Meeting documents

AVDC Development etc Scrutiny Committee
Monday, 17th December, 2001

Document: 2001-12-17 SCRUTINY COMMITTEE - DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT
 

PRESENT: Councillor Mrs Davies (Chairman);  Councillors Cole, Cooper, Evett, Isham, Jennings, Metherell, Newman, Richards (in place of  Mrs Worgan) and Mrs Willetts.  Councillors Mrs Jamieson, Kennell, Mrs Paternoster, Miss Reynolds and Rowlands attended also.
 

APOLOGIES: Councillors Mrs Butler and Mrs Worgan.
 

1.

MINUTES
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the Minutes of 21st November, 2001 be approved as a correct record.
 

2.

CAR PARK OUTSOURCING
 

The Committee had called in the decisions of the Cabinet taken on 4th December, 2001 regarding car park outsourcing.  The decisions were:-
 

(1)

The initial principles set out in the report submitted were endorsed, and the actions requiring further research (also contained in the report submitted), were noted.
 

(2)

Approval given to the appointment of specialist advice to support the procurement process.
 

(3)

The introduction of a Special Parking Area, including residents' parking schemes, be pursued separately if an agreement cannot be reached with Buckinghamshire County Council within a period of three months.
 

It was explained that the intention of the call-in was to seek clarification regarding Cabinet's reasons for decision (3) having regard to the implications, from a strategic point of view, for the proposed Special Parking Area.
 

Members discussed various issues key to outsourcing car parking.  These included the role of the MDAs, park and ride, development sites A and B, residents' parking, the boundary of the Special Parking Area and legal aspects relating to financial management and implementation.
 

The Committee was advised that a meeting of the Aylesbury Members' Parking Sub-Group, which reported to the Aylesbury Land Use/Transport Strategy Panel, had taken place on 14th December, 2001.  The current position was as follows:-
 

(a)

The Sub-Group was to meet representatives of the DTLR to clarify matters relating to the introduction of a Special Parking Area for Aylesbury Town as a first stage.
 

(b)

Buckinghamshire County Council had agreed to implement residents' parking in “easy” areas e.g. Stocklake and Park Street, on the same timescale as the Special Parking Area.  However, further discussions were to take place regarding the wider application of residents' parking on the same timescale as the Special Parking Area.
 

(c)

Whilst the principle of partnership arrangements for the management of on and off-street parking had been agreed, the detail together with the financial issues had yet to be resolved.
 

(d)

The Officers had been asked to carry out a financial appraisal of the impact of the Special Parking Area.  
 

Members noted that the Aylesbury Land Use/Transport Panel would be updated on these matters at its meeting on 19th December, 2001.
 

During the course of the discussions, reference was made to the implications of outsourcing with regard to CCTV in the car parks.
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the Cabinet be asked:-
 

(a)

not to be rigorous about a three month's time limit if it jeopardised the Council's ability to work in partnership regarding the implementation of a Special Parking Area for both on and off-street parking and joint service delivery for on and off-street parking using one external provider for both Councils.
 

(b)

to bear in mind the issues key to outsourcing car parking referred to above.
 

3.

MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AREAS
 

Members received the report of the Director of Planning, Property and Construction Services prepared to enable them to undertake further scoping of their work on Major Development Areas (MDAs).
 

Members felt that to continue to develop their understanding of the aims of planning briefs in progressing the MDAs, further consideration should be given to:-

 

(a)

the planning brief process, who took part and their contribution;
 

(b)

the extent to which planning obligations reflected the Council's corporate objectives;
 

(c)

how planning objectives and obligations would be achieved.
 

RESOLVED -
 

That the Officers report further on the basis outlined above.
 

4.

SITES A AND B (STAGE 2)
 

In accordance with the decision taken at the last meeting, a number of stakeholders had been invited to give a ten minute presentation at this meeting as part of the evidence gathering process (Stage 2) in connection with the developments of Sites A and B, Aylesbury.
 

Presentations were made by the following:-
 

Buchanans
 

Aylesbury Old Town Residents' Association
 

Aylesbury Society
 

Queens Park Centre
 

Aylesbury Town Council
 

Aylesbury Canal Society.
 

Each presentation was supported by documentary evidence and this would be considered further in due course as part of the review process.
 

5.

GENERAL FUND BUDGET PROPOSALS
 

The Resources and Customer Care Scrutiny Committee had considered a timetable and procedure for dealing with the budget review process.  The other Scrutiny Committees had been given the opportunity to consider the budget areas within their remit with views being reported to the Resources and Customer Care Scrutiny Committee on 7th January.
 

RESOLVED -
 

That arrangements be made for a meeting to be held on 2nd January, 2002 to consider the proposals affecting the budget areas within this Committee's remit.