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

Note: Please note due to technical problems there is no audio recording of this meeting. 

Items
No. Item

614.

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 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.

 

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 to make but he intimated that at the end of agenda item 5 (Financial Strategy and Plan 2019-2020) details would be given of some notable recent awards made to CDC (minute 618 below refers). 

 

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

 

[Note Minute paras 615 to 628 below summarise the Cabinet’s discussion of and decision on agenda items 2 to 15 inclusive but on this occasion there is for technical reasons no audio recording of the meeting]

 

 

 

 

615.

Approval of Minutes pdf icon PDF 141 KB

The Cabinet is requested to approve as a correct record the minutes of (a) its ordinary meeting on Tuesday 6 November 2018 and (b) its special meeting on Wednesday 14 November 2018, a copy of each of which is circulated with this agenda.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of (a) the Cabinet’s ordinary meeting on Tuesday 6 November 2018 and (b) the Cabinet’s special meeting on Wednesday 14 November 2018 be approved without amendment.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received the minutes of (a) its ordinary meeting on Tuesday 6 November 2018 and (b) its special meeting on Wednesday 14 November 2018.

 

A copy of each set of minutes had been circulated with the agenda but subsequent to publication minor clarifications to the text of each set of minutes had been made and it was those versions of the minutes (which are available to view online) which were approved by the Cabinet.

 

There were no changes to the minutes proposed at the meeting.

 

Decision

 

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

 

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of (a) the Cabinet’s ordinary meeting on Tuesday 6 November 2018 and (b) the Cabinet’s special meeting on Wednesday 14 November 2018 be approved without amendment.

 

 

 

616.

Declarations of Interests

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

 

Decision:

[NONE]

 

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interests made at this meeting.

 

 

 

617.

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:

[NO PUBLIC QUESTIONS WERE SUBMITTED FOR THIS MEETING]

 

 

Minutes:

There were no public questions submitted for this meeting.

 

 

 

618.

Financial Strategy and Plan 2019-2020 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 recommendations to the Council:

 

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

(1)  That the key financial principles and actions of the five year Financial Strategy set out in appendix 1 to the agenda report be approved.

 

(2)  That the current five year Financial Model detailed in appendix 2 to the agenda report be noted.

 

(3)  That, having considered the recommendations from the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee, the Minimum Level of the General Fund Reserves be set at £6.3 m.

 

(4)  That the Director of Corporate Services be given delegated authority, following consultation with the Cabinet member for Corporate Services, to accept the Government’s offer to participate in the 75% localisation business rate pilot for 2019-2020, if the West Sussex Councils’ bid is successful, or if not, to revert back to the Coastal West Sussex existing pooling arrangement for the coming financial year.

 

(5)  That the current resources position as set out in appendix 3 to the agenda report be noted.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

(1)  That the key financial principles and actions of the five year Financial Strategy set out in appendix 1 to the agenda report be approved.

 

(2)  That the current five year Financial Model detailed in appendix 2 to the agenda report be noted.

 

(3)  That, having considered the recommendations from the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee, the Minimum Level of the General Fund Reserves be set at £6.3 m.

 

(4)  That the Director of Corporate Services be given delegated authority, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, to accept the government’s offer to participate in the 75% localisation business rate pilot for 2019-2020, if the West Sussex councils’ bid is successful, or if not, to revert back to the Coastal West Sussex existing pooling arrangement for the coming financial year.

 

(5)  That the current resources position as set out in appendix 3 to the agenda report be noted.

 

 

Minutes:

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

 

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

 

Mrs H Belenger (Divisional Manager Financial Services) was in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Wilding explained that the report updated the Financial Strategy and Plan for 2019-2020 and created the framework within which the council tax base was set (agenda item 8) as well as setting the scene for approval of the budget in early 2019. The backdrop to the strategy was one of increasing political uncertainty and reducing central government funding for local government. CDC was in the fourth and final year of its agreed settlement with central government, so there was certainty over its government funding stream in 2019-2020. Retained business rates would continue to provide an increased proportion of CDC’s funding. However, much of its other income, for example car parks and planning fees, was dependent on the state of the wider economy and so was much less predictable.

 

He drew attention to the following:

 

(1)  CDC’s key priorities set out in appendix 1, one of which was to manage CDC’s finances prudently and effectively. The Finance Strategy was linked to this specific corporate priority, as were also the key financial principles which underpinned CDC’s financial planning approach listed in annex A.

 

(2)  The updated five-year financial model in appendix 2, which reflected the consolidated budget from the service areas, central government funding and the most up-to-date estimates for wider CDC activities including the commercial boards, and other planned savings.

 

(3)  The risks and opportunities estimates in section 4 of appendix 1. The key assumptions were:

 

(a)  An assumed £5 increase in council tax (for a band D property) for each year in the five-year financial model (equivalent to approximately 3% increase per annum). The Council would make the decision in March 2019 as to the council tax level for 2019-2020 following the local government settlement.

 

(b)  Recent quarterly revenue monitoring had identified some deterioration in car park and planning income and in recognition of this an adjustment of £300,000 had been built into the model for each year of the five-year period.

 

(c)  A number of costs during the past year which could not be met from the Asset Replacement Programme and so were financed from reserves.  An extra provision of £200,000 for asset replacement had therefore been included in the model for each year over the five-year period. A detailed review was underway and the precise amount required would be built into the annual budget.

 

(d)  The provisional finance settlement for 2019-2020 and the outcome of the bids for participating in the pilot 75% Business Rates Retention Scheme for 2019-2020 were expected to be announced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 6 December 2018. CDC was assuming no further reduction in overall local government funding but a shift to upper-tier councils (West Sussex County Council (WSCC)) to meet social care costs.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 618.

619.

Increasing the Provision of the Council's Temporary Accommodation at Freeland Close Chichester pdf icon PDF 70 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its appendix in the agenda supplement and to make the resolutions and also the recommendation to the Council which are set out below:

 

A – RESOLUTIONS BY THE CABINET

 

(1)  That the Project Initiation Document (PID) and timescales set out in the appendix to the agenda report be approved.

 

(2)  That the preferred option, option 3 set out in section 8 of the PID, be progressed to detailed design stage and a planning application being submitted and, following planning approval, the scheme design be finalised ready for invitation of tenders. 

 

(3)  That the Director of Housing and Communities be authorised to conduct the procurement, invite tenders and take all steps up to, but not including, award of contract.

 

(4)  That the contactor bids be presented to the Cabinet following the receipt and analysis of tenders for award of contract.

 

B – RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the allocation of £102,000 from the Housing Investment Reserve be approved to enable the scheme design to be finalised and submitted for planning approval.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the Project Initiation Document (PID) and timescales set out in the appendix to the agenda report be approved.

 

(2)  That the preferred option, option 3 set out in section 8 of the PID, be progressed to detailed design stage and a planning application being submitted and, following planning approval, the scheme design be finalised ready for invitation of tenders. 

 

(3)  That the Director of Housing and Communities be authorised to conduct the procurement, invite tenders and take all steps up to, but not including, award of contract.

 

(4)  That the contactor bids be presented to the Cabinet following the receipt and analysis of tenders for award of contract.

 

RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

 

That the allocation of £102,000 from the Housing Investment Reserve be approved to enable the scheme design to be finalised and submitted for planning approval.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its appendix, the Project Initiation Document (PID), in the main agenda supplement.

 

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

 

Miss H Nicol (Housing Delivery Manager) and Mrs L Grange (Divisional Manager Housing) were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Kilby said that during the preceding six months there had been an increase of more than 13% in the number of people who were homeless contacting CDC, which included many families. The existing emergency accommodation had been operating at full capacity for the past year and there had been problems trying to find suitable accommodation for larger families, with the consequent unfortunate result that it had been necessary to resort to bed and breakfast accommodation, often outside Chichester District. This was far from ideal for those involved, especially for families with young children. In December 2017 CDC had purchased a property adjacent to its existing temporary accommodation, since when it had been bought back into use to provide four one-bedroom flats as temporary accommodation while a full options appraisal to evaluate the most effective use of the property was undertaken. A budget of £15,000 had been approved for the full options appraisal and also a further £10,000 to progress the preferred option to the planning application stage. Since the Cabinet’s approval of the initial PID in February 2017, it had become apparent that there were greater development opportunities on the site than originally anticipated. Following a full options appraisal it was proposed to demolish and rebuild the existing building and to provide a flexible property asset which could provide up to 21 units of additional short-term accommodation for homeless families and single vulnerable people. As a result, consultancy costs to bring a scheme to planning permission had risen to reflect the size and scope of the development: now £40,000 rather than the original estimate of £10,000. The cost to finalise the design after a grant of planning permission was estimated at £72,000. Accordingly it was proposed that the Council should be asked to approve the allocation of £102,000 from the Housing Investment Reserve, which would enable the scheme design to be fully developed to conduct the procurement and take all steps including seeking tenders up to the award of contract stage. Contractors’ bids would be presented to the Cabinet following their receipt and analysis for an award of contract to be agreed. At that stage approval would be sought from the Council for funds to cover the costs of the redevelopment. The preferred option set out in the PID would give CDC an opportunity to provide many more units of flexible temporary accommodation, making it easier to house larger families. This project would make a real long-term difference to homeless families in Chichester District.

 

Miss Nicol and Mrs Grange did not add to Mrs Kilby’s presentation. 

 

Members expressed their full support for this initiative to alleviate homelessness, including the provision of flexible units for families of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 619.

620.

Chichester Enterprise Centre pdf icon PDF 69 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 Post Project Evaluation (PPE) report in appendix one to the agenda report for the Chichester Enterprise Centre development be approved.   

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That the Post Project Evaluation (PPE) report in appendix one to the agenda report for the Chichester Enterprise Centre development be approved. 

 

 

Minutes:

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

 

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

 

Mr A Gregory (Project Manager Estates) and Mrs J Hotchkiss (Director of Growth and Place) were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Dignum said that the report via the appended post project evaluation reviewed how the Chichester Enterprise Centre (CEC) project had performed against the project initiation document. A brownfield site had now become one brought into active economic use to assist fledgling businesses and was an important revenue source for CDC. Despite challenging issues in construction, a significant underspend in construction costs was achieved (para 4.3 of the report). Of the CEC’s 82 available units, 36 (44%) were currently occupied and nine were in use as workshops. The CEC’s performance to date was very encouraging.

 

Mrs Hotchkiss commented that as a result of the £234,000 underspend of the capital budget the originally envisaged return on investment of 4.9% was now 5.15%.

 

Decision

 

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

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Post Project Evaluation (PPE) report in appendix one to the agenda report for the Chichester Enterprise Centre development be approved. 

 

 

 

621.

Determination of the Council Tax Base for 2019-2020 pdf icon PDF 61 KB

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

 

In order to comply with section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, that the following resolutions are made:

(1)  No item of expenditure shall be treated as ‘special expenses’ for the purposes of section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

 

(2)  This resolution shall remain in force for the 2019-2020 financial year.

 

(3)  The calculation of the Council’s taxbase for the year 2019-2020 be approved.

 

(4)  The amounts calculated by the Council as its council taxbase for the year 2019-2020 for its area and each part of its area shall be those set out in appendices 1 and 2 to the agenda report.

 

(5)  In order to offset some or all of the costs of Council Tax Reduction to local precepting authorities (parish councils), a grant be distributed as outlined in appendix 3 to and described in para 6.3 of the agenda report.

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That in order to comply with section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 the following resolutions be made:

(1)  No item of expenditure shall be treated as ‘special expenses’ for the purposes of section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

 

(2)  The resolution in (1)shall remain in force for the 2019-2020 financial year.

 

(3)  The calculation of Chichester District Council’s tax-base for the year 2019-2020 be approved.

 

(4)  The amounts calculated by Chichester District Council as its council tax-base for the year 2019-2020 for its area and each part of its area shall be those set out in appendices 1 and 2 to the agenda report.

 

(5)  In order to offset some or all of the costs of council tax reduction to local precepting authorities (parish councils), a grant be distributed as outlined in appendix 3 to and described in para 6.3 of the agenda report.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its three appendices.

 

This item was presented by Mr R Barrow (Cabinet Member for Residents Services).

 

Mr P Jobson (Revenue Operations Manager) was in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Barrow introduced the report by summarising the nature and purpose of, and the process (section 6 of the report) for, setting the tax-base for 2019-2020. He made particular reference to the parish grant allocation position (para 6.3 of the report).

 

Mr Jobson commented that the tax-base calculation for 2019-2020 had proved to be slightly more complex because some developers had found it more difficult to say when their developments would be completed and this was reflected in the calculation. 

 

Decision

 

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

 

RESOLVED

 

That in order to comply with section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 the following resolutions be made:

(1)  No item of expenditure shall be treated as ‘special expenses’ for the purposes of section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

 

(2)  The resolution in (1)shall remain in force for the 2019-2020 financial year.

 

(3)  The calculation of Chichester District Council’s tax-base for the year 2019-2020 be approved.

 

(4)  The amounts calculated by Chichester District Council as its council tax-base for the year 2019-2020 for its area and each part of its area shall be those set out in appendices 1 and 2 to the agenda report.

 

(5)  In order to offset some or all of the costs of council tax reduction to local precepting authorities (parish councils), a grant be distributed as outlined in appendix 3 to and described in para 6.3 of the agenda report.

 

 

 

622.

Selsey Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 pdf icon PDF 62 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its appendix in the agenda supplement and to make the following resolutions:

 

(1)  That the Decision Statement as set out in the appendix to the agenda report be published.

 

(2)  That the examiner’s recommendation that the Neighbourhood Development Plan proceed to referendum, subject to modifications as set out in the Decision Statement, be approved.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That subject to the completion of a satisfactory Strategic Environment Assessment or legal advice that states that this is not required:

 

(1)  The Decision Statement as set out in the appendix to the agenda report be published.

 

(2)  The examiner’s recommendation that the Neighbourhood Development Plan proceed to referendum, subject to modifications as set out in the Decision Statement, be approved.

 

Minutes:

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

 

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

 

Mr M Allgrove (Planning Policy Manager) was in attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Taylor summarised the examination process and outcome. She advised that since the end of the examination and the release of the decision statement officers had needed to seek advice on technical legal points which had arisen.

 

Mr Allgrove advised that the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the Sweetman case (People Over Wind, Peter Sweetman v Coillte Teoranta [2018] ECR 1-244) with regard to the Habitats Directive assessment had given rise to a complex, technical legal point for which there was no case law precedent and which had implications for the need for a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of neighbourhood development plans (NDP). Previously the need for an SEA of the Selsey NDP had been screened out. Initial legal advice received by officers was that as a result of the Sweetman decision the need for an SEA now appeared to have been triggered. In order to avoid any potential legal challenges to making the Selsey NDP it was proposed that the publication of the decision statement and the ensuing referendum should be delayed pending a definitive legal opinion that an SEA was not required or, if it was, an SEA had been undertaken. Accordingly the recommendation in paras 2.1 and 2.2 of the report had been amended by the introduction of a preamble as follows:

 

‘That subject to the completion of a satisfactory Strategic Environment Assessment or legal advice that states that this is not required:

 

(1)  The Decision Statement as set out in the appendix to the agenda report be published.

 

(2)  The examiner’s recommendation that the Neighbourhood Development Plan proceed to referendum, subject to modifications as set out in the Decision Statement, be approved.’

 

Mr Allgrove responded to questions on points of detail from respectively Mrs E Lintill (Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Community Services) and Mr R Barrow (Cabinet Member for Residents Services) as follows:

 

·       It was not immediately apparent why the impact of the Sweetman judgment on the need for an SEA had not been raised by the examiner and officers would be contacting him to explain the decision to defer publication of the decision statement and a referendum until definitive legal advice had been received.

 

·       The chairman of Selsey Town Council (STC) had been briefed by Mr Allgrove at a meeting the previous evening on the position. STC had also indicated that it did not wish to review its NDP to allocate further land, the need for which was identified in the Local Plan Review.  

 

 

 

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously to make the resolution set out below as amended on the advice of Mr Allgrove.    

 

RESOLVED

 

That subject to the completion of a satisfactory Strategic Environment Assessment or legal advice that states that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 622.

623.

Air Quality Modelling for Chichester District pdf icon PDF 67 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its confidential exempt* appendix which has a restricted circulation to Chichester District Council members and relevant officers only (printed on salmon-coloured paper) and to make the following resolutions:  

 

(1)  That the appointment of a consultant to carry out air quality modelling pursuant to the Council’s statutory Local Air Quality Management duties under the Environment Act 1995 be approved.

 

(2)  That a budget of £13,280 from reserves to fund the air quality modelling work 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]

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the appointment of consultant B to carry out air quality modelling pursuant to Chichester District Council’s statutory Local Air Quality Management duties under the Environment Act 1995 be approved.

 

(2)  That a budget of £13,280 from reserves to fund the air quality modelling work be approved.

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and (for members and officers only) its confidential exempt appendix.

 

This item was presented by Mr J Connor (Cabinet Member for Environment Services).

 

Mr S Ballard (Environmental Protection Manager) was in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Connor made the following points in favour of the recommendation in paras 2.1 and 2.2:

 

·       In common with all other district, borough, and unitary authorities, CDC had a specific duty regarding air quality, namely Local Air Quality Management.

 

·       CDC had already declared three Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) ie areas which did not comply with the UK’s health based air quality objectives for nitrogen dioxide. The local emissions which contributed to these AQMAs were vehicle emission related.

 

·       Air quality monitoring at Rumbolds Hill in Midhurst showed robust evidence for the need to declare an AQMA at that site. Monitoring in the Hornet in Chichester indicated that a further AQMA might be required.

 

·       CDC’s monitoring data was specific to the monitoring locations but air quality modelling was needed to understand the wider pollutant concentrations in the vicinity.

 

·       Complex computer software was used to produce pollution contours ie in this case nitrogen dioxide, which helped to identify the precise area in which air quality did not comply with statutory standards, enabling CDC to set the shape and boundaries of the AQMA.

 

·       Having declared an AQMA CDC was required to adopt an Air Quality Action Plan detailing its approach to tackling air pollution. The current AQAP was due to be rewritten and re-adopted in 2019.

 

·       Air quality modelling also helped to establish the percentage pollution contribution from the different types of vehicles, which would help CDC to draw up the revised AQAP.

 

Mr Ballard did not add to Mr Connor’s presentation.

 

Mr Ballard responded to questions on points of detail from respectively Mrs E Lintill (Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Community Services), Mr R Barrow (Cabinet Member for Residents Services) and Mr A Dignum (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Growth and Place) as follows:

 

·       Only one of the three anticipated tenderers in fact submitted a bid, contractor B. Contractors A and C had intimated their interest in providing bids but in the event chose not do so; in the case of contactor A, the reason given related to its decision to direct its resources to a national clean air project.

 

·       Notwithstanding that (a) data had been acquired from the monitoring which had been undertaken for some time at Rumbolds Hill in Midhurst and The Hornet in Chichester and (b) air quality modelling using the services of a consultant was not mandatory, nonetheless the statutory guidance laid down that it was best practice for the boundaries of AQMAs to be defined by local authorities using a combination of monitoring and modelling data (para 6.1 of the report). This was the approach other councils followed in order to be best informed. Whereas the monitoring data at Rumbolds Hill was irrefutable, modelling would enable CDC  ...  view the full minutes text for item 623.

624.

Custom and Self-Build Register New Burdens Grant pdf icon PDF 68 KB

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

 

That delegated authority be given to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to spend the Custom and Self Build New Burdens Grant set out in para 3.1 of the agenda report.

 

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That delegated authority be given to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Services, to spend the Custom and Self-Build New Burdens Grant set out in para 3.1 of the agenda report.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report.

 

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

 

Mrs L Grange (Divisional Manager Housing) was in attendance for this matter.

 

Mrs Kilby made the following points in presenting the report:

 

·       New Burdens funding totalling £95,850 would have been received from the government by 2020 to cover the costs of additional resources required to set up and maintain a custom and self-build register and to ensure sufficient permissioned and serviced land was made available to satisfy demand.

 

·       The Housing Delivery team set up the register two years ago and in 2018 a two-part register was introduced: part 1 was restricted to those with a local connection and those in part 2 did not count towards the assessment of local demand.

 

·       The demand for custom and self-build needed to be carefully monitored and policy developed to ensure that CDC met its statutory duties.

 

·       There were a number of pressures being faced by the Housing Service for which resources were required: the introduction of the Homeless Reduction Act 2018; the implementation of a new IT system; the extension of the Disabled Facilities Grant scheme; the potential development of Freeland Close (agenda item 6); research and policy work associated with a new Housing Strategy, a full review of the Allocations Scheme and alternative means of delivering affordable homes; preparing responses to the many government consultations; and preparing bids for funding from government.

 

·       It was proposed, therefore, that the new burdens grant should be used to provide additional staffing resources to deal with this extra work.

 

Decision

 

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

 

RESOLVED

 

That delegated authority be given to the Director of Housing and Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Services, to spend the Custom and Self-Build New Burdens Grant set out in para 3.1 of the agenda report.

 

 

625.

Litter and Fly Tip Action Plan pdf icon PDF 76 KB

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

 

(1)  That the revised Litter and Fly Tip Action Plan attached as appendix 1 to the agenda report be approved.

 

(2)  That expenditure of £13,300 funded from reserves be approved to enable the appointment of one part time Project Officer for one year to undertake communication initiatives relating to fly tipping and litter.

 

(3)  That expenditure of £7,500 funded from reserves be approved to provide resources to support publicity campaigns related to fly tipping and litter. 

 

(4)  That £10,000 from reserves be approved to enable litter enforcement in low littering areas.

 

(5)  That the entering into an agreement with East Hampshire District Council on the basis of ‘Scenario 3’ as set out in appendix 2 to the agenda report be approved to provide litter enforcement for a period of three years, with the detail of the scheme delegated to the Director of Planning and the Environment and the Cabinet Member for Environment Services to finalise.

 

(6)  That the intention of the Chief Executive be noted to report to the Council her use of Article 10.02 constitutional delegation to discharge the enforcement functions detailed in paragraph 6.2 of the agenda report to East Hampshire District Council under powers granted to the authority under section 101 of the Local Government Act 1997.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the revised Litter and Fly Tip Action Plan attached as appendix 1 to the agenda report, as amended by the revisions in the third agenda supplement to the figures in appendix 2, be approved.

 

(2)  That expenditure of £13,300 funded from reserves be approved to enable the appointment of one part time Project Officer for one year to undertake communication initiatives relating to fly tipping and litter.

 

(3)  That expenditure of £7,500 funded from reserves be approved to provide resources to support publicity campaigns related to fly tipping and litter. 

 

(4)  That £10,000 from reserves be approved to enable litter enforcement in low littering areas.

 

(5)  That the entering into an agreement with East Hampshire District Council on the basis of ‘Scenario 3’ as set out in appendix 2 to the agenda report, as amended by the revised figures in the third agenda supplement, be approved to provide litter enforcement for a period of three years, with the detail of the scheme delegated to the Director of Planning and the Environment and the Cabinet Member for Environment Services to finalise.

 

(6)  That the intention of the Chief Executive be noted to report to the Council her use of Article 10.02 constitutional delegation to discharge the enforcement functions detailed in paragraph 6.2 of the agenda report to East Hampshire District Council under powers granted to the authority under section 101 of the Local Government Act 1997.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report, its two appendices in the main agenda supplement and the amendments to appendix 2 reported in the third agenda supplement.

 

This item was presented by Mr J Connor (Cabinet Member for Environment Services) and Mr R Barrow (Cabinet Member for Residents Services).

 

Mrs A Stevens (Divisional Manager Environmental Protection) was in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Connor made the following points:

 

·       In response to the increasing cost to Chichester Contract Services of clearing litter and fly tips, the Cabinet approved CDC’s Litter Strategy action Plan in September 2017.

 

·       The delivery of the Action Plan was on target, with some very successful initiatives to date. The report outlined proposals for outstanding projects. The main outcome of the strategy continued to be making litter and fly-tipping socially unacceptable in Chichester District.

 

·       This was a corporate project, driven by three departments: Environmental Protection, Chichester Contract Services and Public Relations (PR). The strategy had three themes: cleaning up Chichester District, better enforcement against offenders and sending a clear message that CDC was doing so.

 

·       As year one was ending, the work had been very well received. The reputational value of the work to CDC was high. The public not only expected CDC to do this work but it placed great value on CDC having been so pro-active in this respect.

 

·       Throughout the first year various PR campaigns were regrouped and delivered under the new brand ‘Against Litter’, which theme ran through various campaigns, the main ones being: litter enforcement; ‘adopt an area’ (158 areas had been adopted by local communities); and the ‘Green Dog Walker’ scheme (300 plus had signed up).

 

·       Enforcement action had been taken against fly-tippers and those who dropped litter and CDC continued to use these successes in publicity messages.

 

·       The litter enforcement trial undertaken with East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) could be regarded as a success, as it had covered its costs and reduced the level of litter in the city centre.

 

·       The second year would continue to focus on achieving behavioural change leading to fewer incidents of fly-tipping and littering, the two main areas of significant cost to CDC.

 

·       A key part of the project was the continuation of litter enforcement. The report proposed continuing to work with EHDC for three years on the basis of two officers patrolling on three days of the week but allowing some flexibility in the number of patrols should littering drop significantly.

 

·       It was also proposed to show a presence in areas where there was little litter by purchasing additional patrols on occasion as a precautionary measure at a cost of £10,000 over the three years, as shown in para 3.4 of the report, although that sum could possibly be reduced by income from penalty charges if any were incurred in those areas.

 

·       The other key area was ensuring that the public and businesses received the right messages and it was proposed to put a new campaign together to tackle fly-tipping and litter on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 625.

626.

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 614) there were no late items for consideration at this meeting.

 

 

 

627.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The Cabinet is asked in respect of agenda item 15 (Transfer of Service) 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 Paragraphs 1 (information relating to any individual) and 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) and because, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption of that information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

If the Cabinet wishes to discuss the exempt appendix to agenda item 10 (Air Quality Modelling for Chichester District), it will need first of all to pass a resolution to exclude the press and the public from the meeting on the following ground of exemption in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 namely Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) and because, in all the circumstances of the case, 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 be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of agenda item 15 (Development of Land at Barnfield Drive ) 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 Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act 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 matter at agenda item 15 (Development of Land at Barnfield Drive Chichester), 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 be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of agenda item 15 (Development of Land at Barnfield Drive ) 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 Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and because in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

 

 

628.

Development of Land at Barnfield Chichester

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report, which is 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 resolution:

 

That it be noted that no action is to be taken in respect of the delegated powers granted at the Cabinet’s meeting on 2 October 2018.

 

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That it be noted that no action is to be taken in respect of the delegated powers granted at the Cabinet’s meeting on 2 October 2018.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the confidential exempt agenda report circulated to members and officers only.

 

The report was introduced by Mr A Dignum (Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Growth and Place) and Mr P Legood (Valuation and Estates Manager).

 

Mrs J Kilby (Cabinet Member for Housing Services) welcomed the positive outcome.

 

Mr P Over (Executive Director and Deputy Chief Executive) responded to a comment by Mr S Oakley (Tangmere), who was present as an observer and had with Mr Dignum’s consent briefly addressed the Cabinet on a point of detail.

 

Decision

 

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

 

RESOLVED

 

That it be noted that no action is to be taken in respect of the delegated powers granted at the Cabinet’s meeting on 2 October 2018.

 

 

 

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