Agenda item

Notice of Motion

Meeting of South Hams Council, Thursday, 14th December, 2017 2.00 pm (Item 52/17)

to consider the following motions received (if any) in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.1:

(a) By Cllrs Baldry and Bastone

‘This Council fully supports and endorses the contents of the letter that was sent from the South Devon and Dartmoor Community Safety Partnership to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner regarding Neighbourhood Policing (dated 9 October 2017).

This Council therefore agrees to write to the Office of the Commissioner expressing its full support for the views contained within this letter.’

(NOTE: the aforementioned letter is available in the agenda reports pack)

(b) By Cllrs Birch and Brazil

‘Due to the ever increasing number of electric powered vehicles on the roads in the UK and with the prospect of the numbers growing significantly in the future, this Council resolves to investigate and report on the feasibility of installing electric car charging points within the Council’s public car parks.

A report is to be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel within the next four months.’

(c) By Cllrs Green and Hodgson

‘This Council resolves to oblige developers who submit residential planning applications which do not meet SHDC’s affordable housing target to supply unredacted viability assessments for online publication at least two weeks prior to determination, to enable public scrutiny.

(NOTE. we understand Greenwich Council have done something similar):

http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/press/article/710/royal_borough_in_landmark_new_planning_policy_to_make_affordable_housing_viability_studies_more_transparent

(d) By Cllrs Baldry and Birch

‘Residents of the South Hams are fortunate to live in or near an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. South Hams District Council has the duty, when making its planning decisions, to protect or enhance the AONB. Because of interpretation of planning policy, there have been occasions in the past where the Council’s Development Management Committee has been advised by officers to approve planning applications for major housing schemes in the AONB.

The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) in a recent report says: “Current development on AONB’s shows little evidence that what’s being built will actually solve the housing crisis which is more to do with affordability than lack of land.”

This Council supports the CPRE call on Government to toughen up planning policy to prevent major housing schemes in AONBs in order to recognise the importance of our treasured landscapes. In supporting this call, the Council will make its views known to the Secretary of State CLG and to the local Members of Parliament.

This Council supports the CPRE request to councils to publish figures every year to show developments and changes in land use in AONBs in a similar form to those already published for Green Belt Land and in doing so, will publish the South Hams’ figures on an annual basis.’

(e) By Cllrs Hodgson and Green

‘In line with its commitment to mitigating climate change, this Council will ask Devon County Council to divest its pension funds away from fossil fuel companies and seek opportunities to invest in companies that support renewable energy. This is moving forward in line with other Local Authorities such as Southwark taking this important step.’

Minutes:

52/17

It was noted that five motions had been received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.1.

(a) By Cllrs Baldry and Holway

This Council therefore agrees to write to the Office of the Commissioner expressing its full support for the views contained within this letter.’

In introducing the motion, the proposer made reference to:-

- the motion being presented in light of a request of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel at its meeting on 9 November 2017 (Minute O&S.68/17 refers); and

- his wish to thank the Head of Paid Service and the Senior Specialist (Democratic Services) for their help and support in compiling this motion.

During the ensuing debate, the following points were raised:-

(i) The Council’s representative on the Police and Crime Commissioners Scrutiny Panel gave a commitment to reflect the spirit of this letter at the next meeting of the Panel;

(ii)In support of the motion, a number of Members highlighted the vital service that was provided by Police Community Support Officers;

(iii)It was confirmed that a number of town and parish councils had already made similar representations to the Office of the Commissioner and all Members were asked to encourage their local town and parish councils to add their support to the contents of this letter.

It was then:

RESOLVED

This Council fully supports and endorses the contents of the letter that was sent from the South Devon and Dartmoor Community Safety Partnership to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner regarding Neighbourhood Policing (dated 9 October 2017).

This Council therefore agrees to write to the Office of the Commissioner expressing its full support for the views contained within this letter.

(b) By Cllrs Birch and Brazil

A report is to be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel within the next four months.’

In his introduction, the proposer highlighted that:-

- some filling stations were starting to provide their own electric charging points;

- the Council had a role to play in providing electric car charging points within each of its public car parks;

- such provision would be a further incentive to encourage potential tourists to visit the South Hams and for local residents to purchase powered vehicles.

In discussion, a number of Members welcomed the intention of the motion (and receipt of a fully detailed officer report), but did not feel it appropriate for the Council to dictate to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel the contents of its future work programme.

Following a commitment given by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel Chairman that this matter would be considered for scheduling at its next meeting on 18 January 2018, the proposer and seconder of the motion were supportive of the suggestion whereby the last sentence be deleted and the substantive motion was updated accordingly.

It was then:

RESOLVED

Due to the ever increasing number of electric powered vehicles on the roads in the UK and, with the prospect of the numbers growing significantly in the future, this Council resolves to investigate and report on the feasibility of installing electric car charging points within the Council’s public car parks.

(c) By Cllrs Baldry and Hodgson

(NOTE. we understand Greenwich Council have done something similar):

http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/press/article/710/royal_borough_in_landmark_new_planning_policy_to_make_affordable_housing_viability_studies_more_transparent

In his introduction, the proposer emphasised the importance of openness and transparency and was strongly of the view that developers should comply with this agenda as far as was practically possible.

As a Member of the Development Management Committee, the seconder echoed the importance of public confidence and felt it was inappropriate that the contents of viability assessments were not able to be made publicly available.

In the ensuing debate, widespread support was expressed for the sentiments of the motion. In addition, the Council was informed that this issue should be rectified by a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that was currently being drafted and would be one of the SPDs that would underpin the Joint Local Plan.

It was then:

RESOLVED

This Council resolves to oblige developers who submit residential planning applications which do not meet SHDC’s affordable housing target to supply unredacted viability assessments for online publication at least two weeks prior to determination to enable public scrutiny.

(d) By Cllrs Baldry and Birch

In his introduction, the proposer made reference to:-

o the duty of all Members to protect the AONB;

o a recent report indicating that the South Devon AONB was the 2^nd most developed AONB in the United Kingdom (UK);

o the motion not suggesting that development should be prevented in the AONB; and

o the hope that approval of this motion would assist planning officers in their day to day work.

In the ensuing discussion, the following points were raised:-

(a) In setting the context whereby 66% of the UK lived within 30 miles of an AONB, the seconder expressed his concern at the trend whereby a significant number of sizeable developments were being approved in AONBs;

(b) As an unintended consequence of approving the motion as drafted, a number of Members expressed their concerns that it would lead to it becoming even more difficult to develop exception sites, which were considered to be so critical to the sustainability of rural areas. In relation to affordable housing provision, further concerns were also expressed over the contradictory comments that were being attributed to the CPRE;

(c) A Member stated his view that this motion intended to redress the current situation whereby the balance of power was currently too heavily weighted towards landowners and developers.

When put to the vote, the motion was declared LOST.

(e) By Cllrs Hodgson and Baldry

In her introduction, the proposer highlighted that:

o Southwark Council had approved a similar motion in December 2016;

o she had submitted a similar motion to Devon County Council, which had been referred to its next Cabinet meeting for further consideration; and

o the motion reflected the significant financial risks that were associated with investing in fossil fuels.

During the debate, reference was made to:

(a) the first duty of the Pension Fund Committee being to its fund members. In so doing, it was noted that there were over 100,000 participants in the fund that amounted to a value of over £4 billion;

(b) the Devon Pension Fund seeking to engage with companies to ensure long-term sustainable financial returns;

When put to the vote, the motion was declared LOST.

Supporting documents:

South Devon & Dartmoor Community Safety Partnership letter, item 52/17 PDF 82 KB