Meeting documents

WDC Planning Enviroment & Transport Committee
Monday, 23rd March, 1998

Planning Enviroment & Transport Committee, Minutes 23 mar 1998

     PLANNING ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

 

     Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on

 

 

     23 March 1998

 

 

     PRESENT

 

     Cllr D E Done (in the Chair)

 

Cllr J M Blanksby

Cllr D J Coe

Cllr A A Dunford

Cllr A Dunn

Cllr S H Graham

Cllr Mrs A E Hardy

Cllr M D Huddy

Cllr Mrs V A Letheren

 

Cllr Mrs C C Martens

Cllr P J Moore

Cllr R J Nagle

Cllr C B Oliver

Cllr Mrs K M Peatey MBE JP

Cllr D A C Shakespeare

Cllr Mrs J E Teesdale

1.     MINUTES

 

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 January 1998 and a special meeting (as amended) held on 4 March 1998 be approved and adopted.

 

2.     MINUTES - PLANNING APPLICATIONS PANEL

 

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meetings of the Planning Applications Panel held on 7 and 18 February 1998 and the special meeting held on 4 March 1998 be received.

 

3.

MINUTES - PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION PANEL  - 5 FEBRUARY 1998

 

The substantive Minutes discussed at Planning, Environment and Transportation Panel were as follows:-

Minute No 18 - Footpath diversion, Footpath No 24 Chepping Wycombe

Diversion Order to be made following consultations with the County Council and the Ramblers= Association.

 

Minute No 19 -     Refuse Collection Service

Refuse collection service to continue under the terms of the existing contract and policies subject to the following amendments:-

 

(a)

The introduction of a ,12 charge (including VAT) for more than two special collections within a  calendar year from any one property;

 

(b)

To cease the issue of 360 litre wheeled bins except for premises in multiple occupation;

 

(c)

To drop the charge for the replacement of lost and damaged bins; and

 

(d)

To consider the issue of garden waste further following consideration of the development of central composting.

 

Minute No 20 - Street Trading Consent Fee Review

Fee structure to be revised as submitted to the Panel.

 

Minute No 21 - Conservation Area Character Survey for Fingest - Results of Public Consultation

The Conservation Area Character Survey for Fingest to be approved and adopted as an aid to development control considerations.

 

Minute No 22 - 1998/99 Revenue Estimates - Planning Enforcement Service

The Panel considered that no additional enforcement staff were needed in the Directorate of Planning, Transport and Development.

 

Report to be made to the next meeting of the Panel in order to determine criteria for monitoring the enforcement service.

 

4.     THE FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY

 

The Committee received a report outlining proposals in the White Paper AThe Food Standards Agency - A Force for Change@.  The Paper set out plans for a new public body that would be responsible for protecting health by promoting a safer food supply and ensuring an adequate supply of information to consumers in respect of a safe and healthy diet.

 

Setting up the agency the Government aimed to eliminate confusion about the way food issues had been handled in the past, remove any conflict of interest with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and reduce problems caused by fragmentation and lack of co-ordination between the various Government bodies.

 

Members generally supported the proposals but concerns were expressed in respect of the determination of policy issues and the need for these to be dealt with at ministerial level.

 

In addition concern was expressed about the costs likely to be placed on the farming industry and small businesses as a result of these changes.

 

RESOLVED: (i) The the Head of Environmental Services write to the Government=s Joint Food Safety and Standards Group to:

 

(a) welcome the establishment of the Food Standards Agency; and

 

(b) refer the Committee=s comments as set out in the report and as follows; and

 

(ii) That concern be registered about the determination of policy issues and the need for this to be dealt with at ministerial level;

 

(iii) That concern be expressed about the costs likely to be placed on the farming industry and small businesses as a result of these proposals; and

 

(iv) That the detailed comments as submitted be included.

 

5.     ENFORCEMENT CONCORDAT

 

The Committee was advised that a Concordat on good enforcement practice had been drawn up by the Access Business Group.  The Group which was a partnership between Central and Local Government and the business community had drawn up the Concordat to draw attention to good practice for local authority and Central Government regulatory enforcement agencies to follow.

 

RECOMMENDED: That the Enforcement Concordat as set out at Appendix A be adopted as Council policy and signed by the Chairman of the Council.

 

6.     PLANNING MATTERS GUIDANCE NOTE

 

Members were reminded that the third report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (The Nolan Committee) had now presented its findings on aspects of conduct in Local Government to the Secretary of State.

 

As a result of the findings the Local Government Association had advised all local authorities to agree either a code of practice and procedures or a guidance note for Members on dealing with planning matters in order to avoid grounds for allegations of malpractice arising in the future.

 

The Committee received and considered a guidance note that would apply to both Members and officers who became involved in the operation of the planning system, noting both the need for and status of the guidance.

 

Members were also reminded of their responsibilities in respect of the National Code of Conduct, declaration and registration of interests, lobbying of and by Councillors, pre-application discussions and Committee site visits.

 

RECOMMENDED: That the guidance note as set out at Appendix B on planning matters be adopted.

(Please note: The Appendix has been amended in the light of the comments from this Committee but does not include the comments of the Committee Systems Working Party).

 

7.

SERPLAN: A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE SOUTH EAST

 

Details of the forthcoming Regional Planning Guidance for the South East of England 1996-2016 were submitted for the Committee=s consideration.

 

SERPLAN had been working on the new Strategy for some time and, when finalised, it was intended that it would include advice on geographical strategy, strategic forms of new development, any changes which might be needed to policy designation of land to meet the needs of the sustainable development strategy, advice on measures to be taken in development planning, advice on policies for waste, the housing requirements for the region up to 2016 by county area, and advice on the potential for more intensive use of urban land and for improving urban quality in different parts of the region.

 

Councillor Mrs V A Letheren, Chairman of the SERPLAN Member Policy Group, thanked Members for their support of SERPLAN and its work.  She informed Members of the timetable for the emerging Strategy with consideration of the consultation draft by SERPLAN on 8 April 1998 and a Members= Seminar in May/early June 1998 for consideration of the regional Strategy prior to formal consideration at the next ordinary meeting of the Planning, Environment and Transportation Committee on 15 June 1998.

 

RESOLVED: (i)  That a Members= Seminar be held in May/early June 1998 on the consultation draft of the SERPLAN regional strategy prior to its formal consideration at the next ordinary meeting of this Committee;

 

(ii) That the comments contained in the agenda item and any other comments Members wished to make be referred to the Chairman of the SERPLAN Member Policy Group to be reported at the Conference of the Association of Councils of the Thames Valley Region on 2 April 1998 and subsequently to the SERPLAN Conference on 8 April 1998; and

 

(iii) That Councillor Mrs V A Letheren (Chairman of the SERPLAN Member Policy Group) be thanked for all her work on this and other SERPLAN related issues.

 

8.     DRAFT GUIDANCE ON THE ROAD TRAFFIC

REDUCTION ACT 1997

 

Details of the draft guidance on the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 were submitted for the Committee=s consideration. Although Buckinghamshire County Council would be responsible for its implementation the draft guidance would be of significant importance to the District Council because of the implications of the eventual  road traffic targets for the environmental and economic health of the District.

 

In addition, a Private Members Bill was being progressed through the House of Commons which might require national targets to be set up for the reduction of traffic levels.  It was considered that this could have  considerable impact on the Guidance.  Targets set for each traffic authority would be very important in the formation of transport policy and therefore bids for capital funding through the Transport Policies and Programme process would need to take account of this.

 

Targets would also need to link with the National Air Quality Strategy and the land use planning system.

 

Members noted the linkage of the transportation capital funding, air quality and land use planning as they felt this would provide a greater transparency and consistency across several related policy areas.

 

In conclusion the following comments on the draft guidance were made:-

 

(i)

Where local air quality was likely to exceed the standards of the National Air Quality Strategy, road traffic reduction targets should normally be required to align with the timetable for air quality improvements (2005) and to make an appropriate contribution to air quality objectives;

 

(ii)

In addition to local initiatives the role of regional and national measures would need to be recognised and developed;

 

(iii)

A concentration on local responses to the problem of road traffic would require additional funding to be made available, for example measures to give public transport priority and area wide traffic calming; and

 

(iv)

The lack of guidance as to what level of traffic reduction should be aimed at could give rise to problems if significant variation arose between neighbouring areas.  Members considered it important that local targets should be placed in the context of national and regional targets.

 

RESOLVED: That the comments referred to above and detailed fully in the report submitted be forwarded to the Department of the Environment, Transport and The Regions.

 

9.

THE FUTURE OF TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE SERVICES IN THE WYCOMBE DISTRICT

 

The Committee=s approval was sought to conduct a consultation exercise on current key issues relating to the provision and operation of taxis and private hire vehicles within the Wycombe District.

 

Members were advised of the main issues that required to be considered as part of the review:-

 

!

The reasons for the Council=s current policy on taxi fares;

 

!

The rationale for the Council=s current policy of restricting the number of taxi licences issued;

 

!

The extent to which the Council=s assessment of demand for taxis took account of the current level of taxi fares;

 

!

The role of taxis and private hire vehicles and the provision of a transport service to rural communities;

 

!

The role of taxis and private hire vehicles and the provision of community transport;

 

!

The means by which needs for taxi and private hire vehicle services in particular geographical areas of the district could be addressed;

 

!

The role of the Council in facilitating the provision of support facilities eg telephone points for the calling up of taxis/private hire cars at stations outside High Wycombe (eg Marlow) where taxi and private hire availability were poor;

 

!

The Council=s role in securing a greater integration of services provided by licensed taxis and those of private hire firms;

 

!

The desirability of allowing taxis to use bus lanes;

 

!

The location of taxi ranks;

 

!

Bus/rail interchange with taxis/private hire vehicles.

 

The Committee considered proposals for the review noting that the consultation with the public would form two parts, firstly a local consultation targeted at interest groups, and secondly a controlled survey on a cross-section of the population.

 

Members commented on the proposals and emphasis was placed on the need to consult with bus and rail operators and parish councils.  In terms of the controlled survey the importance of consulting with the rural community, who were not well served by other means of public transport, was raised.

 

RESOLVED: (i) That a consultation exercise be undertaken based on the key issues identified and relating to the provision/operation of taxi and private hire services in the District;

 

(ii) That approval of the details of the consultation document be delegated to the Director of Planning, Transport and Development in consultation with this Committee=s Briefing Group; and

 

(iii)  That a report be submitted to the Committee on the outcome of the consultation exercise.

 

10.     FILLING OF CASUAL VACANCIES ON OUTSIDE BODIES

 

The Committee considered the following vacancies on outside bodies:

 

(a)

Wycombe Area Road Safety Group

It was noted that the Wycombe Area Road Safety Group met three times per year at the County Council=s area offices in Easton Street and that travelling and subsistence allowance was paid for one representative and one standing deputy.   Councillor Mrs C Mill wished to remain as the representative on the Group and Members were therefore requested to appoint a standing deputy.

 

(b)

Dial-A-Ride

Members were advised that Councillor A J Tanner wished to resign his position as the Council=s representative on Dial-A-Ride and a new  representative was therefore required.  Dial-A-Ride met once per month at the offices of Instron at the Cressex Business Park and a full attendance allowance was paid for the representative.

 

(c)

Wycombe Air Park Joint Consultative Committee (JCC)

Members noted the current representation of the Wycombe Air Park JCC and also took account of a request from Members to extend the representation for local Members to include West Wycombe and Sands.

 

It was also noted that when recently considering appointments to outside bodies the Committee Systems Working Party had recommended payment of attendance allowance for one Member to attend one meeting of the Wycombe Air Park Joint Consultative Committee per year.

 

RESOLVED: (i)  That Councillor C B Oliver be appointed as the Standing Deputy to Wycombe Area Road Safety Group;

 

(ii) That Councillor Mrs M Draper be appointed as the Council=s representative to Dial-A-Ride; and

 

(iii)(a) That the representation on the Wycombe Air Park JCC be investigated and an Information Sheet sent to Members clarifying the position with regard to representation for local Members; and

 

(b) The Policy and Resources Committee be requested to review the decision of the Committee Systems Working Party and allow attendance allowance to be paid for two Members to attend all meetings of the Wycombe Air Park JCC.

 

11.     INFORMATION SHEETS

 

The Committee received Information Sheets distributed since the last meeting.  (Issue Nos: 20/98 - 24/98)

 

12.     FILE ON ACTION TAKEN UNDER DELEGATED POWERS

 

The file on action taken under delegated powers since the last meeting was submitted for the Committee=s attention.  (File Sheet Nos: 46 - 47).

 

(The Meeting commenced at 7.00pm and concluded at 9.55pm)

 

 

 

 

 

     __________

 

     CHAIRMAN

 

 

The following officers were in attendance at the meeting:

 

Mr C A Swanwick     -     Director of Planning, Transport and Development

Mr M J Barrett          -     Assistant District Solicitor

Mrs J N F Child          -     Principal Administrator

Mr J Unsworth          -     Planning and Transport Projects Manager

Mrs B Watson          -     Senior Accountant

Mr I Westgate          -     Head of Environmental Services