Agenda and minutes

To receive any announcements.

The Chairman welcomed the press and public to the meeting and reminded everyone that the meeting was being webcast.

She referred to the recent events she had attended and highlighted the visit of Lady Verulam, the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, to the District.

The Chairman paid tribute to former councillors Basra, Demonti and Poulton and thanked them for their service to their local communities and the District as a whole.

Finally, the Chairman advised Members that she would be hosting a quiz evening in early May and that invitations would be issued in due course.

To approve as a correct record and authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 20 February 2013 (to follow).

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2013, be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive any Members' questions.

Question 1

Councillor M Wood asked the Executive Member for Community Safety and Environment if he agreed that, if residents of tree-lined roads were prepared to collect and bag fallen leaves, the least the Council could do would be to arrange their collection.

In reply, the Executive Member for Community Safety and Environment did not agree with Councillor M Wood.  He reminded Members of the recent background to the rearrangement of leaf clearance via the usual street cleansing rotation.  This had resulted in fewer complaints from residents than expected.  He also reminded Members that Hertfordshire County Council were responsible for highway safety.

The Executive Member doubted the logistics of Councillor Wood’s suggestion and commented that leaves could not be included in organic waste bins and would have to be sent to landfill, thus increasing the Council’s collection and disposal costs.

In response to a supplementary question on whether Councillor Wood’s suggestion would enable residents to take pride in their streets and thus contribute to achieving the Council’s corporate priorities, the Executive Member again disagreed.

To receive a report (to follow) from the Leader of the Council and to consider any recommendations.

Note – Members are asked to bring their copy of the Executive agenda to the meeting.

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 5 March 2013, be received.

(see also Minutes 655 – 666)

Minute 629 refers

RESOLVED – that (A) the East Herts Housing Register and Allocations Policy as now submitted at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, be adopted;

(B)      authority be delegated to the Director of Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, for any future minor procedural or process changes to be included in the policy; and

(C)      a review of the impact of the specific issues now detailed be undertaken in 6 months, with a full review of the policy being submitted to Community Scrutiny Committee in March 2014.

Minute 630 refers

RESOLVED – that (A) the comments of Environment Scrutiny Committee be received;

(B)      the options and costs for addressing the issue with cardboard collection and increasing recycling collections in the context of Council’s environmental and financial objectives be noted;

(C)      Option 5 (part-commingled collections with an inner basket being supplied on an “opt-in” basis) be adopted and a provision in the Capital Programme for 2013/14 of £2,200,000 and a one off Revenue Supplementary Estimate of £420,000 for 2013/14 only to allow for necessary changes to recycling services, be approved; and

(D)      an appropriation of £280,000 (or balance held on the waste contract reserve at 31 March 2013) in 2013/14 in order to part fund the Supplementary Estimate of £420,000 referred to in (C) above, be approved.

Minute 631 refers

RESOLVED – that (A) recent interpretation of ‘objectively assessed housing need’ by the Planning Inspectorate be noted, which suggests that East Herts Council may need to plan for the upper end of the range 10,000-17,000 dwellings over 20 years; and

(B)      a further delay to the finalisation of the District Plan Part 1: Strategy be approved, until such time as a resolution to the outstanding strategic issues can be found.

Minute 632 refers

RESOLVED – that (A) the responses made by Members in respect of agenda item 11 of the District Planning Executive Panel on 28 November 2012 be noted;

(B)      the Officer responses to the comments made and any consequent amendments to the District Plan: Part 1 - Strategy Supporting Document be approved; and

(C)      the proposed amendments to the District Plan: Part 1 - Strategy Supporting Document at paragraphs 5.3.116 and 5.3.123 to be made as a result of the receipt of updated information, be approved.

Minute 633 refers

RESOLVED - that the Habitat Regulations Assessment Stage 1 – Screening Report (December 2012) be approved as part of the evidence base to inform the District Plan Part 1: Strategy.

Minute 634 refers

RESOLVED – that (A) the DIAMOND transport modelling work be approved as part of the technical evidence base to inform the District Plan Part 1 - Strategy; and

(B)      East Herts Council implores the relevant transport authorities, including Essex County Council, Hertfordshire County Council, and the Highways Agency, to urgently work to identify a pragmatic solution to the evidence base for long-term transport planning issues, to enable East Herts Council to finalise a consultation draft of its District Plan and enable it to comply with its responsibilities as Local Planning Authority.

Minute 635 refers

RESOLVED – that (A) the Stage 1 Financial Viability technical work, be approved as part of the evidence base for a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and for the District Plan Part 1 - Strategy; and

(B)      the stepped approach to infrastructure planning outlined in this report, including a separate consultation on matters relating to financial viability, be approved.

Minute 636 refers

RESOLVED - that the Greater Essex Demographic Forecasts Phases 1 to 4 (March 2012 - January 2013) technical study, be approved as part of the evidence base to inform and support the East Herts District Plan.

Minute 637 refers

RESOLVED - that the Annual Monitoring Report 2011/2012 contained as Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ and Essential Reference Paper ‘C’ to the report now submitted, be approved for publication.

Minute 638 refers

RESOLVED – that (A) the NPPF Compatibility Self Assessment Checklist at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, be noted; and

(B)      the policies in the East Herts Local Plan Second Review (April 2007) continue to be given due weight in accordance with paragraph 215 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Minute 639 refers

RESOLVED – that the Draft Statement of Community Involvement, as now submitted, be approved for public consultation.

Minute 640 refers

RESOLVED - that the qualifying conditions for discounts, as now submitted, be approved.

Chairman: Councillor D Abbott

(to follow)

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the Environment Scrutiny Control Committee meeting held on 26 February 2013, be received.

Chairman: Councillor S Rutland-Barsby

(to follow)

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the Development Control Committee meeting held on 27 February 2013, be received.

Report to follow

The Executive Member for Finance submitted a report proposing Council Tax levels in 2013/14.  He referred to the precepts set by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC), Hertfordshire Police Authority (HPA) and Parish and Town Councils.

Council approved the recommendations as now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) the Council Tax resolution, as detailed at Essential Reference Paper ‘A’ to the report submitted, be approved;

(B)   the local precepts as set out at Essential Reference Paper ‘C’ of the report submitted, be noted; and

(C)   Hertfordshire County Council’s and Hertfordshire Police Authority’s precepts, as now submitted, be noted.