Agenda, decisions and minutes

The chairman will make any specific announcements for this meeting and advise of any late items which due to special circumstances will be given urgent consideration under agenda item 12 (a) or (b).

Apologies for absence will be taken at this point.

[DETAILS IN THE MINUTES]

Mr Dignum welcomed the members of the public, the press representative and Chichester District Council (CDC) members and officers who were present for this meeting.

He referred to the dreadful fire at the Grenfell Tower in North Kensington London on Wednesday 14 June 2017.  He announced that the Chief Executive, Diane Shepherd, would be making a statement at the start of the special meeting of the Council later in the day to explain what response CDC would be making locally within Chichester as a result of this terrible tragedy. A national one-minute silence would be observed at 11:00 today and if in still in session at that time this meeting would pause for that purpose.

He congratulated Mrs Keegan on becoming the MP for the Chichester constituency in the general election held on Thursday 8 June 2017. In consequence of her election she had stepped down as a Cabinet member on Saturday 10 June 2017.

He welcomed the following new members to the Cabinet: Mr Connor (Environment Services), Mrs Kilby (Housing Services) and Mr Wilding (Business Improvement Services).

He expressed his gratitude to Mrs Keegan and also to Mrs Plant and Mrs Purnell for their service while Cabinet members. Mrs Plant and Mrs Purnell had left the Cabinet, in the case of Mrs Purnell by virtue of her election as a member of West Sussex County Council.    

There were no late items for consideration under agenda item 12. 

There was one apology for absence from Mr Barrow.

All other members of the Cabinet were present.

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

The Cabinet is requested to approve as a correct record the minutes of its meeting on Tuesday 9 May 2017.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the Cabinet’s meeting on Tuesday 9 May 2017 be approved without amendment.

The Cabinet received the minutes of its meeting on Tuesday 9 May 2017, which had been circulated with the agenda (copy attached to the official minutes).

There were no proposed changes to the minutes.

Decision

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

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the Cabinet’s meeting on Tuesday 9 May 2017 be approved without amendment.

Mr Dignum then duly signed and dated the final (twelfth) page of the official version of the aforesaid minutes as a correct record.

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.

[DETAILS IN THE MINUTES]

The following declarations of personal interests were made by members of the Cabinet and CDC members present as observers in respect of the agenda item 7 (Draft Southern Gateway Masterplan for Public Consultation):

(a)  Mrs C M M Apel as a member of Chichester City Council (West Ward)

(b)  Mr Dignum as a member Chichester City Council (North Ward)

(c)  Mrs J Kilby as a member of Chichester City Council (East Ward)

(d)  Mr L Macey as a member Chichester City Council (North Ward)

(e)  Mr Oakley as a member of West Sussex County Council (Chichester East Division)

(f)    Mr R E Plowman as a member of Chichester City Council (West Ward)

(g)  Mrs Purnell as a member of West Sussex County Council (Selsey Division)

In accordance with Chichester District Council’s scheme for public question time and with reference with 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.

[NO QUESTIONS]

No questions by members of the public had been submitted for this meeting.

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its three appendicesand to make the following recommendations to the special meeting of the Council at 14:00 on Monday 19 June 2017:

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL

(1)  That the published Local Development Scheme 2017-2020 be amended by adding the key dates for the Local Plan Review set out in paragraph 6.3 of this report.

(2)  That the Local Plan Review Issues and Options documents presented as appendices to this report be approved for a six-week period of public consultation from 22 June to 3 August 2017.

(3)  That the Head of Planning Services be authorised following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Services to make minor amendments to the consultation documents prior to their publication.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL

(1)  That the published Local Development Scheme 2017-2020 be amended by adding the key dates for the Local Plan Review set out in paragraph 6.3 of the agenda report.

(2)  That the Local Plan Review Issues and Options documents presented as appendices to the agenda report be approved for a six-week period of public consultation from 22 June to 3 August 2017.

(3)  That the Head of Planning Services be authorised following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Services to make minor amendments to the consultation documents prior to their publication.

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its three appendices in the first agenda supplement (copies attached to the official minutes).

The report was presented by Mrs Taylor.

Mr Allgrove and Mr Frost were in attendance for this item.

Mrs Taylor said that this review of the Chichester Local Plan: Key Policies 2014-2029 (CLP), which had been adopted in July 2015, was imposed by the planning inspector in pronouncing the CLP to be sound. The requirement for a review within five years was due to the annual housing figure in the CLP of 435 homes per year falling short of meeting the objectively assessed need (OAN) at that time of 505 homes per year. Satisfying the OAN was a particular challenge for Chichester District since 70% of the area fell within the South Downs National Park and so outside the CLP area. A portion of the remaining 30% was either in the AONB or subject to environmental constraints eg flooding. In addition Chichester District was adjacent to other large urban areas with growth in employment and housing requirements, particularly in Arun District Council and Havant Borough Council areas. Moreover, it was evident from recent examinations of other local authorities’ local plans that councils were having to plan for very substantial increases in housing numbers and CDC could not assume that it would be exempt at the review examination. Despite not being able at this stage to estimate the scale of development for which CDC would be required to allocate land, the plan-making process had to be commenced now. The timetable was set out in appendix 1 (page 9) and would require close adherence in order to ensure adoption was completed within five years ie by July 2020.  The absence of a new local plan could render the CLP area vulnerable to speculative development in inappropriate and even damaging locations instead of the most suitable sites which balanced meeting demand with minimising harm to the area’s wonderful natural heritage.

The first main stage of the review process was the Issues and Options consultation which was due to run from 22 June to 3 August 2017, using a questionnaire to engage the community (parish councils and their residents) and drawing out comments and information to help CDC draft a strategy and preferred policy options to be included in the CLP review document.  Community engagement was a very important process. The possible locations for housing development listed in the consultation were described only in broad terms at this stage.  As the plan-making process progressed, the options would become narrower in range and more clearly defined.

The consultation would be accompanied by a sustainability appraisal (SA) which would deal specifically with the locations in questions 11 and 14. A SA assessed inter alia the social, environmental and economic impacts of the development options in the CLP review. At this preliminary stage this SA provided only an outline summary of the positive and negative impacts of options.

The consultation documents were amended in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 370.

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its appendixand to make the following recommendations to the special meeting of the Council at 14:00 on Monday 19 June 2017 namely that:

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL

(1)  The Statement of Community Involvement be approved for a six-week public consultation.

(2)  Authority be delegated to the Head of Planning Services following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Services to enable minor amendments to be made to the document prior to and following public consultation.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL

(1)  That the Statement of Community Involvement be approved for a six-week public consultation.

(2)  That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning Services following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Services to enable minor amendments to be made to the document prior to and following public consultation.

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its appendix in the first agenda supplement (copies attached to the official minutes).

The report was presented by Mrs Taylor.

Mr Allgrove and Mr Frost were in attendance for this item.

Mrs Taylor explained that it was a legal requirement for a local authority to produce a statement of community involvement (SCI), which would set out CDC’s approach to engage the public and other interested parties, including specific organisations that had to be consulted, in all planning policy and development management matters. An SCI explained the different categories of planning documents, the stages applicable to them and how the development management system worked. There were five engagement commitments to guide CDC in undertaking consultations (para 3.1 page 124):  (a) be clear about what we are doing; (b) be inclusive: (c) be accessible; (d) be transparent; (e) be accountable. The current SCI was adopted in 2013. Although not caught by the prospective requirement under the recently enacted Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 to review an SCI every five years, given the review of the Chichester Local Plan: Key Policies 2014-2029 (CLP) now underway this was an appropriate time to review the SCI. The SCI was not the subject of amendments when considered by CDC’s Development Plan and Infrastructure Panel on 3 May 2017 (para 8.2 of the report). If approved by the Council later in the day the draft SCI would be made available for public consultation for a period of six weeks between 22 June 2017 and 3 August 2017.

Mr Allgrove and Mr Frost did not wish to add to Mrs Taylor’s presentation.

In reply to questions by Mrs Hardwick and Mr Connor, Mr Allgrove advised that (a) whilst para 2.9 of the draft SCI (page 122) did not refer to the opportunity for interested parties to comment during the examination, this could be inserted after the forthcoming consultation, whereas to add it now would delay its start by about a week which would be undesirable and (b) for those who did not have access to or felt able to use the online consultation, there would be the opportunity (which would be made clear) to participate using local libraries and written comments would be accepted.    

Decision

At the end of the discussion the Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands in favour of making the recommendations set out below.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL

(1)        That the Statement of Community Involvement be approved for a six-week public consultation.

(2)        That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning Services following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Services to enable minor amendments to be made to the document prior to and following public consultation.

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its appendixand to make the following recommendations to the special meeting of the Council at 14:00 on Monday 19 June 2017 namely that:

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL

(1)  The Draft Southern Gateway Masterplan (set out in the appendix to the agenda report) be approved for public consultation.

(2)  Authority be delegated to the Head of Planning Services following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Services to make minor amendments to the document prior to public consultation.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL

(1)  That the Draft Southern Gateway Masterplan (as set out in the appendix to the agenda report) be approved for public consultation.

(2)  That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning Services following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Services to enable minor amendments to be made to the document prior to public consultation.

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its appendix in the first agenda supplement (copies attached to the official minutes).

The report was presented by Mr Dignum.

Mr Allgrove and Mr Frost were in attendance for this item.

Mr Dignum said that Matthew Lappin of David Lock Associates, the town planning and urban design consultants engaged for the Chichester Southern Gateway Draft Masterplan (CSG DM) project (which included preparation of the Strategic Environmental Assessment) was present at this meeting and was available to answer the Cabinet’s questions. Mr Lappin would be giving a full presentation to the special meeting of the Council later in the day at 14:00 and would respond then to CDC members’ questions.

Mr Dignum presented the report, which stated that at this stage it was proposed to hold a public consultation on the CSG DM. He explained the relationship between the draft Chichester Vision process (he read out its theme) and the CSG DM (para 5.3 of the report). The Vision, which supported the enhanced role and function of the city centre as a leading visitor destination with a vibrant and growing economy that was also accessible and attractive, identified three major projects: CSG, the Northern Gateway and the West Street Piazza. The intention was to enhance the SG area of the city, which was a key point of arrival, by developing parcels of land to produce a comprehensive mixed use of housing, retail and commercial development, the last of which to include a hotel. The Canal Basin was identified as an important component in the masterplan scheme. Key priorities included (a) reducing the dominance of road traffic and congestion and (b) improving safety in the Southgate Gyratory and design quality (no building to be higher than four storeys). CDC was working closely with its partners and negotiations were taking place with Stagecoach and Royal Mail to achieve the relocation of their sites. This scheme had clear potential for delivery and there was a strong local appetite for the proposed residential and mixed use development. Funding was addressed in section 7 of the report and funding options would include the Local Enterprise Partnership and other government sources.     

Mr Allgrove advised that at a meeting of CDC’s Development Plan and Infrastructure Panel on Thursday 15 June 2017 it was questioned whether the transport appraisal for the CSG DM had been signed off. This was now the case after West Sussex County Council had made various proof-reading amendments to the transport appraisal report (which was then republished on the committee papers page of CDC’s website); the changes made were not fundamental. The consultation, if approved by the Council at its special meeting later in the day, would run from 29 June to 10 August 2017. The cost of the two highway options A and B had been updated respectively from £4m to £5.3m and £8m to £8.2m (page 138 of the second agenda supplement) and changes to pages 166 and 169 in particular would be incorporated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 372.

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

That authority be delegated to the Head of Housing and Environment Services to spend the Flexible Homelessness Support Grant in accordance with the proposals in section 5 of the report.

RESOLVED

That authority be delegated to the Head of Housing and Environment Services to spend the Flexible Homelessness Support Grant in accordance with the proposals in section 5 of the agenda report.

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report (copy attached to the official minutes).

The report was presented by Mrs Kilby.

Mr Dunmall and Mrs Grêlé were in attendance for this item.

Mrs Kilby summarised the introduction by the government with effect from 1 April 2017 of the new Flexible Homelessness Support Grant (FHSG) as the successor to the Temporary Accommodation Management Fee (TAMF). Unlike the TAMF, the FHSG would provide a much higher financial allocation but the funds would be ring-fenced and were to be deployed to address proactively and preventatively a range of flexible homelessness services. The coming into force in 2018 of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and the roll-out of Universal Credit in Chichester District in 2018 were expected to increase the demands on CDC’s Housing Options team. In view of this, section 5 of the report set out the proposal to create two new posts in the Housing Service and to help support the introduction of a new and improved IT system (para 3.6 and section 7).

The officers did not wish to add to Mrs Kilby’s presentation.

Mrs Lintill spoke in full support of the proposals in the report to address the crucially important issue of homelessness.

Mrs Shepherd replied to a question by Mr Wilding regarding employment rights for the proposed two new posts. 

Decision

The Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands in favour of the resolution below.

RESOLVED

That authority be delegated to the Head of Housing and Environment Services to spend the Flexible Homelessness Support Grant in accordance with the proposals in section 5 of the agenda report.

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

That the representatives be appointed to serve on the external organisations for 2017-2018 as set out in the appendix to this report.

RESOLVED

That the representatives be appointed to serve on the external organisations for 2017-2018 as set out in the appendix to the agenda report with the addition in item 26 of Graeme Barrett as the deputy for the Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline (SCOPAC).

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its appendix (copies attached to the official minutes).

The report was introduced by Mr Dignum.  He explained that the table in the appendix recorded changes in consequence of Mrs G Keegan stepping down from the Cabinet following her election as an MP earlier in the month and the appointment of Mr G A F Barrett to fill the vacancy for a deputy on the Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline (SCOPAC) (item 26 page 35).

There was no officer attendance for this item.

Decision

The Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands in favour of the resolution below.       

RESOLVED

That the representatives be appointed to serve on the external organisations for 2017-2018 as set out in the appendix to the agenda report with the addition in item 26 of Graeme Barrett as the deputy for the Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline (SCOPAC).  

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

That the membership of panels and forums for 2017-2018 as set out in the appendix to this report be approved.

RESOLVED

That the membership of Panels and Forums for 2017-2018 as set out in the appendix to the agenda report to the agenda report be approved subject to the substitution of Jane Kilby for Gillian Keegan on the Chichester District Parking Forum.

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its appendix (copies attached to the official minutes).

The report was introduced by Mr Dignum.  He explained that the table in the appendix required amendment in that (a) on the Business Routeing Panel (page 38) Mrs C Apel was erroneously shown as a Conservative instead of a Liberal Democrat and (b) on the Chichester District Parking Forum Mrs Kilby had replaced Mrs Keegan in consequence of Mrs G Keegan stepping down from the Cabinet following her election as an MP earlier in the month (page 40).

There was no officer attendance for this item.

Decision

The Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands in favour of the resolution below.       

RESOLVED

That the membership of Panels and Forums for 2017-2018 as set out in the appendix to the agenda report to the agenda report be approved subject to (a) the amendment of the party affiliation for Mrs C Apel to say ‘(LD)’ instead of ‘(C)’ and (b) the substitution of Jane Kilby for Gillian Keegan on the Chichester District Parking Forum.  

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

That the adoption of a two part register with local connection and resources conditions for entry to the Part 1 Register be approved as set out in appendix 2 to the report.

RESOLVED

That the adoption of a two-part register with local connections and resources conditions for entry to the Part I Register be approved as set out in appendix 2 to the agenda report.

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its two appendices (copy attached to the official minutes).

The report was presented by Mrs Kilby.

Mrs Grange was in attendance for this item.

Mrs Kilby summarised the legislative context with reference to the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 and its secondary legislation, the Housing and Planning Act 2016, the broad details of how a register was to be created and maintained for those wishing to undertake self-build and custom housebuilding projects in the Chichester Local Plan area (section 3 of the report) and the no fee which CDC would operate initially pending review in the light of subsequent planning guidance (section 5). 

Mrs Grange did not add to Mrs Kilby’s introduction.

Mr Dignum pointed out that this would not require CDC to purchase plots of land to make available for such development but only to give ‘appropriate’ planning permission if such developments were the subject of planning applications. 

Mrs Grange and Mr Carvell answered members’ questions and comments on points of detail with respect to (a) the meaning of ‘appropriate’ planning permission and whether such applications could be determined in the usual way in accordance with CDC’s planning policies – this had yet to be defined by planning guidance; (b) it should be made very clear that the local authority’s duty was to grant planning permissions and not provide plots of land for such developments to take place - the currently available regulations and guidance clearly stated that a local planning authority’s duty was to grant sufficient planning permissions and not to make available plots of land; (c) whether the correct interpretation of ‘houses to be occupied as homes by those individuals’ would ensure that such homes once built were not immediately sold in view of the aim of Part I of the register which was to ensure that such homes were lived in by those with a local connection – planning guidance was awaited on this point; (d) the meaning of ‘sufficient’ in the phrase ‘sufficient permissioned and serviced land’ in para 6.1 ii) of the report – this must await further planning guidance, if indeed it would be defined but it was likely to mean ‘sufficient’ to meet the level of demand in Part 1 of the register; and (e) the register would not apply to the South Downs National Park area of Chichester District notwithstanding that CDC was the housing authority for the whole of Chichester District.       

Mrs Kilby said she noted and shared the concerns on points of detail expressed by members and where answers were not yet known, the publication of planning guidance was awaited. 

Decision

The Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands in favour of the resolution below.

RESOLVED

That the adoption of a two-part register with local connections and resources conditions for entry to the Part I register be approved as set out in appendix 2 to the agenda report.

(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

[NONE]

As announced by Mr Dignum at the start of this meeting, there were no late items for consideration at this meeting. 

[Note There are no restricted items for consideration at this meeting]

[NO PART II ITEMS]

There were no Part II items listed on the agenda and so no resolution to exclude the press and the public was required to be made at this meeting.