To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 10 April 2012 (enclosed pages 5 to 11) and the Special meeting of the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 16 May 2012 (enclosed pages 13 to 19) and to note actions taken since those meetings.

The Committee discussed the Minutes of the meeting of the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 16 May 2012.  Cllr Nicols commented that his ward was proposed to take the majority of housing and employment growth in the draft Development Strategy.  Cllr Nicols was uncomfortable with the numbers contained in the draft Development Strategy and concerned that further houses would be added to the numbers proposed within his area after the public consultation  Cllr Nicols stated that the Minutes of the previous meeting (Minute SCOSC/11/7 refers) did not accurately reflect the discussion that took place relating to any strategic increase in housing above the numbers that were presently stated in the draft Development Strategy.  He stated that any strategic increase in housing should not be developed in an area without a strategic review of the plan and that any strategic increase should require further consultation.  Additional homes should not be forced into any existing urban area.

In response to the issues raised by Cllr Nicols the Executive Member for Sustainable Communities, Strategic Planning and Economic Development, stated that there was a solid evidence base for the numbers of homes and jobs proposed to be allocated in Cllr Nicols’ ward, based on this evidence there would be no strategic increase within his ward.

In light of the concerns raised by Cllr Nicols the Committee resolved that the Minutes of the meeting could not be agreed.  The Committee requested that the Minutes or the previous meeting be redrafted and submitted to their next meeting.

RESOLVED

1.                  That the minutes of the meeting of the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 10 April 2012 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

2.                  That the minutes of the meeting of the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 16 May 2012 be redrafted and submitted to the next meeting of the Committee for consideration.

To receive from Members any declarations and the nature thereof in relation to:-

(a)    personal interests in any agenda item

(b)    personal and prejudicial interests in any agenda item

(c)     any political whip in relation to any agenda item.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and any matters of communication.

None.

To receive petitions from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

No petitions were received from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Part D2 of the Constitution.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution.

The Committee were told that 2 speakers had registered to speak at the meeting in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of Part A4 of the Constitution.  In addition statements and questions had been submitted by both speakers that had been circulated to Members of the Committee in advance of the meeting.  It was agreed with both speakers that they would be offered the opportunity to speak at the beginning of item 11 (Minute SCOSC/12/17 refers) in relation to the draft Development Strategy.

To consider any decision of the Executive referred to this Committee for review in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.10 of Part D2.

The Committee were advised that no decisions of the Executive had been referred to them under the Call-in Procedures set out in Appendix A to Rule No. S18 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

To consider any items referred to the Committee at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

The Committee were informed that Cllr Aldis had requested an item relating to the Carbon Management Plan and the Climate Change Strategy under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.  Subsequent to this request an item had been added to the Committee’s work programme for 23 July 2012.

To consider a report providing the outcomes of research and consultation on the “approach to parking” and the changes that are planned to the document as a result.  The Committee is asked to provide comments to be considered by the Executive on 21 August 2012.

The Committee received a report from the Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services, that set out the research and consultation that had been undertaken on the Council’s approach to parking and the changes that were planned to the document as a result.  In addition to the report it was clarified that following the Committee’s previous recommendations the Executive had resolved that residents’ parking zones should be used within controlled parking zones but in some cases residents’ parking schemes could be used in isolation outside of parking zones.  The Committee commented that they supported this amended approach.  It was further commented by the Head of Traffic Management that substantial reductions in the cost of administering resident parking zones and enforcement schemes meant that the costs of resident permits may be reduced.

In response to the report the Committee raised and discussed the following issues in detail:-

·                    Resident parking zones provided a parking solution in villages where persons parked their car in a residential area before going on holiday.

·                    The cost of resident permits where residents owned more than one vehicle were still to be determined.

·                    Possessing a resident parking permit did not guarantee that resident a parking space.

·                    In areas where verge/footway parking was permitted the dual use of the pathway by pedestrians would be retained.  The designation of any verge/pathway parking would be determined by the traffic management committee and would require the designation of a traffic regulation order.  The Committee agreed that parking should not be permitted on grass verges as this churned up the grass and obstructed pedestrians.  In response the Assistant Director for Highways and Transport stated that the Council would enforce parking violations on grass verges as a result of the strategy.  However, there may be instances where lack of off-street parking facilities meant that Members would need to consider hardening parts of the grass verge to formalise parking half on/ half off the carriageway.

·                    Concerns relating to the displacement of HGVs into villages if parking hours were restricted in lay-bys overnight.  There were also concerns relating to the level of enforcement that the Council would be able to undertake overnight.

·                    Concerns that the Highways Agency was responsible for several roads throughout the Central Bedfordshire area and parking standards relating to HGVs needed to be managed in a consistent manner.

·                    The need to ensure that blue badge holders did not incorrectly receive a penalty charge notice (PCN).

·                    Whether it should be permissible to allow an illegally parked vehicle to accrue 5 or more unpaid PCNs before it was clamped and removed.  The Council was legally required to permit an illegally parked vehicle to accrue 3 unpaid PCNs before it could be clamped and removed. 

The Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Strategic Planning and Economic Development drew the Committee’s attention to the minimum suggested parking standards for residential schemes.  It had been clarified in the Transportation Planning (International) Ltd report that the minimum number of parking units included the garage.  It was suggested that if the garage  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

To consider the currently drafted Committee work programme for 2012/13 and the Executive Forward Plan.

The Committee received their work programme for 2012/13 and Executive Forward Plan.

RESOLVED

That the Work Programme for the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee be approved.

To consider as an urgent item of business the draft Development Strategy for Central Bedfordshire.

The Chairman informed the Committee that the draft Development Strategy had been added to the agenda as an urgent item of business by virtue of Section 100B 4(b) of the Local Government Act (1972) in light of a view being required from the Committee prior to commencing a 6-week public consultation.

In accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of Section A4 of the Constitution two speakers were invited to speak.  Submissions from the two speakers were also circulated to Members of the Committee in advance of the meeting.  The Chairman also commented that the views which had been provided would be considered as part of the public consultation.

In addition to their submission the first speaker commented that they would present their comments as part of the consultation process but they had concerns in relation to the numbers of homes and jobs that were proposed in the draft Development Strategy and concerns relating to the sustainability appraisals.  It was also commented that as a result of ongoing housing commitments from previous urban extensions the numbers of homes for development in some areas were greater than those stated in the draft Development Strategy.  The speaker also raised concerns in relation to the integrity of the process and the extent to which the evidence base had informed the final draft proposals.  It was suggested that the consultation had not appropriately followed the Community Engagement Strategy and that separate appraisal criteria should not be applied to the north and south of the Central Bedfordshire area as this was divisive.

In addition to the questions in their submission the second speaker (on behalf of Leighton Linslade Opposes Unsustainable Development [LOUD]) requested that a full response be provided by the Council outside of the meeting.  The Chairman agreed that a response should be circulated outside of the meeting and also circulated to Members of the Committee.

Following the comments from public speakers and in response to Cllr Nicols comments on the Minutes of the meeting on 16 May the Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Economic Development commented that assurances regarding development could not be provided based ona hypothetical position in specific wards, to do so could be used as a precedent.  An assurance was however provided that there was no intention to extend the urban extension in Cllr Nicols’ ward. The purpose of this report was to seek approval to go to consultation.  The Head of Development Planning Housing Strategy also stated that if a housing shortfall was identified as a result of the consultation the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would consider any revisions prior to their approval by the Executive.  The further submission of the report to the Committee permitted officers to (1) outline why some sites had been chosen and others were not included; (2) present the outcomes of consultation that had already been undertaken; and (3) clarify issues in relation to the Statement of Community Involvement.  There were no major changes included in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.