Agenda item

To consider the following Part I Decisions of the Executive taken on              16 September 2020

Executive                                                                                      Page No.

Agenda Item

2        Minutes of the Executive – 12 August 2020                                5

3        Minutes of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select          13

          Committees

4        Local Development Scheme (LDS)                                             17

5        Parking Provision and Sustainable Transport                              35          Supplementary Planning Document: Adoption

6        Stevenage Borough Council Climate Change Strategy                  129

Adoption and Engagement Consultation Update                           

7        Covid-19 Update

8        Annual Treasury Management Review of 2019/20                        211

and Prudential Code

9        General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy Update                229

(2020/21 – 2024/25)

10      Quarter 1 Monitoring Report 2020/21 (Capital)                             273

– General Fund and Housing Revenue Account

Notice of Decisions to follow

PLEASE BRING YOUR AGENDA AND REPORTS FOR THE EXECUTIVE

MEETING HELD ON 16 SEPTEMBER 2020

The Committee considered the decisions on the following matters arising from the Executive meeting held on 16 September 2020.

Minutes of the Executive – 12 August 2020

Noted, subject to the inclusion of Councillor Robin Parker, Observer at the meeting being included in the list of apologies.

Minutes of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees

Noted.

Local Development Scheme (LDS)

In response to a question, Officers advised that the LDS was a Planning Policy Document which gave a snapshot of the work the Council would be doing this year. They agreed that a key to the number of acronyms used in the document would be considered in the future.  

Parking Provision and Sustainable Transport Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

The following issues were raised during the debate:

·         It was noted that the document gave the Council power to insist on higher standards for sustainable transport;

·         The Assistant Director (Planning and Regulation) advised that following adoption, the document would be monitored by the Environment and Economy Select Committee and the Planning and Development Committee;

·         Members were concerned regarding the reduction in parking spaces. Officers advised that spaces would be reduced if they were in the Town Centre or other accessible areas. The need for spaces would be balanced with the accessibility to other available forms of transport;

·         It was confirmed that the provision of disabled parking spaces would remain the same as it was now;

·         In relation to the County Council, officers advised that on adopted highway the rules would continue to apply;

·         In response to a question regarding the boundaries of accessibility zones, officers advised that the case officer dealing with an application would take into account if an application was on the border of a zone;

·         Members agreed that the Policy should go some way towards strengthening the case for developers to provide a contribution towards sustainable transport;

·         In response to a question regarding unallocated electric charging points, officers advised that a pool of spaces would allow greater flexibility and be more accessible. The enforcement of the spaces would be the responsibility of the individual development.. 

Stevenage Borough Council Climate Change Strategy Adoption and Engagement Consultation Update

The following issues were raised during the debate:

·         It was confirmed that the Citizens’ Panel would consist of a cross-section of residents. 26 over 18’s would be randomly selected by an external consultant;

·         In response to a question, officers advised that the consultation had been carried out on-line and face to face but had been limited by a number of events not being held due to the pandemic;

·         Officers advised that young people would be engaged via the Youth Council and also through schools once the accessibility to schools had improved.

Covid-19 Update

Noted.

Annual Treasury management Review of 2019/20 and Prudential Code

In response to a question regarding Essex House, the Assistant Director (Finance & Estates) advised that the lease had just been renegotiated with the current tenant.

General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy Update (2020/21 – 2024/25)

Officers gave an update on the representations that were being made to the Government in terms of Council funding and the expenses accrued as a result of the Pandemic including Homelessness costs, spending review submissions and the resulting funding gap.

It was noted that the work of the Leaders Financial Security Group would continue once the financial situation was fully known.

Quarter 1 Monitoring Report 2020/21 (Capital) – General Fund and Housing Revenue Account

Noted.

Urgent Part I Business

Noted.