Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 17^th February 2016, copies of which had been circulated, were taken as read, and having been approved were signed by the Chairman as a correct of the proceedings subject to the following amendments in bold to Planning Application 14/02141/OUT and 15/04084/DPO – Crewkerne Key Site, Land between A30 and A356, Crewkerne

The Ward Members requested to be involved in the Discharge of Condition 3.

It was proposed and seconded to approve Recommendation A as outlined in the officer’s report.  On being put to the vote the proposal was carried 11 in favour and 2 abstentions.  It was then proposed and seconded to approve Recommendation B as outlined in the officer’s report subject to the agreement of the details of phasing, trigger points, highways contributions and finalised financial figures, on-site play areas, dormouse crossing and on-site landscaping with the ward members and chair.  On being put to the vote the proposal was carried unanimously in favour.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Garry Shortland and Martin Wale.

In accordance with the Council's current Code of Conduct (adopted July 2012), which includes all the provisions relating to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI), personal and prejudicial interests, Members are asked to declare any DPI and also any personal interests (and whether or not such personal interests are also "prejudicial") in relation to any matter on the agenda for this meeting. A DPI is defined in The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012 No. 1464) and Appendix 3 of the Council’s Code of Conduct. A personal interest is defined in paragraph 2.8 of the Code and a prejudicial interest is defined in paragraph 2.9. 

Members are reminded that they need to declare the fact that they are also a member of a County, Town or Parish Council as a Personal Interest.  As a result of the change made to the Code of Conduct by this Council at its meeting on 15^th May 2014, where you are also a member of Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council within South Somerset you must declare a prejudicial interest in any business on the agenda where there is a financial benefit or gain or advantage to Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council which would be at the cost or to the financial disadvantage of South Somerset District Council.  If you have a prejudicial interest you must comply with paragraphs  2.9(b) and 2.9(c) of the Code.

In the interests of complete transparency, Members of the County Council, who are not also members of this committee, are encouraged to declare any interests they may have in any matters being discussed even though they may not be under any obligation to do so under any relevant code of conduct.

Planning Applications Referred to the Regulation Committee

The following members of this Committee are also members of the Council's Regulation Committee:

Councillors. Mike Best, Sue Osborne and Angie Singleton

Where planning applications are referred by this Committee to the Regulation Committee for determination, in accordance with the Council's Code of Practice on Planning, Members of the Regulation Committee can participate and vote on these items at the Area Committee and at Regulation Committee.  In these cases the Council's decision-making process is not complete until the application is determined by the Regulation Committee.  Members of the Regulation Committee retain an open mind and will not finalise their position until the Regulation Committee.  They will also consider the matter at Regulation Committee as Members of that Committee and not as representatives of the Area Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

This is a chance to ask questions, make comments and raise matters of concern.

Parish/Town Councils may also wish to use this opportunity to ask for the District Council’s support on any matter of particular concern to their Parish/Town.

Anyone wishing to raise matters in relation to items on the agenda may do so at the time the item is considered.

The Committee was addressed by Margaret Twidale, representing Springmead Surgery.  She asked members to allow officers to be flexible and accept the offer of purchasing 10 parking permits on Crowshute Carpark for staff parking.  She commented that the surgery had an increase in staff and that there were at least 12 spaces that were seldom used that the surgery would be willing to use.  In response, the Chair advised that Cllr. Jason Baker was about to start work with Council Officers on a review of car parking in Chard and that as they work through the review Mrs Twidale would be kept informed.

The Chairman reminded members that there would be a workshop on Policy SS2 at the close of the meeting.

With regard to the Scheme of Delegation, the Chairman advised that following discussions with Planning Officers it had been agreed that if a ward member wished to bring an item to Committee they should contact the Chair giving details of the application.  A meeting would then be arranged with the Chair, Ward Member and Planning Officer to discuss the application including reasons for referral to Committee.  In response to a number of member comments, it was agreed that a further discussion on the Scheme of Delegation would be held at the Area Chairs Meeting being held the following day.

Reference was made to the agenda report, which informed members of the proposed Area West Committee Forward Plan.

A member queried when there would be an update on the Chard Regeneration Scheme.  In response, the Area Development Manager agreed to pass on the member request at the Chard Regeneration Board meeting being held the following day.

Members were content to note the Forward Plan as attached to the agenda.

With the aid of a powerpoint presentation, the Neighbourhood Development Officer gave an update on the work of ABCD and the production of a new Community Plan.  She advised that the original Community Plan was now ten years old and that it was important to find out what Crewkerne residents currently want for their town.  A new Community Plan would give everyone the opportunity to have their say about the future of the town.  A significant amount of consultation work had been undertaken including a household survey, focus group with Wadham School and feedback at public events.  Topics covered by the survey included communication, getting about, local economy and employment, community life and greenspaces.  Some of the main issues that have arisen from the consultation were a desire for a greater choice of places to eat in the evening, more evening events, particularly music and arts related activities, more markets and town centre events at the weekend, poor lighting in parts of the town, poor pedestrian crossing at the top of South Street, lack of bus shelter and inconsiderate parking on pavements.  Members were informed that a Community Plan document had now been drafted and ABCD had started putting together an Action Plan of potential projects to tackle some of the issues raised.  The final Community Plan with accompanying Action Plan would be produced later in the year.      

The Neighbourhood Development Officer highlighted some of the projects that ABCD had been involved with including the following:

·         Performance Poets Hip Yak Poetry Shack delivered a number of free poetry workshops and performed those poems live in various locations around the town centre;

·         Creative Crewkerne was launched in July at a garden party consultation, aimed at engaging with Crewkerne’s arts lovers;

·         Pom-pom making workshops;

·         Creative Crewkerne were now working on a community singing project involving a variety of singing groups in the town.

Councillor Mike Best, the Area West representative on ABCD expressed his support for the work of ABCD and commented that the projects brought together different people from different backgrounds.  He thanked the Neighbourhood Development Officer, Diane Butler and all the people involved with ABCD for all their help and support.

During a brief discussion on the item, members expressed their support for the work of ABCD.

RESOLVED: That the report and presentation be noted.

The Welfare Benefits Team Leader provided Members with a presentation of the work of the Welfare Benefits Team.  She advised that their clients were referred to them from a variety of sources both internally and externally, as well as self-referring through word of mouth.  The work was very varied and included calculating client’s benefit entitlement, preparing claims and representing clients at tribunals.  Members were informed that the total figure secured for clients in welfare benefits payments was over 11 times more than the actual cost of the service.  The team had helped their clients dispute 55 decisions at either Mandatory Reconsideration, appeal or both, 46 of which were for disability benefits.  With regard to the Local Assistance Scheme, members were advised that Citizens Advice South Somerset had processed 106 applications as of November 2015.  Members were informed that the Universal Credit digital roll out in South Somerset would commence in early 2017.  The Welfare Benefits Team Leader highlighted that the increase in households receiving extra help by discretionary housing payments saw a sharp increase following the introduction of the Spare Room Subsidy and the Benefit Cap.  The service continued to work in partnership with other agencies to ensure that people got the right help, at the right time with the most appropriate agency.  

In response to questions from Members, it was noted that:

·         Lack of adequate digital access was an issue that had been highlighted for some time and was an issue that was trying to be addressed through partnership working;

·         A member highlighted the amount of money a small team was bringing into the district and that the team made a huge difference to the people they worked with.

At the conclusion of the debate, the Chairman thanked the Welfare Benefits Team Leader for attending and providing an informative presentation. 

NOTED.

The Committee noted the details contained in the agenda report, which informed members of two planning appeals received and one that had been dismissed.

NOTED.

Members noted that the next meeting of the Area West Committee would be held on Wednesday 20^th April 2016 at 5.30pm at The Guildhall, Chard.