Agenda and minutes

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the status of actions agreed at the last Cabinet meeting.

The status of actions agreed at the Cabinet meeting on 10 January 2017 in the report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) was noted.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on the Agenda.

Councillor R.Trigg declared a non-pecuniary interest in Agenda item 12 – Re-Integration of the Housing Service into Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council – Indemnity for Board Members as a Council appointed representative on the Trust Board and took no part in the discussion of the item (Minute 131 refers).

To consider the following item for decision in the current Forward Plan:-

Recommendation from the meeting of the Cabinet Housing and Planning Panel on 12 January 2017:-

The following item for decision in the current Forward Plan was considered:-

Recommendation from the meeting of the Cabinet Housing and Planning Panel on 12 January 2017 - Local Plan – Annual Monitoring Report (Forward Plan Reference FP780)

The Cabinet Panel had considered the report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) submitting the Local Plan Annual Monitoring Report.

(1)        The Decision Taken

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Monitoring Report be approved for publication, as recommended by the Cabinet Housing and Planning Panel and that the Head of Planning be given delegated powers to agree any minor alterations to finalise the Report, following consultation with the Executive Member (Planning, Housing and Community).

(2)       Reasons for the Decision

The 2015/16 Annual Monitoring Report was the twelfth produced by the Council covering the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016.

It presented an overall picture of how the Borough and its people were performing, with a range of indicators including ones which very topically set out the amount of new development being undertaken.

Whilst the Council was required by Regulations to publish a Report.  It was also a good opportunity to flag up the successes of the Borough and what the Council was doing well.  Equally, it was an opportunity to identify what might need to be improved.

The Office for National Statistics estimated that the Borough’s population had also again risen significantly during the year to 119,000.

During the year 408 new homes were completed including 116 new affordable homes.  Whilst the number of new homes built was below the Council’s overall target which was now 498 homes per annum it was the highest for many years and showed how the housing market had recovered from the recession.

Progress on preparing the new Local Plan had enabled a significant number of new housing sites to be included in the housing supply and the Borough now had a 5.03 year housing land supply in line with the need set out in national policy.

The Borough’s employment floorspace decreased by a fairly substantial 10,600 sqm during the year, with a particularly large loss of office premises.  At least another 5.9 hectares of employment land were now expected to be lost as a result of office-to-residential conversions for which permitted development rights had now been made permanent by the Government.

The number of jobs in the Borough had again increased to 84,000 which had enabled the rate of Job Seekers Allowance claimants in the Borough to fall right back to its pre-recession levels.

(Note: There were no declarations of interest by a member(s) in respect of the matter decided).

To consider recommendations from the meeting of the Cabinet Housing and Planning Panel on 12 January 2017:-

The following recommendation from the meeting of the Cabinet Housing and Planning Panel on 12 January 2017 was considered:-

The Cabinet Panel had considered the report of the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) setting out the results of the formal consultation, the informal consultation and the recommended course of action for the proposed resident parking permit scheme and waiting restrictions. The purpose of the consultation was to prevent long term parking by non-residents.   A total of 402 properties were consulted on the proposals and the Council had received ten letters of objection to the formal consultation.

In 2015, Parking Services carried out a general parking survey in Handside Welwyn Garden City.  The initial results from this suggested that the implementation of a resident parking permit scheme should be considered for a number of roads in the Longcroft Lane area.  In June 2016, a further consultation commenced in this area, based on the findings of the 2015 survey.

In the survey letters of June 2016, residents were asked to confirm their original choice for a scheme, together with their preferences for operating times.  Of the roads consulted, Parkfields, Fordwich Road and Rooks Hill in the survey of 2015 had shown no interest in a permit scheme.  In the 2016 survey they voted to retain their existing restrictions and not be included in a scheme.  The majority of residents voting for the permit scheme had opted for the Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 5.00pm operating time. 

The Cabinet Panel had considered the objections, including an objection which was circulated at the Panel meeting in respect of Parkfields. 

There had been a number of comments from residents who lived in Longcroft Lane about the proposed double yellow line protection and the loss of on-street parking.  To satisfy those residents, these double yellow lines had been removed from the proposals and the proposed Traffic Regulation Order had been amended.

It was noted that ten letters of objection had been received to the proposed Order.

Three letters received from residents of Parkfields objecting to the Panel’s recommendation to not include Parkfields in the Residents Parking Permit Scheme were circulated to the Cabinet.

It was noted that to not consider including Parkfields in the scheme would require a new consultation with residents, but that this would be reviewed after six months operation of the scheme.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That following consideration of the objections received, in particular the issues raised around equalities and diversity, together with any proposed mitigating actions and the reasons for implementing the proposals, the Panel’s recommendation to proceed with the creation of the Traffic Regulation Order for the resident parking permit scheme and waiting restrictions in various roads in Handside, Welwyn Garden City be approved.

(2)        That it be noted that Parkfields would not to be included in the Residents Parking Permit Scheme, but that this would be reviewed after six months operation of the scheme.

Report of the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) presenting revenue budget monitoring information for the first three quarters of the financial year.

Report of the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) presenting revenue budgetary control information for the first three quarters of the 2016/17 financial year. 

RESOLVED:

(1)         That the changes to the General Fund forecast outturn as at 31 December 2016 be agreed and included in the current budget, which in turn would then be used as the basis of comparison to the forecast outturn.

(2)         That the changes to the Housing Revenue Account forecast outturn bringing the current budget in year deficit to £3.547M which would be used as the basis of comparison to the forecast outturn be agreed.

(3)         That the position on debts and rechargeable works be noted.

Report of the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) presenting capital expenditure and funding monitoring information for the first three quarters of the financial year.

Report of the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) providing capital budget monitoring information for the first three quarters of the 2016/17 financial year. 

RESOLVED:

(1)        That the Cabinet agrees to a reduction of £0.012M in the 2016/17 current budget for the capital programme bringing the total budget to £40.585M.

(2)        That the Cabinet agrees to the revised funding for the capital programme.

(3)       That the Prudential Indicators be noted.

Report of the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Culture Services) providing a quarterly review of this scheme.

Report of the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Culture Services) providing a quarterly review of this scheme.

RESOLVED:

That the review of the scheme for the first three quarters of the current financial year be noted.

Report of the Executive Director (Housing and Communities) seeking approval for the Council to indemnity Trust Board Members in line with the provisions recommended by the Council’s legal advisor.

Report of the Executive Director (Housing and Communities) seeking approval for the Council to indemnify the Community Housing Trust Board Members in line with the provisions recommended by the Council’s legal advisor.

RESOLVED:

That approval be given for the Council to indemnify Community Housing Trust Board Members in line with the provisions recommended by the Council’s legal advisor.

(Note: Councillor R.Trigg declared an interest in this item – Minute 125 refers).

The Cabinet is asked to resolve:

That under Section 100(A)(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting for items 15, 16, 17 and 18 (if any) on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100A(3) and Paragraphs 3 (private financial or business information) and 5 (legal and professional privilege) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended). 

In resolving to exclude the public in respect of the exempt information, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

PART II

RESOLVED:

That under Section 100(A)(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting for Agenda items 15, 16 and 17 (Minutes 133 -135 refer) on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100A(3) and paragraphs 3 (private financial or business information) and 5 (legal and professional privilege) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended). 

In resolving to exclude the public in respect of the exempt information, it was considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt report of the Executive Director (Housing and Communities) reviewing options for the future provision of street CCTV services.

Exempt report of the Executive Director (Housing and Communities) reviewing options for the future provision of street CCTV services.

RESOLVED:

(1)        That the recommendation of the Member Procurement Board that the Council enters into a joint procurement with St Albans City and District Council be approved.

(2)        That the Member procurement Board be involved in the procurement process and make all appropriate decision during the process, before a recommendation was brought back to the Cabinet on the award of contract.

Exempt report of the Executive Director (Housing and Communities) reviewing options for the annual pantomime production.

Exempt report of the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) reviewing options for the annual pantomime production and the commissioning of any further production in 2017/18.  The review had been considered at the meeting of the Campus West Cabinet Panel on 12 January 2017.

RESOLVED:

That an in-house production of the pantomime be retained on the same basis it was planned, produced and delivered this year.

To consider a recommendation of an exempt nature from the meeting of the Campus West Cabinet Panel on 12 December 2016:-

The following recommendation of an exempt nature from the meeting of the Campus West Cabinet Panel on 12 December 2016 was considered:-

The Cabinet Panel had reviewed the operation of the Zebra Card Discount Scheme at CW Entertainment.

RESOLVED:

That having considered options for the operation of the scheme and the Panel’s recommendations, Councillors not be included in the scheme and the discount rate to employees on all eligible services be reduced to 25%.