Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport submitted a report on the Stanstead Abbotts Conservation Area Appraisal following public consultation.  He detailed the outcome of the public consultation in the report now submitted and advised that some comments had been taken on board.

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.

Councillor G Williamson, as the local ward Member, supported the proposals and thanked the Officers involved for engaging with local residents.

In response to Members’ comments on the problems caused by the proliferation of “A” boards, the Executive noted the importance of a balanced and proportionate approach in enforcement activity. 

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 Stanstead Abbotts Conservation Area Appraisal be approved;

(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; and

(C)   the Stanstead Abbotts Conservation Area Appraisal be adopted.

The Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport submitted a report on the Wareside Conservation Area Appraisal following public consultation.  He detailed the outcome of the public consultation in the report now submitted and advised that some comments had been taken on board.

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.

Councillor M Newman, as the local ward Member, supported the proposals and thanked the Officers involved for engaging with local residents.  He hoped that this would encourage better community cohesion with the various hamlets dotted around the village.

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 Wareside Conservation Area Appraisal be approved;

(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; and

(C)   the Wareside Conservation Area Appraisal be adopted.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors P Phillips and M Tindale.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2014.

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 3 June 2014, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

That the application for the designation of a Neighbourhood Area, submitted by Buntingford Town Council, and to cover the Buntingford area, be supported.

The Executive gave consideration to a report detailing an application by Buntingford Town Council for the designation of a Neighbourhood Area, as detailed on the plan attached to the report submitted.  The application comprised theBuntingford Area and covered the whole of the parishes of Buntingford, Aspenden, Buckland, Cottered, Hormead and Wyddial.

The Executive considered the application and the consultation undertaken, including the objection that had been submitted.  The report submitted detailed the main areas of consideration in determining the application in accordance with Schedule 9 of the Localism Act 2011.

The Executive supported the application.

RESOLVED - that the application for the designation of a Neighbourhood Area, submitted by Buntingford Town Council, and to cover the Buntingford area, be supported.

Report to follow.

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

(B)     the use of £116,780 from the Local Plan Reserve as noted in paragraph 2.3 of this report, be approved;

(C)    an additional £20,000 to support the Citizen Advisory Bureau as detailed in paragraph 2.5 of this report, be approved;

(D)    the virement of £30,000 from the Credit Union to Rent Deposit budget as detailed in paragraph 2.8 of this report, be approved;

(E)     a request to slip £40,000 of Community Capital Grant into 2015/16 as outlined in paragraph 2.23 of this report, be approved; and

(F)     carry forward requests of £38,245, £81,750, £18,000, £73,325, £15,000, £5,000 and £6,730 as outlined in paragraphs 2.24 to 2.32 be approved.

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

He referred to performance indicator EHPI 192 (% of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting) and advised that this data was not available at this stage and would be included in the report to the next meeting.  

In response to questions by Councillor T Page on the proposed funding of temporary posts in the Development Plans team, the Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport stated that a huge amount of work had been identified in the team’s work programme and it was important to move forward on the various Local Plan processes.  The Director of Neighbourhood Services added that the proposed use of temporary staff was the most economic and effective option.

The Executive approved the recommendations now detailed.

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

(B)       the use of £116,780 from the Local Plan Reserve as noted in paragraph 2.3 of the report submitted, be approved;

(C)       an additional £20,000 to support the Citizen Advisory Bureau as detailed in paragraph 2.5 of the report submitted, be approved;

(D)       the virement of £30,000 from the Credit Union to Rent Deposit budget as detailed in paragraph 2.8 of the report submitted, be approved;

(E)       a request to slip £40,000 of Community Capital Grant into 2015/16 as outlined in paragraph 2.23 of the report submitted, be approved; and

(F)       carry forward requests of £38,245, £81,750, £18,000, £73,325, £15,000, £5,000 and £6,730 as outlined in paragraphs 2.24 to 2.32 of the report submitted, be approved.