Agenda and minutes

CM 58                                                                

Since this was the first Council meeting since Cllr Mike Benson (Borough Council Member from May 2011 to 20 February 2017) had sadly passed away, Cllr P R Sanders paid a glowing tribute to him and emphasised his personal shock when he had been made aware of the news.  Cllr Sanders proceeded to refer to the level of commitment that Mike had demonstrated to public office and emphasised just how much he would be sorely missed by Council Members and officers alike.

Members then proceeded, as a mark of respect, to observe a moment’s reflection in his memory.

CM 59

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs M Davies, P J Ridgers, J Sheldon and L Watts.

Members are invited to declare any personal or disclosable pecuniary interests, including the nature and extent of such interests they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting.

            If Councillors have any questions relating to predetermination, bias or interests in items on this Summons, then please contact the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

CM 60                                                                

The Mayor invited Members to declare any interests in the items of business to be considered during the course of the meeting, but there were none made.

CM 61                                                                

The Deputy Mayor confirmed that he had agreed for one item of urgent business to be brought forward to this meeting.

This item related to the Conservative Group Member vacancies on the Hub and Planning and Licensing Committees following the sad and sudden recent passing of Cllr Benson.

It was then moved by Cllr P R Sanders and seconded by Cllr R E Baldwin and when submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that, with immediate effect and for the remainder of the 2016/17 Municipal Year, that:

1.     Cllr N Jory be appointed to serve on the Hub Committee; and

2.     Cllr J Yelland be appointed to serve on the Planning and Licensing Committee.”

CM 62                                                                

A report was considered that set out how the Council would meet the requirement of the Government to maintain an up to date Local Plan and, in accordance with the resolution of the Council, to prepare a Joint Local Plan (JLP) with South Hams District Council and Plymouth City Council.

In his introduction, the lead Hub Committee Member for Strategic Planning took Members through each Section of the JLP and the erratum that had been circulated since the agenda had been published.  The Member also informed that this was a historic moment for two reasons:

1.     The significant level of co-operation that had been carried out between officers and Members across the three local authorities to reach this point; and

2.     The JLP set out a spatial strategy for the sub-region that put the three local authorities at the forefront of local planning in the UK.

In the subsequent discussion, reference was made to:-

(a)   the Infrastructure Needs Assessment.  A Member referred to the comment in the JLP whereby ‘to support the identification and delivery of infrastructure across the Plan Area, an Infrastructure Needs Assessment had been produced’ and questioned when this document would be published.  In response, it was intended that this would be published at the same time as the JLP;

(b)   settlement boundaries.  Assurances were given that local Members would be consulted in respect of the development of settlement boundaries;

(c)    the success of the process to date.  A number of Members wished to put on record their thanks to the lead officers and Members of the Joint Steering Group who had each put in a tremendous amount of hard work and effort to deliver this Plan in what was an incredibly tight timescale;

(d)   the involvement of the wider membership.  For such a critically important document, a Member did express some concerns that the wider Council membership had not had adequate opportunity to consider the contents of the JLP prior to this meeting;

(e)   the importance of development in smaller villages.  Some Members welcomed the provision in the Plan to smaller rural villages having some development to enable their growth;

(f)     the proposed Development Management (DM) policies.  A Member stated his belief that the proposed DM policies did not differ greatly from those that were currently adopted and in use;

(g)    the A386.  A Member stressed the importance of the entire A386 being considered in the JLP and emphasised that the volume of traffic movements using this stretch of road was frequently causing chaos;

(h)   the role of developers.  Regardless of the JLP, a Member highlighted the need for developers to actually commence with building works once a planning permission had been granted.  In the event of this trend continuing, the Member felt that the Council should not be afraid to utilise its compulsory purchase powers;

(i)     policy DEV9.  Members particularly welcomed reference in Policy DEV9 to the delivery of a range and mix of housing to meet local housing needs in the area.  ...  view the full minutes text for item CM 62

CM 63

A report was considered that outlined proposals for the:

-        preparation and approval of a Heart of the South West (HotSW) Productivity Plan to take forward the HotSW Prospectus for Productivity that was prepared in support of the partnership’s aspirations to secure a devolution deal for approval by the councils in February 2016; and

-        creation of a formal HotSW Joint Committee of the local authorities, national park authorities and partners to take forward the Productivity Plan.

In discussion, the following points were raised:-

(a)   Members were advised that every indication from the Secretary of State was that an Elected Mayor was an absolute requisite for any meaningful Devolution Deal;

(b)   It was noted that there was a recognition from Cornwall Council colleagues that they needed to be involved in Devolution related discussions and a meeting had been arranged to initiate dialogue;

(c)    With regard to the Productivity Plan, if the partner authorities could demonstrate that they were working together, then there was the potential to receive both support and funding from central government.  As a consequence, this report was felt to provide an opportunity for co-operative working that could ultimately produce huge benefits.

It was moved by Cllr P R Sanders and seconded by Cllr R E Baldwin and declared CARRIED and ”RESOLVED that:

(i)     the update be noted about the HotSW Combined Authority/Devolution Deal (including noting that a Joint Committee, if established, will have responsibility for developing future ‘deal’ and combined authority proposals for recommendation to the constituent authorities);

(ii)    the proposals be approved for the HotSW Productivity Plan preparation and consultation proposals (including noting that the Joint Committee, if established, will have responsibility for approving and overseeing the implementation of the Productivity Plan);

(iii)   ‘in-principle’ agreement be given to the establishment of a HotSW Joint Committee with a commencement date of Friday, 1 September 2017, in accordance with the summary proposals as set out in the presented agenda report;

(iv)   the ‘in-principle’ decision at (iii) above be subject to further recommendation and report to the constituent authorities after the County elections in May 2017 and confirmatory decisions to approve the establishment of the Joint Committee; a constitutional ‘Arrangements’ document; an ‘Inter-Authority Agreement’ setting out the support arrangements; appoint representatives to the Joint Committee and appoint an Administering Authority.