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BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL
OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON TUESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2006
PRESENT: Mr C J Hunt – Chairman
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Mr K Grimsey |
Mr J A B Long |
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Mr D G Grutchfield |
Mr J W Roberts |
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Mr B D Hurren |
Mr J R A Sayers |
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Mr R E Kemp |
Mr D L Wood |
18 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
There were no declarations of interest.
19 PETITIONS
None received.
20 QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS
None received.
21 CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE – PROGRESS REPORT
The Project and Programme Executive presented a report (Paper F80) providing an update for Members on the Council’s contribution to the agenda for delivering better outcomes for children and young people.
In the ensuing discussion the following were among the points noted:-
· In 2006/07 Babergh had contributed £10,000 to the Local Safeguarding Children Board. In return for this contribution the District Council had received an essential training programme and would be receiving an audit and inspection of services. In view of the need for ongoing funding a Service and Financial Planning bid of £10,000 was being made for 2007/08.
· A new Youth Strategy would be prepared for consideration by Members in 2007, integrating the Council’s work on the wider Children and Young People Agenda into the new Strategy.
· Members agreed that further information was needed in order to judge the effectiveness of the new arrangements and that a more detailed report should be submitted to the Committee in March 2007.
· It was suggested that it might be helpful to devote part of a Members' Seminar to the subject of Children and Young People.
RESOLVED
(1) That the progress report on Children and Young People set out in Paper F80 be noted.
(2) That a further progress report be submitted to the Committee in March 2007.
22 WORK PLAN
The Head of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper F81) which provided details of the Committee’s anticipated work for the remainder of 2006/07, including items that may be the subject of call in procedures.
It was noted that the item on reports from representatives on outside bodies which was due to be considered at the Committee’s next meeting referred to reports on the Haven Gateway Project, the West Suffolk Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) Board and the East Suffolk LSP Board. Members who represented the Council on other outside bodies were expected to make an annual report to all Members and it was agreed that a reminder about this should be sent to all Councillors.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan submitted as Paper F81 be noted.
23 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The Head of Planning (Control) presented the Annual Report of the Development Committee for 2005/06 (Paper F82), which included an Appendix summarising types of applications and decisions (Appendix 1) and an Appendix outlining planning contributions (Appendix 2).
It was noted that the following paragraphs had inadvertently been omitted from the Committee’s report:-
7.1 In Sept 05 when the 2004/05 Annual Report was considered, the minutes stated: ‘During the course of considering this report Members requested that future reports include details of enforcement notices issued by the Council and a comparison could be made with other local authorities.’ The most up-to date figures available are contained in ODPM returns for 2004/05 and are as follows:
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Enf Notices |
BCNs |
PCNs |
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BABERGH |
21 |
5 |
41 |
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Forest Heath |
4 |
- |
1 |
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Ipswich |
6 |
1 |
- |
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Mid Suffolk |
- |
- |
- |
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St Eds |
2 |
- |
1 |
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Suffolk Coastal |
11 |
3 |
5 |
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Waveney |
6 |
1 |
4 |
In the discussion on the Development Committee’s Annual Report the following were among the points noted:-
· New software was about to be installed which would help the Council to monitor the receipt and use of planning contributions. The Head of Planning (Control) was asked to investigate the possibility of developers being required to enter into a bond when planning contributions were required of them.
· Recent experience had shown that sometimes decisions had to be made quickly about what could properly be requested as planning contributions. It was agreed that Town and Parish Councils should be encouraged to think about their needs so that they would be in a position to make full use of the opportunities provided by planning contributions.
· Some Members expressed concern that the planning delivery grant for 2006/07 had decreased to £106,000. The Head of Planning (Control) outlined some of the factors affecting the size of the grant, including changes to the way the formula was calculated.
· Currently 70% of minor applications were being determined within 8 weeks, 72% of major applications were being determined within 13 weeks and 78% of other applications were being determined within 8 weeks. Babergh received a relatively small number of major applications, so any delays affecting this type of application could have a significant impact on the Council's ability to meet performance targets.
· The Planning Control Division was undergoing a Business Process Re-engineering exercise, as a result of which new registration procedures were being introduced. It was hoped that these changes would lead to a streamlining of decision-making, but the tooling up process was drawing resources away from normal tasks which could adversely impat on performance in the short term.
· The Council was seeing an increase in the number of planning applications relating to alternative energy and the Head of Planning (Control) outlined some of the relevant policies which were included in the Local Plan. It was suggested that it might be helpful to provide a training session for Members on the issues surrounding alternative energy installations.
· In response to questions from Members, the Head of Planning (Control) outlined the current situation regarding the Atkins-Fulford appeal. He was asked to provide Mr Hurren with a summary of the case.
· In 2005/06 the Council had won 69% of the cases where decisions made by the Development Committee were the subject of appeals. This was slightly better than the national average.
· Members agreed that the information provided in the Appendices to the report was very helpful. They requested that the same information be provided in the Annual Report for 2006/07, subject to the following amendments:
- Delete the information relating to decisions to which policies CR18 and CR19 apply.
- Add information about attendance at training sessions by Development Committee members.
· Officers were asked to look into the possibility of e-mailing the Development Committee Agenda to all Members.
RESOLVED
That the Annual Report of the Development Committee for 2005/06 submitted as Paper F82 be noted.
Note:- Mr D G Grutchfield voted against the motion and requested that this be recorded in the Minutes.
24 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT – QUARTERLY REPORT
The Head of Corporate Services presented a report (Paper F83) giving the 2006/07 first quarter figures for Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) and Local Performance Indicators (LPIs) included in the 2006/07 Corporate Plan.
It was noted that the total of PIs below target was 21 and not 23 as stated in Table 1 on page 2 of the report.
Members expressed concern that no data was available for a number of the LPIs listed in Appendix A to Paper F83 and requested that further information be provided for the next meeting of the Committee.
RESOLVED
(1) That the performance information contained in Paper F83 be noted.
(2) That an up-to-date report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.
Note:- The Committee adjourned for refreshments between 10.45am and 11.00am.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 1.05pm.
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Chairman
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