Agenda and minutes

Apologies of absence were received from Councillor K Barton and Councillor S Cunningham.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel meeting held on the 12 March 2019.

It was AGREED that the Minutes of the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel held on the 12 March 2019 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Chairman made the following announcement -

Before we start the meeting, I would just like to run through how things will proceed.

Item 6 on the agenda, on the Housing Delivery Test position, is a report for noting. Officers will present the report along with some supporting slides. Members will then have the opportunity to ask questions for clarification.

Item 7 is giving Members the opportunity to pre-scrutinise the consultation document for the Local Plan – Issues and Options. Any comments will be tabled at the Executive at Monday’s meeting.

Officers will take Members through the consultation document at Appendix A, page by page, asking for comments on each heading in turn. Members can recommend any; additions, amendments or deletions to the document and can suggest ideas on the content of the consultation.

At this stage I would also like to stress that it is not the purpose of the Panel to discuss specific development sites. We are asked only for our opinion around the questioning for the potential areas for new growth in the report.

Please avoid making any comments on specific development sites or existing planning applications. To do so may result in you being pre-determined and could put at risk your ability to vote on later stages of the Local Plan as it goes through its process of decisions at Council and Planning Committee.

To receive and declarations of interest from Members in accordance with the Standing Orders and the Council’s Code of Conduct and disclosures of advice or directions received from Group Leaders or Political Groups, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

Councillor G Fazackarley declared a personal interest for Item 7, as he works for the First Bus Group.

To receive any deputations of which notice has been lodged.

There were no deputations made at this meeting.

To receive a report for information from the Head of Planning and Regeneration on the Current position on the Housing Delivery Test.

The Panel considered a report along with supporting slides on the current Housing Delivery Test position delivered by the Officers.

Officers took Members of the Panel through the report, clarifying areas in greater detail. Members asked questions for clarification and stressed their concern with how the Council is to meet the ever-increasing housing delivery figures. Officers advised that Central Government are working to encourage all Local Authorities to diversify the products available on the market and this along with a higher level of permissions should assist in increasing delivery rates.

Members queried the figures in Table 1, as they didn’t appear to add up. Officers have checked and cannot find an error.

RESOLVED that the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel considered the contents of the report for information.

To consider a report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration on the Local Plan  - Issues and Options consultation document.

The Panel considered a report along with supporting slides delivered by Officers on the Local Plan – Issues and Options.

Councillor G Fazackarley declared a personal interest on this item as he works for the First Bus Group.

(Councillor P Davies left the meeting during discussions on this item)

At the invitation of the Chairman Councillor K Evans joined in discussions on this item.

At the invitation of the Chairman Councillor Mrs K K Trott joined in discussions on this item.

At the invitation of the Chairman Councillor R H Price, JP joined in discussions on this item.

Officers took Members through the report, asking Members to recommend any additions, amendments or deletions to the consultation document, focusing on each heading in turn.

The recommendations for additions, amendments and deletions made by the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel are appended to these minutes as Appendix 1.  These recommendations will be referred to the meeting of the Executive to be held on Monday 13 May 2019.

RESOLVED that, having considered the contents of the report, the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel agrees to refer the recommendations appended to the minutes as Appendix 1 to the meeting of the Executive to be held on Monday 13 May 2019.

To consider any items of business dealt with by the Executive since the last meeting of the Panel, that falls under the remit of Planning and Development Portfolio. This will include any decisions taken by individual Members during the same time period.

The Panel considered the Executive items of business which fall under the remit of the Planning and Development Portfolio, including individual Executive Member decisions, that have taken place since the last meeting of the Panel on the 12 March 2019.

The Panel considered the decisions shown at item 8(1)

RESOLVED that the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel considered the following item of Executive Business.

No comments received.

To provide an opportunity for Members to consider the scrutiny priorities for the Planning and Development Panel.

Members considered the Panels Scrutiny Priorities and at this time had no additions to add to the current Scrutiny Plan. The Head of Planning Strategy and Regeneration addressed the Panel to confirm that an item updating Members on Welborne will be brought to the 25 June 2019 meeting and any additions to the agenda would be discussed through the Chairman.

RESOLVED that the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel considered the scrutiny priorities for the Panel.