Agenda, decisions and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, Brympton Way, YEOVIL, Somerset BA20 2HT
Contact: Angela Cox 01935 462148 Email: angela.cox@southsomerset.gov.uk
No. | Item | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minutes of Previous Meeting To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Special District Executive meeting held on 26th May and the District Executive meeting held on 2nd June 2016. Minutes: The minutes of the Special District Executive meeting held on 26th May 2016, and, the District Executive meeting held on 2nd June 2016, copies of which had been circulated, were taken as read and, having been approved as a correct record, were signed by the Chairman. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Apologies for Absence Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Peter Gubbins and Peter Seib. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Declarations of Interest 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 15th 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. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest made. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Public Question Time Questions, statements or comments from members of the public are welcome at the beginning of each meeting of the Council. The total period allowed for public participation shall not exceed 15 minutes except with the consent of the Council and each individual speaker shall be restricted to a total of three minutes. Where there are a number of persons wishing to speak about the same matter, they should consider choosing one spokesperson to speak on their behalf where appropriate. If a member of the public wishes to speak they should advise the committee administrator and complete one of the public participation slips setting out their name and the matter they wish to speak about. The public will be invited to speak in the order determined by the Chairman. Answers to questions may be provided at the meeting itself or a written reply will be sent subsequently, as appropriate. Matters raised during the public question session will not be debated by the Council at that meeting. Minutes: It was agreed that members of the public would speak at the time the agenda item they were present for was discussed. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman's Announcements Minutes: There were no announcements from the Chairman. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Verbal Update on Recruitment of Chief Executive Officer Councillor Ric Pallister, as Chairman of the Appointments Committee, will update Members on the progress the Committee have made in the recruitment of a new Chief Executive Officer. Minutes: The Chairman advised that 24 applications had been received for the position of Chief Executive. These had been longlisted to 13 candidates who would be interviewed by himself, an independent Chief Executive and the appointed recruitment agency and a shortlist would be drawn up. That shortlist of candidates would be interviewed by the Appointments Panel and it was expected to confirm their proposed candidate at Council on 18th August.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Five-Year Housing Land Supply Update (July 2016) PDF 291 KB Additional documents: Decision:
Minutes: Mr B Hartley of East Coker Parish Council said it was almost 1 year since SSDC had failed to demonstrate a 5 year land supply and it was now 1,000 homes short of the required target. He said the Council needed to deliver more than 800 houses per year to meet their target and he urged the Executive to recommend an immediate review of the Local Plan housing figures.
Mr N Whitsun-Jones, Chairman for the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) expressed his surprise that SSDC were content to accept the lack of a 5 year housing land supply and the consequent inability to resist development. He said there should be an early review of the Local Plan on the basis of the latest information available.
The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning (Place Making) said the Council was demonstrating a 4 year and 2 month land supply according to the calculation formula and this included a 20% buffer. However a poor planning proposal could still be rejected and the Council continued to successfully appeal poorly designed proposed new developments. She said the planning team were working with developers to see if they could lift any barriers to enable development.
The Principal Policy Planner explained the process for calculating the 5 year housing land supply. He regretted that only 606 dwelling had been completed during the last year, however, he said that the challenge was as much about ensuring developers deliver on the permissions they had been granted and that they would not automatically flood the market with housing otherwise they may distort the market which would affect sales values. As the Council could demonstrate a 4 year and 2 month land supply, then some weight could be afforded to the Council’s policies. An early review of the Local Plan was progressing but it must be evidence based.
In response to questions from the Scrutiny Committee, the Principal Policy Planner advised that:-
· Although there may be some transitional difficulties, it was not expected that the introduction of CIL would slow developments coming forward. · SSDC were working with large developers in Yeovil, Crewkerne and Chard to see if SSDC could use its resources to unlock development. · Although a low wage economy was factored into housing delivery, an individual’s ability to obtain finance to purchase properties was only just beginning to emerge as best practice.
The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee thanked the Principal Policy Planner and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning (Place Making) for attending their meeting and answering their questions.
In response to a question why some of the housing supply sites listed in Appendix 1 to the report were included as they were not currently identified housing sites, the Principal Policy Planner explained that they were there for completeness but were not given any status as they did not benefit from planning permission.
During discussion, several Members regretted the lack of the 5 year land supply which affected how they could determine future development and they called for ... view the full minutes text for item 28. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Additional documents:
Decision:
Minutes: The Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health advised that adopting the two policies would ensure a clear and common approach to enforcement throughout Somerset.
The Environmental Health Manager confirmed that the Regulation Code expected local authorities to publish a clear set of service standards on how they would approach enforcement in an even handed and transparent manner.
In response to a question, the Environmental Health Manager said there were many external agencies providing enforcement advice so there was limited scope to offer SSDC services to other Local Authorities, however, the Transformation programme may take them forward.
At the conclusion of the debate, Members were content to confirm both Enforcement Policies and agreed to adopt them as Council Policy.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015/16 Revenue Budget Outturn Report PDF 313 KB Additional documents:
Decision:
Minutes: The Assistant Director (Finance and Corporate Services) advised that although the revenue budget underspend was less than the previous year, there had been savings due to vacant staff posts and recovery of housing benefit overpayments. Following the recruitment of 4 additional staff in the Revenues and Benefits service, the collection of Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates had increased.
It was noted that the Assistant Director (Finance and Corporate Services) had attended the Scrutiny Committee meeting and had confirmed their questions relating to the shortfall in income streams and confirmed that a report would be presented regarding advertising on the web and the SSDC Canteen for a Member decision.
During discussion, it was confirmed that none of the vacant posts held were professional officer posts and that administrative posts were pending the Transformation Programme which was looking at cross-service support.
At the conclusion of the debate, Members were content to confirm the recommendations of the report.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015/16 Capital Budget Outturn Report PDF 456 KB Additional documents:
Decision:
Minutes: The Chairman advised that an officer from the Yarlington Housing Group would be attending District Executive on 1st September to discuss their proposal that Right to Buy receipts were retained by them for future investment in new housing. Currently, the receipts were returned to SSDC and part of them were reinvested in affordable housing.
The Assistant Director (Finance and Corporate Services) advised that the budget underspend was due to funding allocated to the purchase of new waste vehicles had not yet been drawn upon.
Members were content to confirm that the projects which had a delayed start in excess of one year remain in the capital programme, and, were content to agree the recommendations of the report.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Key4Life - At Risk Preventative Programme in Somerset PDF 168 KB Decision: This report was deferred for further information on the project to be made available to Councillors. Minutes: This report was deferred for further information on the project to be made available to Councillors. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Annual Review of SSDC Partnerships PDF 410 KB Decision:
Minutes: The Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture confirmed that SSDC worked with a range of partnerships who added value to SSDC services and who were checked for relevance each year.
The Third Sector and Partnership Co-ordinator confirmed the review was now fully complete and it was proposed to retain the Stop Line Way as this was to be reinvigorated by the Area West Committee.
During discussion, it was clarified that the Somerset Intelligence Partnership was a data resource linked to the Census and not a partnership and would be reviewed as such during 2016/17. However, Members expressed concern at the possible removal of the Strategic Partnership Against Hate Crime in view of the recent terrorist attacks. It was clarified that this organisation came under the Safer Communities Partnership which SSDC were part of along with 23 other agencies, including the Police.
The Chairman also advised that he would be rearranging some of the Portfolio Holder responsibilities and he would confirm them to all Members shortly.
At the conclusion of the debate, Members were content to note the annual review of SSDC partnerships.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Community Right to Bid Quarterly Update Report PDF 172 KB Additional documents: Decision:
Minutes: The Third Sector and Partnership Co-ordinator introduced the report and confirmed that the Ward Members and Area Chairmen would continue to be part of the consultation process. He also confirmed that a further 6 nominations had been received from Martock Parish Council which were currently being processed.
The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee expressed their concern that applicants did not fully understand the impact and implications of registering an asset on the list and the Chairman noted that not one registration had resulted in a successful bid. During discussion it was noted that Stoke Methodist Church had raised the necessary funding and so this may become the first successful bid.
At the conclusion of the debate, Members were content to note the report.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
District Executive Forward Plan PDF 78 KB Additional documents: Decision:
Minutes: The following additions and amendments to the Forward Plan and Consultation database were noted:
· Presentation from Yarlington Housing Group on Right to Buy receipts – Sept 16 · Energy Company Obligation (ECO): Help to Heat Consultation – closing date 17 August 2016 · Self Sufficient Government – 100% Business Rate Retention – closing date 26 September 2016
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of Next Meeting PDF 17 KB Minutes: Members noted that the next scheduled meeting of the District Executive would take place on Thursday 4th August 2016 in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil commencing at 9.30 a.m.
|