Decisions

None.

Not required.

The Principal Planning Officer presented the Stevenage Design Guidance 2021 Supplementary Planning Document. Members expressed views on the report before submission to Executive on 14 July 2021.

It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Planning Policy Manager presented the report on the Review of the Article 4 Directions and Employment Sites in Stevenage. Members expressed views on the report before submission to Executive on Wednesday 14 July 2021.

It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.

None.

Noted.

Noted.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning and Development Committee meeting held on Thursday 27 May 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

It was RESOLVED that planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions as per the recommendations set out in the report.

It was RESOLVED that planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions as per the recommendations set out in the report.

It was RESOLVED that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions as per recommendations in the report, and an additional condition relating to parking spaces as follows:

• To restrict the two off street parking spaces for customers only.

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Action Tracker to the Committee. The Action Tracker contained useful information to track the progress of items that the Committee had previously scrutinised.

It was RESOLVED:

That the Committee noted the Action Tracker 

The Committee received a suggested Work Programme and agenda planning for the future meetings. The Work Programme is a flexible working document that is subject to change as new issues arise. Members were encouraged to suggest items to be included in the Work Programme at any time.

The Scrutiny Officer outlined the following key issues that would be discussed at the future meetings:

·         Crime and Disorder – March 2022;

·         Public Health – Autumn 2021;

·         Neighbourhood Wardens – a review would include interviews with the Wardens to identify the effectiveness of the working arrangements and the area based working model and to hear what the Wardens have been doing as Covid-19 Marshals during the Pandemic;

·         Sports and Leisure – Ongoing scrutiny of the new leisure contract options which is scheduled to be awarded in December 2022 through PHAG (Portfolio Holder Advisory Group) meetings;

·         Complaints/Your Say System – Further interviews with the Assistant Director (Digital and Transformation) on the performance of the System for a one-off update at a future CSC meeting;

·         Damp and Mould – to receive a report on the progress of the implementation of the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations following the review for a one-off update at a future CSC meeting;

·         Cultural Strategy – to receive an update from the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People, Leisure and Culture;

·         Third (Voluntary) Sector Review – to be delayed due to the impact of the Pandemic on the sector;

·          Leisure – all aspects of Leisure including the Ridlins Athletics Track to be brought together and considered as one issue;

·         Temporary Accommodation – members no longer require this item and it was agreed to withdraw it from the work programme;

·         Housing Allocations Policy Review – the new Interim Assistant Director (Housing and Investment) be invited to a future meeting for interview on this subject.

The Committee then considered the possibility of the new Town Heritage Centre being the substantive matter to be considered this Municipal Year. Members agreed that this should form part of the Committee’s work programme and the review should include working with local schools, visits to other similar facilities, interviews with representatives from Arts Council England and with current SBC Museum staff.

It was RESOLVED:

1.    That the Committee noted the Work Programme.

2.    That the substantive item for the year be the preparatory work for the new Town Heritage Centre.

None.

Not required.

None.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Community Select Committee held on 2 December 2020 be approved as a correct record subject to the following addition to Minute 3 – HCC Director of Public Health Presentation:

In response to a question from the Chair, the Director of Public Health confirmed that in the event of any future pandemic, he would recommend that the use of face coverings should be employed at a much earlier stage of the virus.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Liz Harrington.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair then welcomed the new Members to the meeting.

The Executive considered a report seeking approval, in principle, to the use of the Council’s Compulsory Purchase (CPO) powers to facilitate the delivery of phases 2 and 3 within the wider development of SG1.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the in principle use of compulsory purchase powers, pursuant to section 226 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990  and section 13 Local Government Act 1976 be approved, to acquire the land, property and rights shown within the Red Line Area set out in Figure 1, Paragraph 4.1.2. of the report.

2.          That Officers be requested to begin the necessary preparatory work for the use of Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers, including:

(i)         the appointment of Land Referencing Agents;

(ii)        the service of requisitions on landowners (where appropriate);

(iii)       the preparation of Statement of Reasons; and

(iv)      all other necessary documentation.

3.          That it be noted that Compulsory Purchase powers should only be used as a matter of last resort and that Officers will use all reasonable endeavours to assemble the land required to support the SG1 development by agreement, and that it be further noted that, if it is not possible to assemble the land by agreement, then a resolution for the use of Compulsory Purchase Powers, supported by the relevant justification and Statement of Reasons, will be presented to a future meeting of the Executive.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

The Executive considered a report with regard to a review of the use of Agency staffing by the Council.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the actions in respect of the use of Agency staffing, as set out in Section 4 of the report, be noted.

2.          That a further report be brought forward to Executive during the current financial year, detailing progress against the actions set out in the report.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

The Executive consider a report seeking approval to the Council’s Annual Report 2020/21.

The Chair advised that final changes to the Annual Report before publication would include retention of the term “Co-operative Neighbourhoods” (instead of “Working Co-operatively within our Neighbourhoods”) as one of the four external-facing themes; and an expansion of the section outlining the support provided by SBC to the Stevenage High Street within the “Covid and our Co-operative Council response” element of the document.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the progress on the delivery of the Co-operative Future Town Future Council (FTFC) programme and the overall performance and achievements of the Council during 2020/21 be noted.

2.          That the content and publication of the Council’s draft Annual Report 2020/21, as set out at Appendix A to the report, be agreed.

3.          That delegated authority be given to the Strategic Director (RP), following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to approve any final changes to the Annual Report prior to its publication.

4.          That the proposals to refocus the FTFC programmes in 2021/22 be agreed, including the proposal to deliver a number of the internal facing priorities through the new Transformation programme.

5.          That the proposed Co-operative Future Town Future Council programme deliverables for 2021/22 be noted and the deliverability of the programme be kept under review.

6.          That the suite of 2021/22 performance measures and targets, as set out at Appendix B to the report, be noted.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

The Executive considered a report with regard to the amounts of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) secured and projected, and seeking approval to the maintenance of the current CIL Charging Schedule rates, with a review of the rates in 2022/23.

Members supported an additional recommendation proposed by the Chair that CIL performance be reported on a quarterly basis to the Executive through the existing budget/performance reporting mechanisms.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the amounts of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) secured and projected be noted.

2.          That the current CIL Charge Schedule (CS) rates be maintained until after the outcome of a review in 2022/2023.

3.          That CIL performance be reported on a quarterly basis to the Executive through the existing budget/performance reporting mechanisms.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report; and 3. To ensure regular monitoring of CIL performance.

Other options considered:  As contained in report.

The Executive considered a report seeking approval of the draft Stevenage Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) 2021 for public consultation.

The Chair of the Planning & Development Committee summarised the views of that Committee on the SPD, made at its meeting held on 13 July 2021, as follows:

·        An excellent externally-facilitated workshop on design had been attended by a number of Members of the Committee;

·        Once adopted, documents like the SPD should be available via digital means, enabling Members to easily locate the latest versions;

·        The need for site visits to other parts of the UK to view good urban design; and

·        Debate on the Local Heritage List had centred on how buildings were allocated/added to that List.

The following comments were made by Executive Members:

·        It was recommended that and All-Member Briefing on the Design SPD be held prior to public consultation, including further discussion on the Local Heritage List;

·        In view of the size of the document, consideration should be given to a method whereby consultees could easily navigate around it;

·        The SPD should contain a reference to the negative lessons learnt from the New Town heritage (such as Radburn layout housing);

·        The SPD should also refer to the fact that Stevenage was comprised of self-contained neighbourhoods, based on New Town principles;

·        The SPD should set out what would be expected of developers of new flat blocks in terms of their linkage and accessibility to green spaces in the town;

·        The SPD should contain reference to the importance of fire safety in building design; and

·        Officers were asked to bring the SPD, Local Heritage List; and the Stevenage Town Centre Public Realm Guide back separately when the SPD returned to the Executive following completion of the consultation process. 

The Executive supported the recommendation for an All-Member Briefing on the SPD, and a deferral of the commencement of public consultation on the document until after it had been discussed at the All-Member Briefing, and no earlier than September 2021.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the content of the Stevenage Design Guidance SPD 2021 be noted.

2.          That delegated powers be granted to the Assistant Director: Planning and Regulation, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration, to make minor amendments as are necessary in the final preparation of the draft SPD prior to its consultation.

3.          That an All-Member Briefing on the draft Design Guidance SPD 2021 be held at the earliest opportunity, and the Assistant Director Planning and Regulation, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration, be given delegated authority to determine the commencement of the consultation period on the SPD (no earlier than September 2021).

4.          That the comments of the Planning & Development Committee, at is meeting held on 13 July 2021, regarding the content of the report, be noted and taken into account in the further work on the SPD.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report; and amended 3. To allow All-Member input into the content of the SPD.

Other options considered:  As contained in report.

The Executive considered a report in respect of a review of the Article 4 Directions and Employment Sites in Stevenage.

The Chair of the Planning & Development Committee summarised the views of that Committee on the report, made at its meeting held on 13 July 2021, as follows:

·        support to officers in their endeavours to firm up the evidence base in seeking to retain the protection afforded by the Article 4 Directions;

·        the discord and disharmony that would be ensue should residential and industrial/commercial uses be mixed, which could be the case should the Article 4 Directions cease;

·        major planning applications should be determined by the Planning & Development Committee rather than through permitted development processes.

The Executive supported the views of the Planning & Development Committee, and considered that lobbying of the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Board (LEP) and Hertfordshire Growth Board would be required to garner their support to the work of the Council in seeking to retain the protection afforded by the Article 4 Directions, based on the Borough’s New Town heritage of separation of commercial/residential land uses.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the new arrangements imposed by Government on use class changes and relating to change of use from commercial to residential use via permitted development rights be noted.

2.          That the extended period that existing Article 4 Directions in Stevenage are in force, to 31 July 2022, relating to:

(A)   Change of use from Light Industrial to Residential use – applicable to Gunnels Wood and Pin Green Employment areas.

(B)   Change of use from Office to Residential use – applicable to Gunnels Wood and Pin Green Employment areas,

be noted.

3.          That the evidence base relating to employment sites in the Borough be developed to support the existing Article 4 Directions and further support protection of employment space in the Borough be agreed.

4.          That the comments of the Planning & Development Committee, held on 13 July 2021, regarding the content of this report be supported.

5.          That delegated powers be granted to the Assistant Director: Planning and Regulation, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration, to make any subsequent amendments to Article 4 Directions.

6.          That the lobbying activities of the Council for retention of the protection afforded by the Article 4 Directions (including lobbying for the support of the Hertfordshire LEP and Hertfordshire Growth Board) be concentrated and based on the Borough’s New Town heritage of separation of residential/commercial land uses, which has not changed since the original Article 4 Directions were granted.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report; and 6. To lobby support for the continuation of the Article 4 Directions.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

None.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That under Section 100A 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 the reasons for the following report being in Part II were accepted, and that the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

None.

The Executive considered a presentation providing an update on the Covid-19 pandemic from the Strategic Director (TP), assisted by other officers.  The presentation covered Local and National epidemiology statistics; Step 4 – Removal of restrictions; National Five Point Plan – Living with Covid; Testing, outbreak management and compliance; Community Response; Business Support and Grants; Business Continuity, new ways of working and wellbeing & resilience; and Communications update

The following matters were raised during the presentation:

·        it was confirmed that the 168 Covid-related deaths in Stevenage during the course of the pandemic were of Stevenage NHS-registered patients;

·        officers undertook to respond to Members with any statistics they were able to find in respect of vaccine effectiveness (including anti-body testing);

·        officers were requested to liaise with HCC officers with a view to asking the local bus companies to adopt a requirement for continued mask wearing on their vehicles (in line with Transport for London requirements); and also to investigate the possibility of continued mask wearing by the Borough’s taxi drivers;

·        officers agreed to confirm whether businesses were still required to use the QR code reader system for customers;

·        it was considered that increasing the awareness of businesses in the Neighbourhood Centres in respect of the grants and support funding available to them (and how to access such funding) should form part of the work of the Co-operative Neighbourhood Teams;

·        officers agreed to provide figures regarding the level of take up form businesses of the Covid-19 business support advice provided by SBC, the Business Technology Centre and Hertfordshire Growth Hub;

·        it was clarified that a new Daneshill House office layout with a reduced number of work stations would be launched in September 2021; the Museum was also planned to re-open fully in September, as during its closure many staff had been redeployed on other duties;

·        the backlog of complaints/service requests in certain areas, such as repairs, would be addressed in the coming weeks.  It was noted that a recent surge was primarily due to the easing of Covid restrictions and residents feeling more comfortable about operatives visiting their homes, which was not the case during the height of the second wave of the pandemic in early 2021;

·        officers undertook to share with Members the percentage of staff who had indicated that they wished to return to work full-time in response to the recent Employee Survey;

·        it was confirmed that work flexibility would remain for those staff who undertook a caring role within their family unit.  

It was RESOLVED that the Covid-19 update be noted.

The Executive considered the Minutes of the meetings of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 14 June 2021 and Environment & Economy Select Committee held on 22 June 2021.

In terms of bulky waste charging item considered at the Environment & Economy Select Committee, the Chair reported that the pilot scheme for charging less for fewer items had yielded excellent results, and that work was underway with a view to introducing a permanent scheme.

It was RESOLVED that the following Minutes of meetings of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees be noted:

Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 14 June 2021

Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 22 June 2021

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 9 June 2021 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Robin Parker, CC (observer).

There were no declarations of interest.

Members supported the Chair’s suggestion that the Executive’s congratulations be recorded regarding the inspirational and uplifting performance and the conduct of the England Football Team at the recent European Championships.

The committee received a report on next steps in the review of the economic impact of Covid19 on Stevenage. The report set out the review progress. Members agreed to invite Business Relationship Manager to the Select Committee to clarify how the Council was supporting self-employed and other businesses hit hard by the pandemic.

It was RESOLVED:

·       That the next steps in the review into economic impact of Covid-19 on Stevenage be noted.

·       That the mapping exercise be noted.

The Select Committee received a response from the Executive Portfolio holder on the Neighbourhood Centres Review. The Select Committee established to review the Neighbourhood Centres on 13 March 2019 and agreed a scope on 25 June 2019. Covid19 impacted the end of the review process; however, prior to this, Members managed to carry out a number of site visits with officers which led to a number of local actions and subsequent recommendations. 5 Recommendations were proposed to the Executive. The Executive Portfolio holder responded to the recommendations set out in the agenda report. 

It was RESOLVED:

·       That the Committee endorsed the Executive Portfolio holder response as set out in the agenda report.

It was RESOLVED that the Summary of Decisions of the Committee meeting held on Tuesday 22 June 2021 be noted. The minutes of the 22 June 2021 meeting will be considered at the next meeting of the Committee.

None.

Not required.

None.

There were no apologies for absence.

Councillor Claire Parris declared an interest as trustee of St. Nicholas Community Association.