Meeting documents

In memory of Honorary Alderman Ted Collins the meeting commenced with a minute’s silence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs J Adey (Cabinet Member for Environment), D Carroll (Cabinet Member for Youth and External Partnership), A Green (Deputy Cabinet Member for Unitary Transition), Mrs J Langley (Cabinet Member for Housing), R Raja (Leader of the Labour Group) and Ms K S Wood (Executive Leader of the Council).

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 8 July 2019 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the decision within Minute 8 – Update Report for Temporary Accommodation Scheme being amended to become recommendations to Council, as set out below:

Recommendation: That further to the Cabinet approval in November 2017 in which the Council decidedthat the project funds as relevant to the town centre option selected by Cabinet be approved, that:

 (i) a construction contract for no more than £7.5m be entered into to complete the scheme granted planning permission on the 24 April 2019; and

(ii) delegated authority be granted to the Corporate Director (Growth and Regeneration), in consultation with the Head of Finance and Commercial, the Cabinet Member for Economic Growth & Regeneration, and the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources to enter into the construction contract.

There were no declarations of interest.

Cabinet considered a report on the proposed new Wycombe District Local Plan 2013-2033. It was noted that the Plan put in place a spatial framework for meeting future housing and economic development needs over a 20-year period up to 2033. The plan aimed to deliver sustainable development across the Wycombe District, identified sites and locations for new housing and employment sites, and included a set of policies for managing new development.

Members were informed that the Council had received the Independent Planning Inspector’s report following the examination of the new Plan. The Inspector had found the Plan to be ‘sound’, subject to the inclusion of modifications to the plan, legally compliant and now capable of adoption.

It was noted that the next step was to adopt the Plan, following which the Council had to publish an Adoption Statement, notify those who had been asked to be notified of the Plan’s adoption, and publish the sustainability appraisal and habitats regulations assessment reports that had been prepared alongside the plan.

The adopted Plan would replace the current Wycombe District Local Plan (the plan adopted in 2004) which would mean that the Plan would become a statutory part of the development plan for the District, and full weight could be attached to it in the consideration of planning applications.

Cabinet expressed their thanks to all the Members and officers that had been involved in producing the Local Plan for all their hard work.

Recommended: That the Inspector’s main modifications be accepted and the Wycombe District Local Plan, as set out at Appendix ‘B’ of the report, be adopted.

RESOLVED: That pursuant to Regulation 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Minute Nos 17 and 18, because of their reference to matters which contain exempt information as defined as follows:

Minute 17 Abbey Barn Lane Realignment – Appendices A to D

Minute 18 Princes Risborough Relief Road – Appendices A to D

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A, Local Government Act 1972)

(The need to maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure, because disclosure could prejudice the Council’s position in any future negotiations)

Cabinet was informed that in February 2018, Homes England announced that the Council had successfully secured £7.5m of Housing Infrastructure Funding in principle towards the £11.5m Abbey Barn Lane re-alignment scheme to unlock key housing sites allocated within the Local Plan.

A report had been presented to Cabinet on 9 July 2018 outlining the next steps that were required. Further clarification work was undertaken and formal approval, subject to terms and conditions, was received in June 2019 by the Council from Homes England that they had been successful in securing £7.5m towards the Scheme. It had been confirmed by Homes England that the funding was grant funding. Members were informed that Homes England required a commitment from the Council that it would secure the necessary land required to deliver the Abbey Barn Lane Realignment, whether it be by private treaty or compulsory purchase.

RESOLVED: That (i) delegated authority be given to the Interim Chief Executive (WDC) in consultation with the Head of Finance & Commercial, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cabinet Member for Planning to enter commercial negotiations for and to acquire by private treaty the land required for the realignment of Abbey Barn Lane, and in parallel to take preparatory steps to acquire the land required using powers of compulsory purchase, within the approved budget; and

(ii)    delegated authority be given to the Head of Finance & Commercial in consultation with the District Solicitor (WDC) to agree the Grant Determination Agreement as and when it becomes available.

Cabinet was informed that the first section of the Princes Risborough Relief Road was part funded by Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), and was the first part of a larger relief road project to enable the delivery of the Princes Risborough Expansion Area (PREA).

The PREA would see the delivery of around 2500 homes as well as social, green and physical infrastructure.  In order to secure HIF funding, approval to commence the compulsory purchase order (CPO) process was required, and the proposed resolution did not bind the Council to ‘make a CPO’ as that would require a detailed design, confirmed land-take valuations etc.

Members were informed that in order to deliver Phase 1 of the relief road a number of land parcels needed to be secured, either via private treaty or CPO.  The proposed decision was to commence the CPO process for the whole route of the relief road and other essential infrastructure. The Council had already resolved (at the Cabinet meeting in December 2016) in principle to use Compulsory Purchase powers to deliver the proposals in the Local Plan and associated infrastructure in appropriate circumstances.

RESOLVED: That (i) delegated authority be given to the Interim Chief Executive (WDC) in consultation with the Head of Finance & Commercial, Cabinet Member for Finance and Cabinet Member for Planning to enter commercial negotiations for and to acquire by private treaty the land required for the relief road and in parallel to take all preparatory steps to acquire the land required using powers of compulsory purchase as part of the Princes Risborough Expansion Area project within the agreed budget; and

(ii) delegated authority be given to the Head of Finance & Commercial in consultation with the District Solicitor (WDC) to agree the Grant Determination Agreement as and when it becomes available.