Agenda and minutes
Venue: The Oculus, Buckinghamshire Council, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury HP19 8FF. View directions
Contact: Kelly Sutherland
Media
Webcast: View the webcast
No. | Item |
---|---|
Apologies for Absence/Changes in Membership Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Cllrs Baughan, Etholen, Hogg and Poll. Members noted that Cllr Peter Brazier was attending in place of Cllr Poll. |
|
Declarations of Interest Additional documents: Minutes: There were none. |
|
To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 9th December 2021 as a correct record. Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 9th December were agreed as a correct record. |
|
Public Questions Public questions is an opportunity for people who live, work or study
in Buckinghamshire to put a question to a Select
Committee.
Mr Chadwick has submitted the following question: Addressing the decline in town centres through town centre regeneration projects is clearly a good thing. It also provides great opportunities to adapt them and remodel them to create thriving communities, but in a way which also builds in sustainable and low carbon patterns of living – such as active travel, locating services and facilities close to residences to minimise the need for travel, incorporating high energy efficiency standards in any related development, etc. Could the Cabinet Member please provide information and assurances about how town regeneration schemes are and will be developed and refined with these goals in mind?
Additional documents: Minutes: The Select Committee had received a public question from Mr Chadwick.
Addressing the decline in town centres through town centre regeneration projects is clearly a good thing. It also provides great opportunities to adapt them and remodel them to create thriving communities, but in a way which also builds in sustainable and low carbon patterns of living – such as active travel, locating services and facilities close to residences to minimise the need for travel, incorporating high energy efficiency standards in any related development, etc. Could the Cabinet Member please provide information and assurances about how town regeneration schemes are and will be developed and refined with these goals in mind?
Cllr Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration provided a response, making the following main points:
|
|
Digital Infrastructure Update PDF 992 KB The Committee will receive an overview of the current activity related to Broadband connectivity and details of the Government’s new programme to deliver gigabit capable broadband speeds.
Contributors: Cllr Martin Tett, Leader of the Council Lisa Michelson, Service Director – Economic Growth and Regeneration
Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman welcomed Cllr Martin Tett, Leader of the Council and Lisa Michelson, Strategic Director – Economic Growth and Regeneration to the meeting. The Leader provided an overview of the history of broadband development in Buckinghamshire since he became leader of the previous County Council in 2011 and the various government initiatives that had been introduced and then explained the current projects that were underway to improve broadband coverage. The following main points were noted:
|
|
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy PDF 217 KB The Committee will receive an update on the development of the Council’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy. Members will be invited to comment on the priorities that have been identified.
Contributors: Cllr Nick Naylor, Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Regulatory Services Cllr Mark Winn, Deputy Cabinet Member for Homelessness Nigel Dicker, Service Director – Housing and Regulatory Services Michael Veryard, Head of Housing Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman welcomed the Deputy Cabinet Member for Homelessness, Councillor Mark Winn, to the meeting and invited him to introduce the Strategy. The Homelessness Act 2002 required the Council to have a strategy and Buckinghamshire Council’s draft Strategy had been discussed at Cabinet 15 February 2022. A four-week public consultation, including notification to all Community Boards, would follow and amendments to the Strategy would be considered based on the comments. It would then be considered by Full Council in April.
The following main points were noted:
In response to questions from Select Committee Members, the following points were noted:
|
|
Town Centre Regeneration PDF 789 KB The Committee have heard at previous meetings about activities that the Council has undertaken to support high streets during the pandemic. This report builds further on the Council’s aspirations for the future and the development of a Regeneration Framework for Buckinghamshire. There will be an opportunity for members to ask questions and offer feedback on the direction of travel and specific regeneration projects that have been included in the Council’s capital programme.
Contributors: Cllr Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration Cllr Jocelyn Towns, Deputy Cabinet Member for Town Centre Regeneration Lisa Michelson, Service Director – Economic Growth and Regeneration Shabnam Ali, Head of Local Economic Growth Richard Wood, High Street Task Force Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman welcomed the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, Councillor Gareth Williams, and Deputy Cabinet Member for Town Centre Regeneration, Councillor Jocelyn Towns. The Deputy Cabinet Member introduced the report and highlighted the following points:
Richard Wood, High Street Task Force Ambassador, delivered a presentation to the Select Committee which highlighted the following:
In the Committee discussion that followed, the following main points were noted:
Action: L Michelson
The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member, Deputy Cabinet Member and officers for the report and information. |
|
Member Engagement in Planning report PDF 1 MB The Committee will receive the final report of the Member Engagement in Planning report from the review group, ahead of it being presented to Cabinet on 1st March.
Contributors: Cllr Chris Poll, Chairman of the Review Group Additional documents: Minutes: In the absence of the Inquiry Chairman, Councillor Peter Brazier introduced the Inquiry Report to the Select Committee. The Group had found the review useful, and the report outlined a number of recommendations on Member Engagement in Planning. The Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration advised that Member Surgeries had now commenced and that officers were encouraged to telephone Members more. The Member Handbook and GIS Map training for Members were under consideration.
Feedback was noted by the Cabinet Member on streamlining the process of booking a Member Surgery timeslot. Another Member commented that reducing the need for chasing up the Planning service and reducing invalid planning applications would assist service resource.
The Chairman thanked all Members for their input into the Inquiry. |
|
For members to note the Committee Work Programme. Additional documents: Minutes: The work programme was noted. |
|
Date of next meeting 7th April 2022 at 10am Additional documents: Minutes: 7 April 2022. |