Agenda and decisions

Apologies for Absence were received from Councillor Simon Speller.

Councillor Dave Cullen declared an interest in item 3 – Licence to Occupy as a holder of a Licence to Cultivate.

Councillors Matthew Hurst and Adam Mitchell also declared interests in item 3 as members of an organisation with a Grant to Occupy.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Environment & Economy Select Committee held on 18 October 2018.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Environment and Economy Select Committee held on 18 October be approved subject to the following amendments:

·         Page 6 – 1^st bullet point be amended to read “Unlike previous arrangements, the new timetable had a repeating pattern that made it easier for passengers”

·         Page 7 – in relation to the Hertford Loop the words “at the station” at the end of the first paragraph be deleted.

To receive a presentation and report from the Assistant Director, Stevenage Direct Services, regarding licences to occupy which the Committee are invited to comment on and make recommendations.

Craig Miller, Assistant Director Stevenage Direct Services gave a presentation to the Committee on Licence to Occupy which allows the licensee to maintain council owned amenity land.

The Committee was pleased to note the proposals for a review and improvement of the process which would dramatically reduce the time for licence applications and were supportive of the Assistant Director’s plans to consult with interested parties on the proposals.

It was RESOLVED that support be given to the Assistant Director Stevenage Direct Services to start the consultation process on the proposals to review the Licence to Occupy process.

To consider any Part 1 business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.

To consider the following motions –

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 paragraphs1 – 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 Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by SI 2006 No. 88.

2.  That having considered the reasons for the following item 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 receive a presentation and report from the Assistant Director, Stevenage Direct Services, regarding the Stevenage Direct Services Business Review which the Committee are invited to comment on and make recommendations.

The Assistant Director Stevenage Direct Services gave a presentation to the Committee setting out his proposals for the Stevenage Direct Services Business Unit Review.

The Committee were supportive of the proposals put forward by the Assistant Director and it was RESOLVED that

1.    the presentation be noted; and

2.    the Assistant Director come back to a future meeting of the Committee with an update on the progress of the review.

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

None.