Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Executive Member for Development Management and Council Support submitted a report on the Walkern Conservation Area Appraisal following public consultation.  She 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 proposals as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the responses to the public consultation be noted and the Officer responses and proposed changes to the Walkern Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Proposals be supported;

(B)      authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Executive Member for Development Management and Council Support, to make any further minor and consequential changes to the  document which may be necessary; and

(C)      the Walkern Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Proposals be adopted.

Minutes 64 refers

The Executive considered and supported the recommendations of the District Planning Executive Panel meeting held on 13 October 2016, on the Sustainability Appraisal of the Strategic Spatial Options for the West Essex and East Hertfordshire Housing Market Area, September 2016.

RECOMMENDED – that the Sustainability Appraisal of the Strategic Spatial Options for the West Essex and East Hertfordshire Housing Market Area as detailed at Essential Reference ‘B’ to the report submitted, be agreed as part of the evidence base to support the East Herts District Plan.

(see also Minute 427)

Minutes 65 refers

The Executive considered and supported the recommendations of the District Planning Executive Panel meeting held on 13 October 2016, on the Interim Duty to Co-operate Compliance Statement.

RECOMMENDED – that the Interim Duty to Co-operate Compliance Statement be agreed in support of the Pre-Submission District Plan.

(see also Minute 427)

Minutes 66 refers

The Executive considered and supported the recommendations of the District Planning Executive Panel meeting held on 13 October 2016, on the Interim Consultation Statement.

RECOMMENDED – that the Interim Consultation Statement, as detailed at Essential Reference ‘B’ to the report submitted, be agreed as a companion document to the East Herts District Plan, Pre-Submission Version, 2016, for consultation purposes.

(see also Minute 427)

Minutes 67 refers

The Executive considered and supported the recommendations of the District Planning Executive Panel meeting held on 13 October 2016, on the Air Quality Planning Guidance, October 2016.

RECOMMENDED – that the Air Quality Planning Guidance, October 2016, as now submitted, be agreed as guidance to inform Development Management decisions.

(see also Minute 427)

The Leader welcomed everyone to the meeting and reminded all present that the meeting was being webcast.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2016 (previously circulated in Council Agenda of 22 September 2016).

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 19 September 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

That (A) the recommendations of the Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)     the revised Discretionary Rates Relief policy as now submitted, be approved.

The Executive Member for Finance and Support Services submitted a report reviewing the Discretionary Rates Relief (DRR) policy.  He detailed the procedure for granting DRR, which had been updated to reflect previous non key decisions taken and to ensure that the level and type of relief being granted was consistent with the Council’s objectives. 

The Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 11 October 2016, had supported the updated policy without further comment.

The Executive approved the updated policy as now submitted.

RESOLVED - that (A) the recommendations of the Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)      the revised Discretionary Rates Relief policy as now submitted, be approved.

That the mid year progress report be approved.

The Executive considered a report setting out the progress that has been made from 1 April to 30 September 2016 in implementing the key actions and performance indicators that supported the Council’s Corporate Strategic Plan.

In respect of HH9.1 (Implement the Wellbeing Dementia Friendly Homes project), the Executive Member emphasised that this target had been set for two years with the majority of assessments due in the second year.  Therefore, the current position was that the target was being exceeded.

In respect of HH17.2 (Undertake feasibility work to set up a company to build new homes), Councillor M Casey queried this being shown as on target when the Council had yet to agree the business case and asked for confirmation as to whether the business case had actually been agreed.  In response, the Ambassador and Executive Member for Shared Services confirmed that the decision had yet to be taken.  He advised that a report would be submitted to the Executive in December 2016, via the Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee in November 2016, and that the target was indicative subject to any concerns being addressed. 

Councillor M Allen asked what modelling supported the business case and it was confirmed this would all be covered in the report to scrutiny.  The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing added that such concerns were being addressed by the Head of Housing and Health.

The Executive approved the recommendation now detailed, subject to the comments now detailed.

RESOLVED - that the mid-year progress report be approved, subject to the comments now detailed.

That the draft response from the East Herts Leader to the LSCC’s Growth Commission, as now submitted, be endorsed.

The Leader of the Council submitted a report seeking approval for a formal response to the London Stansted Cambridge Consortium (LSCC) Growth Commission Report.  The draft response was set out in the report now submitted.

The Executive recalled that the LSCC had commissioned an independent study of the London-Stansted-Cambridge corridor, with the aim of testing and creating the case to put to Government for future investment in the corridor to release its economic potential.  An independent set of economists, academics, business leaders, investors and financial experts (called the Growth Commission) had undertaken research and gathered evidence via a series of roundtable events up and down the corridor.  The report had been published in July 2016.

The Executive approved the draft response as now submitted.

RESOLVED - that the draft response from the East Herts Leader to the LSCC’s Growth Commission, as now submitted, be endorsed.

Report to follow

To consider recommendations on the following matters:

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the District Planning Executive Panel meeting held on 13 October 2016, be received.

(see also Minutes 418 – 421)