Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Councillor Haysey reminded all present that the meeting was being webcast.  She welcomed everyone, including those listening to the webcast. 

To receive any Member(s) declaration(s) of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2020.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2020 were received. 

Councillor Page requested it be recorded that, although not a member of the Executive, he had declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the item on the agenda for the East of Manor Links site, as his wife was a member of the Golf Club.  The Leader confirmed this fact would be recorded.

Councillor McAndrew proposed, and Councillor Cutting seconded, a motion that the Minutes of the meeting of 21 January 2020 be approved as a correct record.  The motion being put to the meeting, and a vote taken, it was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – to receive the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 21 January 2020 be approved as a correct record, and signed by the Leader. 

To receive any report of the Committee Chairman.

The Chairman of the Performance, Audit and Governance Oversight Committee confirmed there was no additional report as the substantive matters considered by the Committee at its last meeting had been recommended to the Executive meeting of 21 January and had since been approved by Council.

To receive any report of the Committee Chairman.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee said he had no additional matters to report to the Executive, other than the Parking Task and Finish Group recommendations which were to be presented later on the agenda.  He welcomed any questions.

That (A) the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Parking Task and Finish Group be received and considered, and (B) authority be delegated to the Head of Operations, in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Chairman of the Parking Task and Finish Group, and with the Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability, to assess the full viability of the recommendations by the Executive and bring a further report to the Executive setting out cost implications.

The Executive considered a report submitted by the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and presented by Councillor Drake, as Chairman of the Parking Task and Finish Group. 

Councillor Drake summarised the approach taken by the Parking Task and Finish Group, and the scope of the work it had carried out.  The terms of reference had been to review the policy areas of town centre parking policies, focusing on Bishop’s Stortford and Hertford, but looking also at the needs of other towns and villages; the Resident Permit Zone (RPZ) policy; parking standards within planning policies and climate change and sustainability implications of parking policy. 

Councillor Drake directed Members to the paper submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 10 December 2019, which set out the detailed recommendations of the Task and Finish Group and an amendment proposed to the RPZ policy.  She said the recommendations were ambitious but achievable. 

Councillor Haysey thanked Councillor Drake for the detailed work she and the other Members of the Task and Finish Group had undertaken. 

Councillor McAndrew thanked Councillor Drake for the Task and Finish Group’s report, which he said set out very ambitious recommendations.  Implementation of such recommendations would have costs implications, which would be likely to be exceptional.   Whilst the Task and Finish Group had examined some of the operational issues affecting residents and others in relation to parking, it was necessary to assess the implications of implementing the proposals, in view of the Council’s approved budget, and its new corporate plan which included environmental sustainability.  It was also necessary to keep in mind the challenge the Council had set itself in its financially sustainable budget to find ways to manage parking behaviour through fees and charges.  The recommendations of the Parking Task and Finish Group would require funding, so he would ask Officers to undertake further detailed work on costs. 

Councillor McAndrew said he therefore proposed an amendment, to add that authority be delegated to the Head of Operations, in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and with the Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability, to assess the full viability of the recommendations by the Executive and bring a further report to the Executive setting out cost implications.

Councillor Wyllie thanked Councillor Drake for the work she and the Task and Finish Group had done.  The Committee had looked at the findings in detail and considered there could be further scope to explore options, for example, in relation to Airport related parking and on street parking.  He understood the reason for Councillor McAndrew’s amendment, but there was a need to resolve residents’ problems. 

Councillor McAndrew said he concurred with the aim to find solutions, but it was also necessary to take a holistic approach. 

Councillor Wyllie asked that the amendment to the proposal should include provision for Councillor Drake to be consulted. 

Councillor McAndrew agreed to the inclusion of this additional provision. 

In response to a comment from Councillor Bull, Councillor McAndrew said each Town would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 349.

That the application for the designation of the Kingsmead Ward, Hertford as a Neighbourhood Area, submitted by Hertford Town Council, be supported.

The Executive considered a report on Hertford Town Council’s application for the designation of a Neighbourhood Area in respect of Hertford Kingsmead Ward. 

Councillor Goodeve, presenting the report, said the application had been made in accordance with process.  She proposed the recommendations in the report. 

Councillor Haysey welcomed the application. 

Councillor McAndrew seconded the motion to support the recommendations.  The motion being put to the meeting, and a vote taken, it was declared CARRIED. 

RESOLVED - that the application for the designation of the Kingsmead Ward, Hertford as a Neighbourhood Area, submitted by Hertford Town Council, be supported.

That (A) the draft Gilston Area Charter Supplementary Planning Document, as set out in Appendix A, be agreed and published for a minimum four-week period of public consultation;

(B) delegated authority is given to the Head of Planning after consultation with the Leader of the Council to make minor modifications to the draft Charter prior to publication for consultation;

(c) in accordance with the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 to determine that a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the emerging Gilston Area Charter Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is not required as it is unlikely to have significant environmental effects.

The Executive considered a report submitted by the Leader seeking agreement to publish for consultation the draft Gilston Area Charter Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). 

Councillor Haysey said this SPD was one of a range of documents addressing the Gilston area, with focus on the standards for garden towns.  This document would set out relevant planning considerations for the area. 

Councillor Buckmaster spoke in support of the publication of the draft SPD.  He said he had attended meetings of the Gilston Steering Group and it was accepted by the site promoters that a framework should exist to provide quality in a consistent way. 

Councillor Page said this document was positive in many respects, but that he had reservations as to the collaboration of partner authorities.  He had hoped a year ago that the collaboration would have been closer than had occurred.  Clarification was needed as to whether the council would be working closely with its partner authorities and with Steering Groups.

Councillor Haysey said the council had entered into a memorandum of understanding with Epping Forest District Council and Harlow Council, and with the County Councils, which was binding.  Governance had been considered at the previous night’s meeting of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Board, which would put this memorandum on a formal footing. 

Councillor Haysey went on to say that in respect of the paper before the Executive, as Gilston was in the planning authority area of East Hertfordshire, the SPD was based on East Herts’ planning policies.  The council’s partners could comment on the SPD but it was this council’s responsibility to ensure that the homes were of the highest standard. 

Councillor Buckmaster said another element which was important for the Gilston areas was that there were two site promoters, but the council aimed to make the process seamless in terms of engagement. 

Councillor Page thanked Members for their responses, and said he still had concerns regarding the sustainable transport document.  He asked that any further relevant information be shared with Members, as it was important there should be high quality public transport to support a modal shift away from using cars. 

Councillor Haysey proposed a motion supporting the recommendation in the report.  Councillor Goodeve seconded the motion.  On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED. 

RESOLVED - that (A) the draft Gilston Area Charter Supplementary Planning Document, as set out in Appendix A, be agreed and published for a minimum four-week period of public consultation;

(B) delegated authority is given to the Head of Planning after consultation with the Leader of the Council to make minor modifications to the draft Charter prior to publication for consultation;

(C) in accordance with the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004, to determine that a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the emerging Gilston Area Charter Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is not required as it is unlikely to have significant environmental effects.

That (A) the net cost of services budget forecast underspend of £35k in 2019/20 be noted (paragraph 2.5 of the report);

(B)the capital budget for 2019/20 is £77.812m, of which £78k is estimated to underspend and £64.292m is to be carried forward to future years be noted (paragraph 5.1.1); and

(C)the reported performance for the period October 2019 to December 2019 be noted (paragraph 7).

The Executive considered a report submitted by Councillor Williamson on the quarterly corporate budget monitoring for Quarter 3 of the current financial year. 

Councillor Williamson thanked officers for bringing the report earlier than it was usually submitted.  He drew Members’ attention to the main points in the report, in particular the predicted revenue budget underspend as set out in the report, a number of marginal variances across the services, the capital programme in relation to the projects of Hertford Theatre, Old River Lane and the two Leisure Centres.  Regarding performance monitoring, the report set out areas which were now achieving the target, such as fly tipping removal time, and also areas which were not achieving targets, such as missed bin collections and website satisfaction.  In such areas, the reasons for underperformance were understood and would continue to be reviewed.  He proposed a motion to support the recommendations in the report. 

Councillor Pope asked whether older debts set out in appendix B to the report could be recovered. 

The Head of Strategic Finance and Property said the great majority of the large debts were anticipated to be recovered.  He referred to various details of such debts, including a sum of £88,000 which related to section 106 monies due from developers, a sum from a school for the joint use of a hall, and the Hertford Town Council contribution for works in Maidenhead Street. 

Councillor McAndrew seconded the motion, which was put to the meeting.  A vote being taken, the motion was declared CARRIED. 

RESOLVED - that (A) the net cost of services budget forecast underspend of £35k in 2019/20 be noted (paragraph 2.5 of the report);

(B)the capital budget for 2019/20 is £77.812m, of which £78k is estimated to underspend and £64.292m is to be carried forward to future years be noted (paragraph 5.1.1); and

(C)  the reported performance for the period October 2019 to December 2019 be noted (paragraph 7).