indicators, and South Cambridgeshire District Council’s own Aims and Actions.

He congratulated the Head of Planning for an encouraging set of results achieved at a difficult time for the Council.  

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.

The Planning Portfolio Holder and New Communities Portfolio Holder received their Forward Plans.  There were no comments, additions or alterations.

The next meetings of the Planning Portfolio Holder and the New Communities Portfolio Holder will be held on Tuesday 13 July. 

This had been the final joint meeting of the Planning and New Communities Portfolio Holders.

The next Planning Portfolio Holder meeting would take place on Tuesday 13 July 2010, starting at 10.00am.

The next meeting of the New Communities Portfolio Holder would also take place on Tuesday 13 July 2010, starting at 11.15am or upon completion of the Planning Portfolio Holder meeting, whichever is the later.