Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport submitted a report on the Green Tye Conservation Area Appraisal following public consultation.  He detailed the outcome of the public consultation in the report now submitted.

The Appraisal identified the special character of the Conservation Area together with the elements that should be retained or enhanced and those which detracted from the identified character.  Once adopted by the Council, the Appraisal would become a ‘material consideration’ in the process of determining planning applications.  It would also link into the development of neighbourhood planning.

The Executive supported the recommendations as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the responses to the public consultation be noted and the Officer responses and proposed changes to the Green Tye Conservation Area Appraisal be agreed;

(B)      authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, to make any further minor and consequential changes to the Appraisal which may be necessary;

(C)      the Green Tye Conservation Area Appraisal be adopted.

The Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport submitted a report on the Much Hadham Conservation Area Appraisal following public consultation.  He detailed the outcome of the public consultation in the report now submitted, highlighting the changes made relating to Moor Place, as suggested in the consultation.

The Appraisal identified the special character of the Conservation Area together with the elements that should be retained or enhanced and those which detracted from the identified character.  Once adopted by the Council, the Appraisal would become a ‘material consideration’ in the process of determining planning applications.  It would also link into the development of neighbourhood planning.

The Executive supported the recommendations as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the responses to the public consultation be noted and the Officer responses and proposed changes to the Much Hadham Conservation Area Appraisal be agreed;

(B)      authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, to make any further minor and consequential changes to the Appraisal which may be necessary;

(C)      the Much Hadham Conservation Area Appraisal be adopted.

To receive apologies for absence.

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Councillor L Haysey.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2014 (previously circulated in the agenda for the Council meeting of 5 March 2014)

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 4 March 2014, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

That the Discretionary Rates Relief policy as now submitted, be approved.

The Executive Member for Finance submitted a report seeking to update the Discretionary Rates Relief Policy.  He referred to recent changes in the way that Business Rates and Business Rates relief were determined, thus necessitating an update to the Policy. 

The Executive noted that the Government was now asking Councils to use their discretionary powers to enact new reliefs that had been recently announced, to support certain types and classes of business over a short period of time.  This included targeting flood relief to businesses which met certain criteria, and from April 2014, a number of initiatives to encourage reuse of empty retail property, support for empty new builds, and £1000 relief to occupied retail properties.

The Executive approved the Policy as now submitted.

RESOLVED - that the Discretionary Rates Relief Policy as now submitted, be approved.

That (A) the budgetary variances set out in paragraph 2.1 of the report be noted; and

(B)     the following capital programme changes identified at paragraph 2.21 be approved:

·        Hartham Swimming Pool - request that £11,340 for emergency repairs be brought back from the schemes 2014/15 budget. 

·        Hertford Theatre Seating refurbishment now scheduled for August 2014 - Request for scheme slippage of £109,400 to 2014/15.

·        Pishiobury Park Wetland Habitat – land swap delayed – request for slippage of £12,180 to 2014/15.

·        Town centre Environmental Enhancements – Slippage in schemes due to enable other projects to progress - £66,250 to 2014/15.

·        Various ICT works to be slipped to 2014/15 as agreed by ITSG - £252,960.

·        Bircherley Green MSCP – Major refurbishment – Slippage to 2014/15 pending agreement to transfer car park. 

The Leader of the Council submitted an exception report on performance and finance monitoring for East Herts Council for February 2014.

The Executive approved the recommendations as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the budgetary variances set out in paragraph 2.1 of the report be noted; and

(B)      the following capital programme changes identified at paragraph 2.21 be approved:

·                        Hartham Swimming Pool - request that £11,340 for emergency repairs be brought back from the schemes 2014/15 budget. 

·                        Hertford Theatre Seating refurbishment now scheduled for August 2014 - Request for scheme slippage of £109,400 to 2014/15.

·                        Pishiobury Park Wetland Habitat – land swap delayed – request for slippage of £12,180 to 2014/15.

·                        Town centre Environmental Enhancements – Slippage in schemes due to enable other projects to progress - £66,250 to 2014/15.

·                        Various ICT works to be slipped to 2014/15 as agreed by ITSG - £252,960.

·                        Bircherley Green MSCP – Major refurbishment – Slippage to 2014/15 pending agreement to transfer car park.