Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Via MS Teams Video Conference, available to the public at https://buckinghamshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home

Contact: Sally Taylor 

Media

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Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Martin Tett, Leader, welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised that this was the first Cabinet meeting to be held in-part, ‘in situ’, since the start of the pandemic.  A number of Cabinet Members, for whom it was safe to do so, were in attendance.  All the Cabinet Members provided a brief introduction about their areas of responsibility.

 

Apologies were received from Angela Macpherson, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care; Tony Green, Cabinet Member for Youth Provision and Rachael Shimmin, Chief Executive Officer, Buckinghamshire Council.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 476 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 July 2020.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  The minutes of the meeting held on 28 July 2020 were AGREED as an accurate record.

 

RESOLVED:  The confidential minutes of the meeting held on 28 July 2020 were AGREED as an accurate record.

3.

Declarations of interest

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were none.

4.

Question Time pdf icon PDF 494 KB

The following questions have been received and will either be responded to during the meeting or a written response will be included in the minutes:

 

Councillor Robin Stuchbury

 

The government’s recent announcement about changes to the planning system suggests giving huge amounts of power back to government which was once held by the planning authority.  Having been a strong campaigner against the negatives of HS2 which was effectively imposed on Buckinghamshire, and with the known challenges posed by the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway (noting government had previously announced its intention to build one million houses between Oxford and Cambridge in advance of their most recent announcement about planning changes) will the council be challenging the government proposals  and constituents’ rights to express a view on future large developments through the Planning Department of Buckinghamshire Council?  Also, was there any prior/advance information available of the government’s decision before their announcement removing planning powers from Buckinghamshire Council and our local Parish Councils?

 

Councillor Alan Bacon

 

From 24 August, councils' role in Coronavirus tracking and tracing is enhanced. Will the portfolio holder please report on the effectiveness of the new track and trace regime in Bucks.

 

Councillor Peter Jones

 

Cabinet of 28 July received a report on the preparation of the Buckinghamshire Local Plan for adoption in 2024, and Council has also agreed approval of the Masterplan and 2050 Vision for Aylesbury Garden Town.  A Wycombe Regeneration Strategy has also been approved. A Masterplan has been prepared for Chesham, the third largest town in Buckinghamshire, by the Chesham Renaissance Community Interest Company. This Masterplan is detailed and has been the subject of a Public Consultation and received a positive response from over 70% of participants. May Officers be requested to bring forward a policy for the urgent regeneration of Chesham, based on the community prepared Masterplan? This work could start immediately.

 

Cllr Robin Stuchbury

 

Beaconsfield relief road – why has it not been completed?

 

I am concerned that the S278 Highways Agreement, in particular clause 2(3)b dated 5th July 2016, not being enforced in order to get the Beaconsfield relief road completed? 

 

I am also concerned that the Planning Authority did not list the 2016 S278 Highways Agreement within the report to South Bucks District planning committee re planning application 17/01763/OUT (Inland Homes' Wilton Park planning application)

 

What action will Buckinghamshire Council take to get the relief road completed as a result of the SBDC action?  It could be suggested, Buckinghamshire has effectively handed over control of the timing and completion of the relief road to Inland Homes resulting in hundreds of HS2 construction HGVs to be soon using the Beaconsfield Old Town Conservation area. 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Four questions had been received; two from Cllr Robin Stuchbury, one from Cllr Alan Bacon and one from Cllr Peter Jones; all the questions had been included on the agenda.  The response to Cllr Stuchbury’s second question would be published with the minutes.

 

Cllr Robin Stuchbury

 

The government’s recent announcement about changes to the planning system suggests giving huge amounts of power back to government which was once held by the planning authority.  You, having been a strong campaigner against the negatives of HS2 which was effectively imposed on Buckinghamshire, and with the known challenges posed by the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway (noting government had previously announced its intention to build one million houses between Oxford and Cambridge in advance of their most recent announcement about planning changes), will the council be challenging the government proposals  and constituents’ rights to express a view on future large developments through the Planning Department of Buckinghamshire Council?  Also, was there any prior/advance information available of the government’s decision before their announcement removing planning powers from Buckinghamshire Council and our local Parish Councils?  The 1991 Planning Act was settled, and made on local plans. The reason for raising the question was that I believe in local democracy and it was about making decisions locally.  The new Buckinghamshire Council had its opportunity to do an integral plan for balancing Buckinghamshire and I believe the Government’s actions were adverse to that.

 

Response provided by Warren Whyte, Cabinet Member for Planning.

 

W Whyte thanked Cllr Stuchbury for his question on this important subject.

 

The Government had published its White Paper, Planning for the Future, for consultation.  It set out the Government’s intention for future reform of the planning system.  It was important to point out that these were just proposals at the moment and none of the changes would come into force until legislation was passed and after the Government had considered responses to the consultation.

 

However, at this early stage, W Whyte was pleased to see recognition from the Government of the need to streamline the planning system and to make the system fit for purpose in the post-Covid era.   

 

W Whyte welcomed the importance and relevance attached to Local Plans in the White Paper as tools for local planning authorities to shape the future of their areas.  The Council was, of course, about to embark on the preparation of the new Buckinghamshire Local Plan which would provide the blueprint for future growth, renewal and protection in Buckinghamshire. 

 

W Whyte was also pleased to see an ongoing commitment in the White Paper to the role of neighbourhood plans in the planning process as well as an emphasis on modernising planning to ensure there was wide community engagement in all planning processes. He was particularly pleased to see the White Paper’s focus on effective enforcement, something on which this Council had only recently set out its clear intentions.

 

The Council did not receive any prior or advance notice of the White Paper and its contents; the whole  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Forward Plan (28 Day Notice) pdf icon PDF 585 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  Cabinet NOTED the forward plan.

6.

Safer Buckinghamshire Plan 2020-23 pdf icon PDF 743 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Buckinghamshire Council is a statutory member of the Safer Buckinghamshire Board which is the statutory Community Safety Partnership for Buckinghamshire. A key responsibility of the Safer Buckinghamshire Board is to maintain the Community Safety Plan for Buckinghamshire, based upon the strategic assessment of crime and community safety in the county, public engagement and other insight into crime and the causes of crime in Buckinghamshire.

 

The Safer Buckinghamshire Plan 2020-2023 was approved by the Safer Buckinghamshire Board on 21st July 2020. The Plan is in Appendix 1.

 

RESOLVED:  Cabinet ENDORSED the Safer Buckinghamshire Plan (Community Safety Plan) 2020-2023

 

Minutes:

Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health, introduced the report for the Safer Buckinghamshire Plan 2020-23 and highlighted the following points:

 

  • Buckinghamshire Council was one of the five statutory members of the Safer Buckinghamshire Board (SBB) along with Thames Valley Police (TVP), Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Service, Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group, National Probation Service and the Thames Valley Community Rehabilitation Company.
  • The annual community safety Strategic Assessment and public survey provided the evidence base for the five priorities in the Plan:
  1. Helping communities to become more resilient.
  2. Protecting vulnerable adults and children.
  3. Addressing the impact of drugs, alcohol and poor mental health.
  4. Tackling domestic violence and abuse.
  5. Dealing with offending.
  • The plan had been developed pre-covid and the impact of covid on community safety was being closely monitored by the SBB so remedial action could be taken.
  • The SBB would work with local communities, particularly the Community Boards, to help assess and deliver local priorities.

 

Members of the Cabinet raised and discussed the following points:

 

  • In response to a comment that the priorities appeared detached from the residents’ priorities which mainly concerned parking, speeding and burglary; G Williams advised that these were largely police issues and TVP had their own priorities.  However, it was a balancing act and  the 16 Community Boards would provide feedback and enable the public voice to be heard.
  • There had been an increase in mental health issues, particularly among young people, due to Covid-19 and approximately one third of people in receipt of mental health treatment offended/re-offended.  Would an action plan, based on the impact of Covid-19, be produced?  G Williams stated that responsibility for mental health required involvement from a number of organisations who had met regularly throughout lockdown to ensure continuity of provision and support.  The Health Impact Assessment had received thousands of responses and would provide local background data to produce an action plan.  Approximately £1 million combined funding from a number of sources had been received and priorities were being worked through.  The structure was in place to ensure help was provided to those in need.
  • Sarah Ashmead, Deputy Chief Executive and Chair of the SBB, added that there was a very detailed delivery plan underpinning the overall strategy which would be refreshed due to Covid-19.  Recovery arrangements were being put in place and would tie in with the SBB Plan.  Regular meetings were held between the Community Safety Partnership and the Children’s and Adults Safeguarding Boards to ensure links were maintained.  A dashboard would be used by the SBB to track the impact of the activities being carried out.
  • A Member highlighted the unified approach with stakeholders and the police in dealing with young offenders, keeping more out of the criminal justice system and benefitting the individual and the community at large.  The member encouraged further ongoing collaboration with the Council, all stakeholders and TVP to keep young people out of the criminal justice system.  G Williams agreed and added that work was being carried  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Exclusion of the public (if required)

To resolve that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

Paragraph 1

Information relating to any individual

Paragraph 2

Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual

Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular  person (including the authority holding that information)

Paragraph 4

Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority

Paragraph 5

Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings

Paragraph 6

 

Information which reveals that the authority proposes:

(a) to give under any enactment a notice under or by virtue of which requirements are imposed on a person; or

(b) to make an order or direction under any enactment

Paragraph 7

Information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Not required.

8.

Confidential Minutes from the meeting held on 28 July 2020

Minutes:

The confidential minutes were agreed under item 2.

9.

Date of next meeting

13 October 2020 at 10.00 am.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Tuesday 13 October 2020 at 10.00 am.