Agenda for Executive on Tuesday, 14 May 2019, 10.00am

Agenda and decisions

Venue: Shimkent Room, Daneshill House, Danestrete

Contact: Ian Gourlay (01438) 242703 

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Decision:

An apology for absence was received from Councillor J Thomas.

 

There were no declarations of interest.

2.

MINUTES - 30 APRIL 2019 pdf icon PDF 73 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 30 April 2019 for signature by the Chair.

Decision:

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 30 April 2019 are approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

3.

STEVENAGE BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN: PRE-ADOPTION DRAFT pdf icon PDF 106 KB

To seek agreement to recommend to Council that the Local Plan, incorporating main and minor modifications, is adopted, and that the District Plan Second Review 2004 is subsequently revoked.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive received a report which detailed the outcomes of consultation with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) on the initial proposals set out in the 30 April Executive Report.

 

The Portfolio Holder Environment and Regeneration advised the Executive that discussions at OSC had been positive with constructive points being raised.

 

In reply to questions raised at the previous Executive the meeting has advised that the delay to the Local Plan had had a negative impact on delivery of approximately 240 Affordable Homes to the north of Stevenage and that the costs of the delay in terms of QC and shared legal fees and senior officer time was in the region of forty to forty five thousand pounds.

 

The Leader requested that thanks be extended to the QC for their clear and unequivocal advice.

 

Members debated the other potential negative impacts on the town of the delay which included possible delays to other planning activities and reduced expectations in the eyes of potential business investors in the town.

 

The Leader then referred to a letter that had recently been received from a local resident concerning the impact of the Local Plan on biodiversity and the environment.    She informed the meeting that the resident’s concerns had been dealt with through the public consultation process and reiterated that the Council took its environmental responsibilities seriously.   A reply would be sent to the resident and the Leader requested that an email be sent to all Members advising of the course of action the Council would take with the letter.

 

Finally the Leader requested that thanks be recorded to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their discussion and report, the Planning Team and to the Portfolio Holder Environment and Regeneration.

 

It was RESOLVED that:

 

1.         the outcomes following consultation with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are noted,

 

2.         Council is recommended to accept the Inspector’s recommendation to adopt the Stevenage Borough Local Plan, incorporating main and minor modifications (as attached at Appendix B to the report) and associated Policies Map, and

 

3.         Council is asked to revoke the District Plan Second Review 2004.

 

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

4.

URGENT PART I BUSINESS

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

Decision:

None.

5.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

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.

Decision:

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 item of business on the grounds that it 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.

6.

URGENT PART II BUSINESS

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

Decision:

None.