30 July 2009 - Agenda

Members

Mr N A Bennett
Mr M P Booth
Mrs S Carpendale
Mr A J Hinton
Ms J A Jenkins

Mr R E Kemp
Dr M R Miller
Mr N A Ridley
Mr C M Spence
Mrs S M Wigglesworth

ITEM

BUSINESS

1

SUBSTITUTES AND APOLOGIES 

Any Member attending as an approved substitute to report giving his/her name and the name of the Member being substituted. 

To receive apologies for absence.
 

2

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS 

Members to declare any interests as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.
 

3

MINUTES 

To confirm and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 June 2009 as a correct record.

4

PETITIONS 

The Director of Corporate Services to report, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.13, the receipt of any petitions submitted to the Chief Executive.

5

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS 

Question from Dr Miller 

Can the Chairman please explain who authorised the Officer decision to irrevocably remove, without any prior Member consultation, a number of important Local Plan Policies, among them “CN05 – Demolition of Listed Buildings”, from Babergh’s planning rules with no apparent alternative Policies providing protection equivalent to any of the deleted items? 

Response 

The Council's current Local Plan was adopted in 2006. Work is underway to prepare the successor to the Local Plan, through the Local Development Framework process. Because of the change in process, Babergh's Plan had only an initial life of 3 years (transitional arrangements), subject to application to the Secretary of State (SoS) for it to remain in force, which was made this summer. 

As part of securing the SoS's approval the submission had to demonstrate compliance with the latest CLG guidance and the strict criteria laid down.  It is now not deemed appropriate to purely repeat national and regional planning policies, and Local Plan policies have to conform to updated national and regional policies (national and regional policies that have been updated since the Local Plan was adopted). To comply with the SoS's criteria, officers undertook a lengthy and detailed scrutiny of all the policies and, in response to the prescriptive rules, identified those policies to be saved and those which could be safely 'lost'. Failure to comply with the requirements could have placed the Council in an extremely vulnerable position with no saved Local Plan Policies.  

The Head of Natural and Built Environment monitored the process and ultimately approved the submission to the SoS, confident that it would both gain approval, and in no circumstances leave the Council vulnerable or with any less robust a Local Plan than existed previously.

On receipt of the SoS's approval, a presentation was provided to Development Committee members following a recent meeting. Further information has been prepared for all members indicating those policies saved, not saved and appropriate guidance which covers/ replaces our own policies. 

With specific reference to Policy CN 05 - Demolition of Listed Buildings - this is now covered by PPG 15 paras 3.16 to 3.19 to which our original policy referred. 

The Chairman to answer any other questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affect the District and which fall within the terms of reference of the Committee of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.15.4 (a) and (b). 

6

ISSUES ARISING FROM OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEES

None received.

Paper
J65

Paper
J66

7

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TASK GROUPS AND PANELS

(a)      Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs in Babergh

          Report by the Housing Panel attached. 

(b)        Addition to the Affordable Housing Programme – 45 to 51 Wattisham Road, Bildeston 

           Report by the Housing Panel attached.

Paper
J67

8

WORK PLAN 

Report by the Director of Corporate Services attached.

Paper
J68

9

BUILDING CONTROL PARTNERSHIP 

Report by the Head of Natural and Built Environment attached.

Paper
J69

10

IPSWICH HOSPITAL FOUNDATION TRUST 

The Head of Natural and Built Environment to report that Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust is seeking Foundation Trust status.  This involves new governance arrangements for the Trust, including a Council of Governors and a Board of Directors.  Babergh representative(s) are likely to be present in the proposed Council of Governors. 

The Trust is consulting local councils, along with many professional and community groups, on these proposals and also on their plans for the Trust for the next five years.  The consultation does not appear to be about whether the application for Foundation Trust status should proceed or not but Members may have views that they wish to put forward.

The deadline for the response is 8 September and taking into account the Committee timetable, the Political Leaders Group feel that the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services)  Committee should consider the matter prior to any response being made.  Strategy Committee Members may wish to give consideration to any questions they wish to be asked.

It is recommended that the Head of Natural and Built Environment in consultation with the Chariman of the Strategy Committee and the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee be authorised to respond to the consultation taking into account the deliberation of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee.

Paper
J63

11

CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED RESPONSE TO NEW NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

Report by the Head of Natural and Built Environment attached.

Paper
J70

12

CAPITAL PROGRAMME – NON COMMITTED SCHEMES 

Report by the Head of Contract and Asset Management attached.