Agenda and decisions

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Phil Bibby, CC.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 18 March 2019.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 18 March 2019 are approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider the Part I Decisions of the Executive taken on 30 April 2019.

Executive Agenda Item                                                                               Page No

2.         Minutes of the Executive – 14 March 2019                                   3

3.         Local Development Scheme (LDS)                                              13

4.         Stevenage Borough Council Local Plan: Pre-Adoption Draft    43

Notice of Decisions to be tabled at the meeting.

PLEASE BRING YOUR AGENDA AND REPORTS FOR THE EXECUTIVE MEETING HELD ON 30 APRIL 2019.

PLEASE ALSO RETAIN THE APPENDICES TO ITEM 4 (STEVENAGE BOROUGH COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN: PRE-ADOPTION DRAFT) FOR USE AT THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING.

Minutes of the Executive – 14 March 2019

The Committee noted the comments of the Executive.

Local Development Scheme (LDS)

In response to questions raised by Members, the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration and officers responded as follows:

·           Why were the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) rates for Stevenage low in comparison with other Hertfordshire Local Authorities?  The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) rates for Stevenage had been determined according to evidence produced by an external specialist consultant in this field.  There were certain viability issues relating to development in the town, and viability was likely improve further with the regeneration of the town centre.  However, officers were keen to bring in CIL in as early as possible to ensure the Council captured Local Plan schemes.  The Council had committed to a review of the CIL rates 12 months after adoption, where any changes in viability could be addressed.  In any event, the proposed CIL rates would be subject to examination by an Independent Inspector, who would review the rates in full;

·           When did the Council receive notification of the lifting of the Holding Direction?  The letter from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government lifting the Holding Direction was undated, but it was confirmed that the letter had been received by the Council on 25 March 2019; and

·           Would the Council be able to reclaim its costs associated with work on the Judicial Review application?  Officers confirmed that the Council would be seeking to reclaim its legal costs associated with work on the Council’s Judicial Review application, and undertook to provide Members of the Committee with figures relating to these legal costs, together with an estimate of officer time spent over the past 18 months on matters relating to attempts made to obtain a lifting of the Holding Direction.  Officers indicated that costs could be made publically available.

Stevenage Borough Local Plan: Pre-Adoption Draft

In response to questions raised by Members, the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration and officers responded as follows:

·           Was there any significance in the Secretary of State’s requirement that reference in the Plan to a “new” Railway Station should be removed?  The Secretary of State’s requirement that reference in the Plan to a “new” Railway Station should be removed was of no major significance to the Local Plan.  Both amendments were minor modifications.  It had always been the intention of the Council to press for an improved and regenerated Station, which had received support from residents and local businesses;

·           Could planning matters not covered by the Local Plan be considered by the Council?  The Plan outlined the use for various areas of land, but the details of each development would be matters for consideration by the Planning and Development Committee.  All major site allocations would be subject to the production of Master Plans.  The Plan would not preclude planning applications to be considered by the Planning and Development Committee for sites and matters not contained within it;

·           Why had the Planning Inspector  ...  view the full decision text for item 3.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.

1.         That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.         That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

It was RESOLVED:

1.      That, under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 to 7 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by SI 2006 No. 88.

2.      That having considered the reasons for the following items being in Part II, it be determined that maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

To approve as a correct record the Part II Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 18 March 2019.

It was RESOLVED that the Part II Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 18 March 2019 are approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider the following Part II Decisions of the Executive taken on 30 April 2019.

Executive Agenda Item No.                                                                       Page No.

7.         Part II Minutes – 14 March 2019                                                        325

Notice of Decisions to be tabled at the meeting.

PLEASE BRING YOUR AGENDA AND REPORTS FOR THE EXECUTIVE

MEETING HELD ON 30 APRIL 2019.

It was RESOLVED that the following Part II decision of the Executive meeting held on 30 April be noted:

·                Part II Minutes of the Executive – 14 March 2019.

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.