Meeting documents

None

To approve the minutes of the Planning and Economic Development PAG held on 11 June 2018.

The minutes of the Planning and Economic Development PAG held on 11 June 2018 were approved.

None

The Portfolio Holder advised Members that staff had been recruited to the following posts:

Planning Enforcement Manager

Principal Economic Development Officer

Economic Development Officer

The Planning Enforcement Manager was due to be in post from Monday 17 September 2018.

None

The PAG is asked to consider and comment on the attached Cabinet report.

Members considered a report proposing changes to the delegation arrangements on Planning Enforcement matters, taking into account the approval of the Local Enforcement Plan at the Cabinet meeting on 17 April 2018. The revised delegations would provide a mechanism for effective delivery of the plan in allowing officers to act in a timely manner on all enforcement matters and not just in cases of urgency. It was noted that the recommendations would also be considered at meetings of the Planning Committee and Cabinet.

The proposed changes were in tracked changes in the Appendix.

The PAG is asked to consider and comment on the attached Cabinet report.

Members considered a Cabinet report seeking delegated authority to determine the need for environmental assessment of neighbourhood plans.

Local authorities are required to undertake environmental assessments for neighbourhood plans within their area. It was noted that this work was largely a technical exercise. The recommendation would allow the Head of Planning and Economic Development to make an environmental determination decision in a timely manner, in the timeframe set out within the regulations.

An amendment was made to the recommendation to include that the delegation be in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development.

Members considered a Cabinet report on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) preliminary draft charging schedule. Members noted that this was a proposed charge on all new residential units of 100 square metres or more. The purpose of the charge was to ensure that contributions from new developments go towards improving infrastructure and supporting growth within the district.

It was advised that the consultation on the preliminary draft charge schedule was likely to be for 6 weeks in November – December 2018.

Members enquired as to what impact CIL would have on the viability and growth of the area, and were advised that contributions collected under CIL would create a revenue stream for the Council to invest in infrastructure to reflect the changing needs of local residents. By way of example, contributions could go towards a new school, fixing a junction, or improving/ maintaining community centre facilities.

It was noted that affordable housing and charitable units would not pay CIL.

It was expected that CIL would be adopted in summer 2020 alongside the Joint Local Plan.

Members received an update on the Planning Service at item 10 on the agenda.

The Head of Planning and Economic Development informed Members that the computer system for the new Joint Planning Service was implemented by the Interim Head of Planning and Economic Development. The exemplary planning service action plan was being reviewed continuously, and it was noted that good progress had been made by the Interim Enforcement Manager, which was expected to continue under the new Enforcement Manager.

The Portfolio Holder thanked the Planning Team for their hard work to bring the services together.

It was noted that the PAG would receive a further update on the progress of the implementation of an exemplary Planning Service in 6 months.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Members received a verbal update on enforcement matters at item 11 on the meeting agenda.

It was noted that the new Enforcement Manager was due to start on 17 September 2018. Members were advised that good progress had been made recently relating to the serving of notices. The level of engagement with residents and stakeholders had greatly improved in the last month.

The Head of Planning and Economic Development expressed thanks to the Legal Team for their hard work.

Members of the PAG considered an update report on the current position in respect of S106 agreements that include a developer contribution or schedule of works, as well as the method proposed for implementing processes to ensure effective S106 monitoring in the future.

The PAG were informed that a new post had been created whose primary role would be to monitor CIL and S106 contributions to ensure that monitoring if efficient and effective.

Councillor R Bagge left the meeting at 18:50

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Members noted that information relating to this update report was not available prior to agenda publication, and therefore the report was circulated to Members of the PAG as a supplementary agenda item.

The PAG were informed that on 5 June 2018, government ministers indicated their support for the Heathrow expansion plan. The report set out the mitigation the Council is seeking from Heathrow.

There was an amendment to the wording of the second recommendation to read: ‘to consider whether South Bucks District Council wishes to provide support to the HAL expansion proposals’

Councillor G Sandy left the meeting at 18:56.

To resolve that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the following item(s) of business is not for publication to the press or public on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

RESOLVED that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the following item(s) of business is not for publication to the press or public on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

The PAG is asked to consider and comment on the attached Cabinet report.

Members received an update on the HS2 project. It was noted that HS2 had declared that stage 2 would now commence in June 2019.

RESOLVED:

1.      that the report and progress made on the project be noted.