Meeting documents

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 September, 2019, copy attached.

RESOLVED –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 September, 2019 be approved as a correct record.

To consider the attached report.

Contact Officer:  Clare Manders (01296) 585620

The Committee was advised that work had been on-going over the last 18 months or so to produce an Aylesbury Garden Town (AGT) Masterplan and associated high level Vision.  In September the AGT Board had approved a draft of the Masterplan for public consultation (to commence in January, 2020), and in October the Board had approved the Vision for publication, a copy of which was appended to the Committee report.

The Vision set out the high level aspirations and principles for what Aylesbury should look like as a garden town by 2050.  The Vision recognised the role of Aylesbury as the County Town, and the importance of the economy and strength of the town centre.  It also celebrated the role of Aylesbury as the birthplace of the Paralympics, promoting an accessible, inclusive place.

The Vision identified eight key principles which built upon Aylesbury’s heritage, strengths and opportunities as a garden town to tackle the town’s challenges head on and for the benefit of all.  This series of inter-related principles underpinned proposals and initiatives within the draft Masterplan.  The draft Masterplan set out in detail how the AGT Vision would be delivered through a comprehensive and co-ordinated town-wide plan.

The Vision and Masterplan had been the subject of extensive engagement with key stakeholders throughout its eighteen months development.  Initial briefings with Members of AVDC and Bucks County Council and Town and Parish Councils had taken place in February 2018.  These had been followed by sessions with key stakeholders, focussed around updating and discussing the emerging Vision and Masterplan.

Following approval in October, 2019, an extensive programme of engagement had commenced to formally launch the 2050 Vision.  The Vision had been publicised since 1 November through social media channels, local media and the AGT website.  Editorial articles had been included in "Vale Life", "Aylesbury Live Guide" and "Aylesbury Vale Times" (AVDC’s resident newsletter to some 50,000 homes).

To coincide with the launch of the Vision, a number of stakeholder events had been run and had continued throughout November, in order to explain the Vision in more detail and preview the content of the Masterplan, which would be subject to public consultation in January, 2020.  The Committee report included details of these events.

The formal consultation on the draft Masterplan would commence on 6 January, 2020 and would run until 3 February, 2020.  There would be an extensive programme of public events in relation to the draft Masterplan.  This would include a roadshow (with publicised exhibitions), and multi-channel engagement, including media coverage.  Whilst the main consultation activities would focus on the AGT area, overall coverage of draft Masterplan would be across the whole District.  The Committee received a power point presentation on the work undertaken, in connection with which members made a number of comments, including:-

·         The need to encourage pride of place amongst communities.

·         Better control over utility company operations to ensure the areas concerned were returned to their original state speedily and having regard to the local environment.

·         More frequent emptying  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

To consider the attached report.

Contact Officers:  Will Rysdale (01296) 585561 & Naomi Batson 01296 585506

Members received a briefing on the impacts of changes to, and the charges introduced at household recycling sites, on the incidence of fly tipping across the District.

The Committee was advised that Buckinghamshire County Council had agreed a series of changes to the County’s household recycling centres in January, 2019.  A public consultation about possible changes had taken place during the preceding Autumn which had resulted in over 6,000 responses.  The key changes, which had been introduced on 1 April, 2019 were as follows:-

·         Charges introduced for non household waste.

·         Aylesbury (Rabans Lane), Burnham and Chesham household recycling centres closed for two days a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

·         Bledlow household waste recycling centre permanently closed.

From 1 April 2019, residents had been charged for disposing non household waste items such as bags of rubble, kitchen units, fence panels etc.  The following table showing a breakdown of the number of fly tipping reports received over the period April to October, for the past four years was submitted:-

The table illustrated that there had been an increase in fly tipping year on year over these months, the percentage increases being:-

·         2016/17 – 2017/18 – 10%

·         2017/18 – 2018/19 – 5%

·         2018/19 – 2019/20 – 12%

It was however reported that despite the increases, it was not possible to directly link them to the changes made to the household recycling centres.

Members felt that further detailed analysis was required to determine whether the changes had impacted upon the incidence of fly tipping and accordingly it was,

RESOLVED –

That the new unitary authority be asked to revisit the current arrangements in the light of all the data available at that time.

The next meeting on 10 February, 2020, will be the Committee’s last before vesting day and the new Buckinghamshire Council comes into being.  There are some items outstanding on the Work Programme.

It may be possible, given the Officers’ commitment to Local Government Reorganisation work, to report on the outstanding items at that meeting.  Members may however feel that anything as at the date of the last meeting should be referred for scrutiny by the new Council.  The items concerned are:-

·                    Aylesbury Town Centre / Town Centre Partnership – pedestrianisation / uneven surfaces / cobbles / taxis in Market Square.

·                    HS2 Infrastructure work update.

Members noted that the next meeting on 10 February, 2020, would be the Committee’s last before vesting day and the new Buckinghamshire Council comes into being.  There were some items outstanding on the work programme, which, given officers time commitment on local government reorganisation work, it might be possible to report to the February meeting.  Members agreed that if this was not possible, then the items should be noted for passing on to the new authority’s scrutiny regime.  The items concerned were :-

·         Aylesbury Town Centre/Town Centre partnership – pedestrianisation/uneven surfaces/cobbles/taxis in the Market Square.

·         HS2 Infrastructure work update.

RESOLVED –

Accordingly.