Chichester District Council
Agenda, decisions and minutes

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 2, East Pallant House. View directions

Contact: Graham Thrussell on 01243 534653  Email:  gthrussell@chichester.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

629.

Chairman's Announcements

The chairman will:

 

·       make any specific announcements for this meeting and

 

·       advise of any late items for consideration under agenda item 13 (a) or (b)

 

Apologies for absence will be taken at this point.

 

Decision:

[DETAILS IN THE MINUTES]

 

 

Minutes:

Mr A Dignum (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Growth and Place) greeted the members of the public and Chichester District Council (CDC) members and officers and the two press representatives who were present for this meeting.

 

The emergency evacuation procedure was read out.

 

There were no apologies for absence and all members of the Cabinet were present.

 

There were no late items for consideration.

 

Mr Dignum had no specific announcements of his own to make.

 

At his invitation details of the following matter were announced by Mrs E Lintill (Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Community Services):

 

Beautiful South Tourism Awards 2018-2019 - Tourism Event/Festival of the Year – Bronze Award – Chichester Roman Week – The Novium Museum Chichester West Sussex

 

Mrs Lintill said that she had attended the Beautiful South Tourism Awards 2018-2019 ceremony at The Grand Brighton on 5 December 2018 at which The Novium Museum had received a bronze award in the Tourism Event/Festival of the Year category for the Chichester Roman Week it had arranged. She praised The Novium for this accolade, which was a telling testimony to the team’s hard work in devising and displaying the exhibition. Mr Dignum concurred with those sentiments and commended The Novium. 

 

[Note Hereinafter in these minutes CDC denotes Chichester District Council]

 

[Note Minute paras 630 to 644 below summarise the Cabinet’s discussion of and decision on agenda items 2 to 16 inclusive but for full details of the items considered in public session please refer to the audio recording facility via this link:

 

http://chichester.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=135&MId=979&Ver=4]

 

 

 

630.

Approval of Minutes pdf icon PDF 158 KB

The Cabinet is requested to approve as a correct record the minutes of its meeting on Tuesday 4 December 2018, a copy of which is circulated with this agenda.

 

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of the Cabinet’s meeting on Tuesday 4 December 2018 be approved without amendment.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received the minutes of its meeting on Tuesday 4 December 2018, which had been circulated with the agenda.

 

There were no proposed changes to the minutes.

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands to approve the aforesaid minutes without making any amendments.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of the Cabinet’s meeting on Tuesday 4 December 2018 be approved.

 

631.

Declarations of Interests

Members will make any declarations of disclosable pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial interests which they have in respect of matters on the agenda for this meeting.

 

Decision:

[DETAILS IN THE MINUTES]

 

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interests made by members at this meeting.

 

Certain officers would withdraw from the room during the consideration of the following agenda items:

 

(1) AGENDA ITEM 6: CORPORATE PAY REVIEW

 

Those officers (below the level of the Senior Leadership Team) who were affected by the current comprehensive review of the jobs and salaries of CDC staff and who were present for various agenda items. However, officers who would be presenting the report or providing administrative support during the meeting would remain.

 

Mr J Ward (Director of Corporate Services) declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item as his wife was a CDC employee and he would withdraw from the table to the public seating area for its duration. 

 

(2) AGENDA ITEM 16: STAFFING MATTERS

 

All officers save for the Chief Executive, the Monitoring Officer, the Divisional Manager Financial Services and the Legal and Democratic Services Officer. 

 

 

 

 

632.

Public Question Time

In accordance with Chichester District Council’s scheme for public question time and with reference to standing order 6 in part 4 A and section 5.6 in Part 5 of the Chichester District Council Constitution, the Cabinet will receive any questions which have been submitted by members of the public in writing by 12:00 on the previous working day. The total time allocated for public question time is 15 minutes subject to the chairman’s discretion to extend that period.

Decision:

[DETAILS OF THE PUBLIC QUESTIONS SUBMITTED AND RESPONSES GIVEN IN THE MINUTES]

 

 

Minutes:

Questions had been submitted by two members of the public.

 

The questions (with the date of submission shown within [ ] at the end of the text) and the answers given by Mrs S Taylor (Cabinet for Planning Services) and Mr A Dignum (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Growth and Place) were as follows.

 

In (1) below, in view of the number of questions to be asked, it was agreed that for ease of convenience each question and response would be paired. In these minutes, however, the responses appear collectively after the questions.  

 

(1) Questions by Mr M Dicker

 

In accordance with public question time at next week’s Cabinet meeting I would like to get answers to the following questions:

 

1. Why has Chichester District Council (CDC) agreed to accommodate the 205 houses from the SDNP unmet housing need when pressure for space is already acknowledged and it has no legal obligation to do so?

 

2.  If CDC is not prepared to hand back this unmet need then where is the need from in terms of which communities within the SDNP (by settlement area)? This is essential to know.

 

3.   CDC states: “The Local Plan Review will assist the creation of new jobs in a variety of ways, most obviously through the allocation of land for employment uses, …by supporting local services in rural areas … enhancing visitor facilities, supporting expansion of education and training, building new dwellings and facilitating improvements to transport and telecommunications.” 

 

Can CDC explain how the large element of economically inactive population from the SDNP will benefit from “land for employment uses” when it is not within easy reach of public transport for them? Having acknowledged this omission can CDC confirm that a better solution would be to identify employment space around Goodwood or to the north of the city to meet this unmet need and enable rural communities to become more economically active?

 

4.  There is deep concern about the provision of infrastructure (including transport) at the moment.  Why then does the Local Plan Review Preferred Approach – out for consultation - state and I quote:

 

“For this reason an independent viability study will be carried out to inform this strategy and the IDP”?

 

5. The Local Plan Review Preferred Approach states:

 

“The landscape of the coastline is characterised by its relatively flat topography which, on occasion, serves to provide views from the water across to the South Downs National Park.” 

 

Why then is CDC proposing employment space and housing at Al6/AP6 and a link road which will directly impact not only the views from the water of the Cathedral but perhaps the only view of the Cathedral from the water framed by long-distance views of the South Downs?

 

6.  Why has CDC including its contractors Peter Brett Associates not worked closely with Highways England in accordance with "The strategic road network, planning for the future A guide to working with Highways England on planning matters" in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 632.

633.

Adoption of the Chichester Local Plan Site Allocation Development Plan Document pdf icon PDF 76 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its three appendices in the agenda supplement and to make the following recommendation to the Council:

 

That the submitted Local Plan Site Allocation Development Plan Document 2014-2029, amended to include all the main modifications recommended by the planning inspector to make the Plan sound, together with other more minor modifications already agreed with the inspector, be adopted and published (including any consequential and other appropriate minor amendments) in accordance with regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the submitted Local Plan Site Allocation Development Plan Document 2014-2029, amended to include all the main modifications recommended by the planning inspector to make the Plan sound, together with other more minor modifications already agreed with the inspector, be adopted and published (including any consequential and other appropriate minor amendments) in accordance with regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its nine appendices in the main agenda supplement.

 

This item was presented by Mrs S Taylor (Cabinet Member for Planning Services).

 

Mrs T Flitcroft (Principal Planning Officer (Local Planning)) and Mr M Allgrove (Planning Policy Manager) were attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Taylor said that the main purpose of the Site Allocation Development Plan Document 2014-2029 (SA DPD) (appendix 1) was to deliver non-strategic residential and employment sites as set out in the Chichester Local Plan: Key Policies 2014-2029 (CLP) adopted in July 2015 and provide guidance for the development of those sites. Once adopted it would form part of CDC’s Development Plan. The SA DPD applied only to those parishes which either did not have an adopted neighbourhood development plan (NDP) or which had a NDP that had not reached pre-submission stage by April 2017. The SA DPD also (a) reviewed settlement boundaries and, where appropriate, recommended changes thereto and (b) identified (in accordance with the CLP) a local centre for East Wittering. The SA DPD had been submitted to a rigorous process including a number of formal consultations, culminating in an examination by a planning inspector. The SA DPD was pronounced to be sound in the inspector’s report (appendix 2) subject to the inclusion of the main modifications recommended by and more minor modifications agreed with the inspector (appendix 3). The SA DPD related to the CLP and not the emerging Chichester Local Plan Review.

 

Mrs Flitcroft and Mr Allgrove did not add to Mrs Taylor’s introduction.

 

The Cabinet proceeded immediately to vote on the recommendation in the report.

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously to make the recommendation set out below.

 

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the submitted Local Plan Site Allocation Development Plan Document 2014-2029, amended to include all the main modifications recommended by the planning inspector to make the Plan sound, together with other more minor modifications already agreed with the inspector, be adopted and published (including any consequential and other appropriate minor amendments) in accordance with regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012.

 

 

 

634.

Corporate Pay Review pdf icon PDF 78 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its appendix and to make the following recommendations to the Council:

 

(1)  That the proposed New Reward Scheme (NRS) be adopted with effect from 1 April 2019.

 

(2)  That the budget allocation of £303,500 per annum to support the NRS, funded by the £300,000 annual budget that has previously been set aside to support the pay review, with the £3,500 shortfall added to the revenue base budget 2019-2020, be approved.

 

(3)  That the release of up to £360,600 from previously earmarked reserves to fund salary protection costs during the three-year period 2019-2020 to 2021-2022 be approved.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

(1)  That the proposed New Reward Scheme (NRS) be adopted with effect from 1 April 2019 subject to receipt of the signed collective agreement from Unison.

 

(2)  That the budget allocation of £303,500 per annum to support the NRS, funded by the £300,000 annual budget that has previously been set aside to support the pay review, with the £3,500 shortfall added to the revenue base budget 2019-2020, be approved.

 

(3)  That the release of up to £360,600 from previously earmarked reserves to fund salary protection costs during the three-year period 2019-2020 to 2021-2022 be approved.

 

 

Minutes:

[Note Immediately prior to the commencement of this item various CDC officers present for items on the agenda withdrew from the room for its duration, as intimated in para (1) in minute 631 above. The Senior Leadership Team, the Monitoring Officer, the two advisory officers mentioned below, and the two Democratic Services representatives remained.]

 

[Note In accordance with his previous declaration of interest (minute 630), at the outset of this item Mr J Ward (Director of Corporate Services) withdrew from the table to the public seating area for the duration of this item]

 

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its appendix.

 

This item was presented by Mr P Wilding (Cabinet Member for Corporate Services).

 

Mrs J Dodsworth (Director of Residents Services) was in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Wilding said thatCDC had used the current pay and grading structure for nearly 30 years. Over that time jobs and the wider employment market had evolved significantly, which had created staff recruitment and retention difficulties in certain areas or at certain pay grades. There was also the legal requirement to ensure equal jobs were rewarded with equal pay and this review would ensure CDC’s compliance therewith. Since the Cabinet had first considered a report setting out the available options in September 2016, a comprehensive review of all job roles had been undertaken. All job profiles (excluding Chichester Contract Services, which was on local terms and conditions) had now been rewritten and subsequently re-evaluated to ensure that CDC maintained a fair and consistent pay structure.The current pay and grading structure had also been reviewed, using independent benchmarking (taking into account local recruitment and retention factors) to highlight specific areas requiring attention. CDC officers and the external consultants had created a new proposed pay structure (appendix 1) which addressed all of the issues identified.

 

The impact on staff as a result of the proposed changes was as follows:

 

(a)  46% of staff would see an increase in total pay

 

(b)  42% of staff would see no change in total pay

 

(c)  12% of staff would see a reduction in total pay

 

Any members of staff who were negatively affected would be covered by CDC’s pay protection scheme, whereby any salary reduction would be phased in over a three-year period. During November 2018 formal consultation took place with staff representatives and Unison. A detailed statistical analysis of the proposal had been undertaken by Unison, which demonstrated that the revised pay and grading structure was well-balanced and complied with equalities standards. Unison had confirmed it would support the corporate pay review scheme. 

 

The Cabinet had previously agreed to set aside £300,000 per year to support the new pay structure; this estimate had been revised to £303,500 per year on CDC’s annual revenue budget. The release of up to £360,600 from previously earmarked reserves, covering the periods 2019-2020 to 2021-2022, was also being recommended to fund salary protection costs for staff who would receive a reduced salary, although this might  ...  view the full minutes text for item 634.

635.

Initial Project Proposals 2019-2020 and Corporate Plan pdf icon PDF 67 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its nine appendices in the agenda supplement (appendix 2 is in three parts) and to make the following resolutions and also recommendations to the Council:

 

A – RESOLUTIONS BY THE CABINET

(1)  That the new project proposals for 2019-2020 as set out in appendices 1 to 9 to the agenda report be agreed.

 

(2)  That it be noted that the Gigabit and the Depot resurfacing and Drainage projects will be subject to full Project Initiation Document approval.

 

B – RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL

 

(1)  That it be agreed that the Corporate Plan approved in January 2018 shall remain unchanged for the year 2019-2020.

 

(2)  That, subject to the Cabinet’s agreement in the foregoing resolution (1) to approve the new project proposals for 2019-2020, the release of £246,000 from Chichester District Council’s General Fund Reserve to fund the feasibility work and small projects identified in para 5.2 of the agenda report for 2019-2020 be approved and that £30,000 of this funding be released with immediate effect to allow for the Novium business plan feasibility work.

 

 



 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED BY THE CABINET

 

(1)  That the new project proposals for 2019-2020 as set out in appendices 1 to 9 (as amended) to the agenda report be agreed.

 

(2)  That it be noted that the Gigabit and the Depot resurfacing and Drainage projects will be subject to full Project Initiation Document approval.

 

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

(1)  That it be agreed that the Corporate Plan approved in January 2018 shall remain unchanged for the year 2019-2020.

 

(2)  That the release of £206,000 from Chichester District Council’s General Fund Reserve to fund the feasibility work and small projects identified in para 5.2 (as amended) of the agenda report for 2019-2020 be approved and that £30,000 of this funding be released with immediate effect to allow for the Novium business plan feasibility work.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its nine appendices in the main agenda supplement.

 

This item was initially presented by Mr A Dignum (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Growth and Place) before each appendix containing one of the initial project proposal documents (IPPDs) was introduced by the relevant Cabinet member.

 

Mr A Buckley (Corporate Improvement and Facilities Manager) was in attendance for this matter together with the officers who had written the various IPPDs.

 

Mr Dignum explained that whilst it was proposed that the Corporate Plan 2018-2021, approved by the Council in January 2018, should remain unchanged for 2019-2020, there were several new IPPDs being recommended together with the release of funds to enable the requisite feasibility work in respect thereof to be undertaken.  

 

The nine IPPDs were each considered in turn with an introduction, proposed amendments  and officers’ responses to members’ questions as summarised below:

 

(1)  Resurfacing and Improved Drainage at Westhampnett Depot (Appendix 1): introduced by Mr R Barrow (Cabinet Member for Residents Services); no amendments; no questions.

 

(2)  East Beach Selsey Land/Asset Opportunities (Appendix 2): introduced by Mr Dignum; amendment to section 2, Project Description, by the addition of a second para to say that a task and finish group would be established, jointly chaired by Mr R Barrow and Mr J Connor (Cabinet Member for Environment Services), to oversee the IPPD process on behalf of the Cabinet; no questions.

 

(3)  East Wittering and Bracklesham Vision (Appendix 3): introduced by Mr Dignum; the IPPD would be amended (a) to state in section 2, Project Description, that the task and finish group already established for the Bracklesham Bay project should oversee this IPPD on behalf of the Cabinet and (b) at the request of Mrs S Taylor (Cabinet Member for Planning Services), insert in the fifth and sixth lines in section 7, Benefit vs. Cost, the words ‘an options appraisal as to whether’ in place of ‘a specific proposal’; no questions.

 

(4)  Review of Chichester District Parking Strategy (Appendix 4): introduced by Mr Dignum and Mrs T Murphy (Divisional Manager Place), who said that this review, which was held every ten years, was not concerned with charges/tariffs but parking infrastructure to ensure that the latest advances in parking were adopted for the benefit of residents and visitors to ensure that Chichester District’s car parks were fit for the future; no amendments; no questions.

 

(5)  Priory Park – Phase Two Option Appraisal(Appendix 5): introduced by Mr Dignum; amendments: (a) deletion of the current café site in the scoping list in section 2 and addition of a second sentence in the second para that the café would be considered as a separate matter outside this IPPD; (b) insertion of a third para in section 2 stating that the portfolio holder would be kept in close touch with the IPPD’s progress; (c) addition of a second sentence in the third para in section 3, Background, stating that the café would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 635.

636.

Gatwick Airport Draft Master Plan 2018 pdf icon PDF 101 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its two appendices in the agenda supplement and to make the following resolution:

 

That the recommended response set out in appendix 2 to the agenda report be endorsed as Chichester District Council’s response to the consultation on the draft Gatwick Airport Master Plan.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the recommended response set out in appendix 2 to the agenda report be endorsed as Chichester District Council’s response to the consultation on the draft Gatwick Airport Master Plan.

 

(2)  That this decision is urgent and therefore is not subject to Chichester District Council’s call-in procedure, the consent of the Chairman of the Council having been obtained both that this decision is reasonable in all the circumstances and that it should be treated as a matter of urgency, having regard to the consultation’s closing date of 10 January 2019.

 

[Note In accordance with para 36 in section 4.5 in Part 4 of Chichester District Council’s Constitution, the fact that this decision was taken as a matter of urgency and the reason for the urgency will be formally reported to the Council meeting on Tuesday 22 January 2019]

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its two appendices in the main agenda supplement.

 

This item was presented by Mrs S Taylor (Cabinet Member for Planning Services).

 

Mr T Guymer (Principal Planning Officer (Strategic Planning)) and Mr M Allgrove (Planning Policy Manager) were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Taylor described Gatwick Airport’s status as the second busiest airport in the UK in terms of the number of passengers (45.7 million in 2018, expected to rise to 53 million by 2023) and as a major employer and economic influence in the south east of England. Its impact on Chichester District was in both economic and environmental terms, particularly for the north of the area due to noise disturbance from overhead aircraft. Since it would take a long time to construct a new runway at Heathrow (a decision confirmed by the government in October 2016), it was acknowledged that in the meantime better use should be made of existing runways. In the case of Gatwick, this meant its standby runway, the deployment of which was currently restricted by a legal agreement. The owners of Gatwick had prepared a draft master plan which set out the immediate priorities and considered three growth strategies: scenarios 1 to 3 in para 3.19 of the report. Those scenarios were not mutually exclusive and all of them could be pursued if the requisite consents were obtained. She referred to an analysis by officers of the potential impacts (appendix 1) and the proposed consultation response (appendix 2). Clearly further evidence was required to justify many of the aspirations and objectives in the draft document and thus officers advised that (a) broad support should be offered for scenario 1, (b) concerns be expressed in relation to scenario 2, especially the ability of existing transport infrastructure to accommodate the anticipated increase in the use of the airport, the potential impact on housing needs in the wider area and the environment including noise, and (c) the proposal to safeguard land in scenario 3 should be questioned in view of the Gatwick option not having been ultimately supported by the government.

 

Mrs Taylor concluded by advising that this matter was to be treated as an urgent decision and so not subject to CDC’s call-in procedure in the Constitution because the consultation response needed to be submitted by the deadline of Thursday 10 January 2019, which would be the first day of the call-in process for executive decisions made at this meeting. In accordance with the Constitution the Chairman of the Council had consented to the call-in process being disapplied in the case of this decision of the Cabinet.  

 

Mr Guymer and Mr Allgrove did not add to Mrs Taylor’s introduction.

 

Mrs E Hamilton (Chairman of the Council), who was present as an observer, came to the table and informed the Cabinet that she had read the papers for this item both after their publication and again earlier on the morning of this meeting, when she had also spoken  ...  view the full minutes text for item 636.

637.

Commissioning of West Sussex Community Advice Service pdf icon PDF 62 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and to make the following resolutions:

 

(1)  That, subject to continued partner funding, the continuation of the Funding Partnership to commission a Community Advice Service across West Sussex for up to three years from April 2019 with West Sussex County Council as the lead authority be agreed.

 

(2)  That (a) authority be delegated to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Services, to agree the specification and signing of the contract and (b) the annual monitoring of performance be delegated to the Grants and Concessions Panel.

 

 

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That, subject to continued partner funding, the continuation of the Funding Partnership to commission a Community Advice Service across West Sussex for up to three years from April 2019 with West Sussex County Council as the lead authority be agreed.

 

(2)  That (a) authority be delegated to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Services, to agree the specification and signing of the contract and (b) the annual monitoring of performance be delegated to the Grants and Concessions Panel.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report.

 

This item was presented by Mrs E Lintill (Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Community Services).

 

Mr D Hyland (Community Engagement Manager) and Miss C Williams (Community Liaison Officer) were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Lintill summarised the report with particular reference to sections 3, 4 and 5.

 

Mr Hyland and Miss Williams did not add to Mrs Lintill’s introduction.

 

Mrs Taylor and Mr A Dignum (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Growth and Place) both emphasised the importance of continued funding for this vital and greatly valued service; Mrs Lintill pointed out that (as stated in para 8.1 of the report) CDC’s Grants and Concessions Panel was satisfied with the annual performance of Arun and Chichester Citizen’s Advice (ACCA).

 

Several members of the Cabinet expressed their strong support for the excellent work undertaken by ACCA, how funding for the service was one way in which CDC sought to support the vulnerable in its communities and their hope that West Sussex County Council would continue to fund the service beyond 2019-2020.   

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously to make the resolution set out below.

 

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That, subject to continued partner funding, the continuation of the Funding Partnership to commission a Community Advice Service across West Sussex for up to three years from April 2019 with West Sussex County Council as the lead authority be agreed.

 

(2)  That (a) authority be delegated to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Services, to agree the specification and signing of the contract and (b) the annual monitoring of performance be delegated to the Grants and Concessions Panel.

 

638.

Land at Mill Road and Covington Road Westbourne - Community Trust Proposal pdf icon PDF 63 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its two appendices and to make the following resolutions:

 

(1)  That the land to the rear of 50-56 Mill Road and the land at Covington Road Westbourne be declared surplus to requirements.

 

(2)  That it be noted that following the declaration in (1), the actions set out in section 5 of the agenda report are to be pursued by the officers under delegated authority.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the land to the rear of 50-56 Mill Road and the land at Covington Road Westbourne be declared surplus to requirements.

 

(2)  That it be agreed that following the declaration in (1), the actions set out in section 5 of the agenda report are to be pursued by the officers under delegated authority.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report.

 

This item was presented by Mrs J Kilby (Cabinet Member for Housing Services).

 

Mr P Legood (Valuation and Estates Manager) and Miss H Nicol (Housing Delivery Manager) were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Kilby explained that CDC’s Housing Delivery team was currently supporting Westbourne Community Land Trust (CLT) through CDC’s community-led housing early stage support programme. A housing needs survey had recently been undertaken by the team on behalf of Westbourne Parish Council (WPC), which revealed a far greater local affordable housing need than the 19 households currently on the housing register. No new affordable units would be delivered on the allocated sites within Westbourne neighbourhood development plan (NDP). The CLT was incorporated as a Community Benefit Society in November 2017. The steering group members had assumed trustee roles for the interim period. The CLT was hosting two public drop-in events on 8 and 9 February 2018, which would provide an opportunity for the community to find out more about the CLT’s aims and objectives. An invitation would be delivered to every residential address in the parish shortly. There would also be an opportunity for the community to provide comments on the Mill Road Site and become a member of the CLT. Once more members had been enlisted the CLT would host its first public meeting to confirm and vote on the CLT’s objectives, the composition of the board make-up, and the policies it would adopt.

 

The CLT was examining a range of possible sites which could deliver affordable housing to meet the local need, one of which was the land to the rear of 30 to 56, Mill Road. Usually, at this point in the CLT process the groups would be having closed discussions with private landowners prior to public consultation. However, as CDC was the land owner, it had to publish its intentions. This site had been retained by CDC following the large scale voluntary transfer in 2001, as it was thought to have long term potential for market development. In 2015 WPC was keen to work with CDC to promote part of the land for housing development in its emerging NDP, on the basis that the remainder of the site would have been protected in the longer term for recreational use.  Unfortunately, this was not carried forward to the adopted version of the NDP because an alternative site (not favoured by WPC) was granted planning permission on appeal and fulfilled the housing allocation required for the village. As such, the site was outside the settlement boundary and so there was no current potential for a private sector housing development.

 

The CLT had requested CDC to dispose of the land to it, subject to the CLT securing planning permission for an affordable housing exceptions site. Any such scheme would be subject to all the relevant policies in the adopted Chichester Local Plan, including those relating to exception sites and open spaces. The CLT  ...  view the full minutes text for item 638.

639.

Recording of Committee Meetings pdf icon PDF 58 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and make the following resolution:

 

That the ongoing audio recording and publishing of the Council, the Cabinet, the Planning Committee, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee meetings online be approved.

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That the ongoing audio recording and publishing of the Council, the Cabinet, the Planning Committee, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee meetings online be approved.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report.

 

This item was presented by Mr P Wilding (Cabinet Member for Corporate Services).

 

Mr N Bennett (Monitoring Officer and Divisional Manager Democratic Services) was in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Wilding summarised the background to and basis for audio recordings of proceedings at certain CDC meetings, which had been approved in September 2015 as a trial project and extended in May 2017. Some technical problems had been overcome and Mr Bennett now had confidence in the system, which afforded simple access by the public, enabled a live broadcast in the case of high-significance matters such as certain major planning applications, produced some savings in officer time in preparing minutes, and could facilitate the investigation of complaints about alleged conduct and statements made in meetings. The annual cost of the system was £3,900. The options of no longer recording meetings or looking at another system (including audio-visual models) had been considered. Although not perfect, the system was now reliable and by some margin the most cost effective available to CDC.

 

Mr Bennett did not add to Mr Wilding’s introduction.

 

In reply to questions by Mr R Barrow (Cabinet Member for Residents Services), Mr Bennett gave details of the estimated monthly access to the audio recordings by website users and said that advice was taken on how to increase public awareness of the facility.

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously to make the resolution set out below.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the ongoing audio recording and publishing of the Council, the Cabinet, the Planning Committee, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee meetings online be approved.

 

 

 

640.

Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure Support pdf icon PDF 65 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and to make the following resolutions:

 

(1)  That, subject to continued partner funding, it be agreed that Chichester District Council participates in a funding partnership with West Sussex County Council, Clinical Commissioning Groups and other West Sussex district and borough councils to agree joint funding principles of West Sussex Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure Support services. 

 

(2)  That (a) authority be delegated to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Services, to agree a service specification and signing of a three-year funding agreement and (b) the annual monitoring of performance be delegated to the Grants and Concessions Panel.

 

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That, subject to continued partner funding, it be agreed that Chichester District Council participates in a funding partnership with West Sussex County Council, Clinical Commissioning Groups and other West Sussex district and borough councils to agree joint funding principles of West Sussex Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure Support services. 

 

(2)  That (a) authority be delegated to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Services, to agree a service specification and signing of a three-year funding agreement and (b) the annual monitoring of performance be delegated to the Grants and Concessions Panel.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report.

 

This item was presented by Mrs E Lintill (Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Community Services).

 

Mr D Hyland (Community Engagement Manager) and Miss C Williams (Community Liaison Officer) were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Lintill summarised the report with particular reference to sections 3, 4, 5 and 8. She concluded by saying that she personally attended the AGM of Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester (VAAC) and it was obvious to her that VAAC assisted many voluntary organisations and provided vital support for new and established volunteers.

 

Mr Hyland and Miss Williams did not add to Mrs Lintill’s introduction.

 

The Cabinet proceeded immediately to make the following decision.

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously to make the resolution set out below.

 

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That, subject to continued partner funding, it be agreed that Chichester District Council participates in a funding partnership with West Sussex County Council, Clinical Commissioning Groups and other West Sussex district and borough councils to agree joint funding principles of West Sussex Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure Support services. 

 

(2)  That (a) authority be delegated to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Services, to agree a service specification and signing of a three-year funding agreement and (b) the annual monitoring of performance be delegated to the Grants and Concessions Panel.

 

 

641.

Late Items

(a)  Items added to the agenda papers and made available for public inspection

 

(b)  Items which the chairman has agreed should be taken as matters of urgency by reason of special circumstances to be reported at the meeting

Decision:

[NONE]

 

 

Minutes:

As stated during agenda item 1 (minute 629) there were no late items for consideration at this meeting.

 

 

 

642.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The Cabinet is asked in respect of agenda items 15 (St James Industrial Estate) and 16 (Staffing Matters) to make a resolution that the public including the press should be excluded from the meeting on the following grounds of exemption in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 namely (a) in the case of agenda item 15 Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) and (b) in the case of agenda item 16 Paragraph 1 (information relating to any individual) and because, in all the circumstances of the case in (a) and (b), the public interest in maintaining the exemption of that information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That in accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (the Act) the public and the press should be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of agenda items 15 (St James Industrial Estate Chichester) and 16 (Staffing Matters) for the reason that it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted that there would be disclosure to the public of ‘exempt information’ being information of the nature described in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act namely:

 

(a)  in the case of agenda item 15, Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information))

 

          and

 

(b)  in the case of agenda item 16, Paragraph 1 (information relating to any individual)

 

and because in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

 

Minutes:

In order to consider the confidential exempt matters at agenda items 15 (St James Industrial Estate Chichester) and 16 (Staffing Matters), Mr A Dignum (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Growth and Place) first read out the resolution set out below, which was then duly proposed and seconded.

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously to make the resolution set out below.

 

RESOLVED

 

That in accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (the Act) the public and the press should be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of agenda items 15 (St James Industrial Estate Chichester) and 16 (Staffing Matters) for the reason that it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted that there would be disclosure to the public of ‘exempt information’ being information of the nature described in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act namely:

 

(a)  in the case of agenda item 15, Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information))

 

          and

 

(b)  in the case of agenda item 16, Paragraph 1 (information relating to any individual)

 

and because in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

[Note Immediately after the making of this resolution there was a short adjournment between 11:10 and 11:17]

 

643.

St James Industrial Estate Chichester

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its two appendices in the agenda supplement, which are confidential exempt* material with a restricted circulation to Chichester District Council members and relevant officers only (printed on salmon-coloured paper), and to make the following resolutions and the recommendation to the Council:

 

A – RESOLUTIONS BY THE CABINET

 

(1)  That the PID for the part refurbishment and part replacement of units at St James Industrial Estate be approved.

 

(2)  That the fact that the site is no longer reserved to accommodate relocation needs relating to the Southern Gateway project as indicated in section 4.8 of the agenda report be noted.

 

B – RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the allocation of £5,225,000 of New Homes Bonus Reserves for this project, inclusive of temporary loss of revenue as referred to in section 8.4 of the agenda report, be approved.

 

*[Note The ground for excluding the public and press during this item is that it is likely that there would be a disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ of the description specified in Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972]

 

Decision:

RESOLVED BY THE CABINET

 

(1)  That the PID for the part refurbishment and part replacement of units at St James Industrial Estate be approved.

 

(2)  That (a) the fact that the site is no longer reserved to accommodate relocation needs relating to the Southern Gateway project as indicated in section 4.8 of the agenda report be noted and (b) resolution (5) made by the Cabinet on 2 October 2018 in minute 592 be therefore rescinded.

 

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the allocation of £5,225,000 of New Homes Bonus Reserves for this project, inclusive of temporary loss of revenue as referred to in section 8.4 of the agenda report, be approved.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the confidential exempt agenda report and its two appendices in the main agenda supplement, which had been circulated to members and officers only.

 

The report was presented by Mr A Dignum (Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Growth and Place).

 

Mr P Legood (Valuation and Estates Manager) and Mr A Gregory (Project Manager) were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Dignum summarised the salient aspects of the report.

 

Mr Legood confirmed the figure in para 3.2 of the report and advised that in the final line of para 6.1 ‘18.18’ should be substituted for ‘17’. 

 

Mr Legood answered members’ questions on points of detail.

 

Members of the Cabinet expressed their full support for the project initiation document (PID) scheme.

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously to make the resolutions and the recommendation set out below.

 

RESOLVED BY THE CABINET

 

(1)  That the PID for the part refurbishment and part replacement of units at St James Industrial Estate be approved.

 

(2)  That (a) the fact that the site is no longer reserved to accommodate relocation needs relating to the Southern Gateway project as indicated in section 4.8 of the agenda report be noted and (b) resolution (5) made by the Cabinet on 2 October 2018 in minute 592 be therefore rescinded.

 

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the allocation of £5,225,000 of New Homes Bonus Reserves for this project, inclusive of temporary loss of revenue as referred to in section 8.4 of the agenda report, be approved.

 

 

 

644.

Staffing Matters

The Cabinet is requested to consider in the second agenda supplement the agenda report and its two appendices, which are strictly confidential exempt* material with a restricted circulation to Chichester District Council members and a very limited number of officers only (printed on salmon-coloured paper), and to make the recommendations to the Council set out in section 3 of the agenda report.

 

*[Note The ground for excluding the public and press during this item is that it is likely that there would be a disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ of the description specified in Paragraph 1 (information relating to any individual)  of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972]

 

Decision:

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the recommendations set out in the paras 3.1 to 3.5 inclusive of the confidential exempt agenda report be approved.

 

Minutes:

[Note Immediately prior to the commencement of this item all CDC officers present withdrew from the room for its duration (and indeed the remainder of the meeting) save for the Chief Executive, the two advisory officers named below and the Legal and Democratic Services Officer, as intimated in para (2) in minute 631 above]

 

The Cabinet received and considered the confidential exempt agenda report and its two appendices, all of which were contained in the second agenda supplement and had been circulated to members and a very limited number of officers only.

 

The report was presented by Mrs D Shepherd (Chief Executive).

 

Mr N Bennett (Monitoring Officer and Divisional Manager Democratic Services) and Mrs H Belenger (Divisional Manager Financial Services) were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Shepherd provided a comprehensive summary of the agenda papers.

 

Mr Bennett and Mrs Belenger did not add to Mrs Shepherd’s introduction.

 

Mrs Shepherd answered members’ questions on points of detail.

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously to make the recommendations in the report stated below.

 

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the recommendations set out in the paras 3.1 to 3.5 inclusive of the confidential exempt agenda report be approved.

 

 

 

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