Agenda item

1.            Question to the Leader of the Council from Councillor Thusu

“Not the last Full Council, but the one before I proposed a motion whereby the Borough Council as the lead planning authority played an active role in ensuring the future residents were protected from leasehold or as some have termed fleasehold. After much debate there seemed to be common consensus that the council would be willing to undertake a cross party working group to look at what can be done to protect our future home owners. Would the relevant portfolio holder be willing to update myself and other councillors on how they propose this to be taken forward?” 

Answer from Councillor Holloway

“Thank you for your question Cllr Thusu.

Members will recall that at that Full Council meeting, both the original motion and the amended motion were withdrawn on the basis that a Task and Finish Scrutiny would look at the issue of excessive and unfair charges to householders in the new Municipal year.  

Cllr Zukowskyj also extended the offer of working with Cllr Thusu to take up the issue with Cllr Richard Roberts at Hertfordshire County Council to explore whether further engagement could be held with the developers through the Hertfordshire Development Quality Charter - and I understand that you both had a conversation after the meeting and resolved to engage with Councillor Roberts. Cllr Zukowskyj has had that conversation with Cllr Roberts and that there was agreement that this would be looked into.

Officers did bring up the topic in the first workshop with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, however the topic was not chosen to be on the O&S work programme.

Notwithstanding this, I’m happy to ask our Executive Member for Planning, Cllr Rose Grewal, as well as Cllr Russ Platt, who is the Lib Dem lead on Planning issues to meet with you and consider what we could collectively do.

As I understand it the new Labour government has a strong focus on the sector and is committed to publishing a draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform bill in the 24/25 Parliamentary session. 

Again, as I understand it, the draft legislation is intended to implement new protections for freehold homeowners who contribute towards estate costs and will include a consultation on the best way to address the injustices of fleecehold estates and unfair maintenance costs. 

This will hopefully go much further than the measures included in the Leasehold and Reform Act 24, which received Royal Ascent before the General Election this year - and we will continue to monitor this, and input to any consultation to this effect when the opportunity presents itself.

I will however pick up on the conversations had by Cllr Zukowskyj with Cllr Roberts at the next meeting of the Hertfordshire Growth Board to follow up on progress.”

Supplementary question

“Thank you very much, Councillor Holloway, that's immensely detailed, and I also appreciate Councillor Zukowskyj speaking to Richard Roberts, I also had a conversation along those lines.

As you mentioned that there is some talk of some consultation, or rather something coming through 2024/25, which may well actually mean that it won't be until after 2025, we will have some idea. I appreciate that whatever we come up with as a council may be superseded by what comes from that. Is it of your opinion or perhap your administration's opinion is we get ahead of the game slightly and try and see what we think is the best practice forresidents and see how that fills in with whatever government legislation comes through, or are you more minded wait until you understand what happens and then go from there?”

Supplementary answer

“No absolutely, I think we should do that. I think ultimately, if we're going to be inputting in a consultation in any way let's at least have some ideas that we want to input into that consultation

Let's look to organise that meeting between ourselves and we can start to kick something off.”

2.            Question to the Deputy Leader from Councillor Fitzsimon

“I am a frequent visitor to Stanborough Lakes over the last five years and a lot of people come from some distances to go there. I have been concerned recently by the lack of maintenance in some areas which can be Health and Safety issues. The wooden decking area next to the hut on the south Lake has some large holes in it and one of the surrounding steel bars to prevent access has become very loose. There are three areas as you come out of the underpass to access the North Lake of brick paving that are broken and are a trip hazard. Can I ask if the Cabinet Member for the Environment aware of these issues?” 

Answer - Councillor Quinton:

“Good evening Cllr Fitzsimon and thank you for your question. I’m glad that you and an increasing number of people are enjoying visiting Stanborough Park. It has certainly become much more popular since Splashlands opened in 2020.

We have looked into the issues you have raised, which lie within the remit of our Leisure contractor, GLL. They have confirmed that interim works to ensure the safety of visitors will be conducted. Work on the decking and railings are planned as part of the winter maintenance program so will be repaired fully at that stage.

The paving in the underpass is a more complex issue. It has been repaired before, but the high river levels have caused erosion under the path and GLL working with other agencies are seeking a more permanent solution.

Lastly, I would encourage members to address casework enquiries such as this to our Members Enquiry system in the first instance. Alternatively members can direct relevant queries to myself as the Cabinet member responsible for leisure.”

3.            Question to the Executive Member for Planning from Councillor Kingsbury

"Given the new Labour government’s push to increase development and the pending local plan review in Welwyn Hatfield, can the portfolio holder clarify the government's references to 'Grey Belt' and provide examples of Grey Belt land within the Borough?"

Answer - Concillor Grewal:

“Thank you for the question.

As councillors will know, the government is currently consulting on a raft of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, as part of measures to help address the housing and economic growth challenges facing the country. This Council will be submitting its comments to that consultation, following the discussion at last night’s Cabinet Planning and Parking Panel meeting.

The government has made clear that previously developed brownfield land will continue to be prioritised for redevelopment. However, the consultation also proposes the introduction of a definition of grey belt land, within the wider designated green belt.

In summary, grey belt is defined as “land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and any other parcels and/or areas of the Green Belt that make a limited contribution to the five Green Belt purposes, as set out in national policy”. It is important to note that this would exclude areas such as SSSIs, designated heritage assets, designated Local Green Space and other designated sites.

The NPPF consultation recognises that authorities will need support in judging whether land makes a limited contribution to Green Belt purposes. The consultation proposes a series of criteria for land to be considered grey belt. To be considered Grey Belt land will not strongly perform against any Green Belt purpose; and have at least one of the following features.

•           Land containing substantial built development or which is fully enclosed by built form

•           Land which makes no or very little contribution to preventing neighbouring towns from merging into one another

•           Land which is dominated by urban land uses, including physical developments

•           Land which contributes little to preserving the setting and special character of historic towns

This definition is subject to a live consultation and so could be subject to further change.

For Welwyn Hatfield, there may be sites within our Green Belt areas which would fall within the proposed definition of grey belt.  We already know from previous analysis of the borough’s Green Belt, undertaken to support the current Local Plan, that areas of Green Belt contribute to the Green Belt purposes to different degrees, some less than others.

Further Green Belt assessment work to support the Local Plan Review will be necessary and will assist in identifying whether there are areas of the Green Belt that could be considered Grey Belt. 

The Council’s Green Belt assessment work and any future updates will be considered at examination, by an Inspector, as a whole.  It should be noted that currently, the Council’s Green Belt assessment work has not identified any parcels of land, that were the subject of assessment, as not strongly performing against any Green Belt purpose.  

Finally, the government consultation makes clear a desire to protect land which makes a strong contribution to Green Belt purposes, while allowing authorities to consider a range of Green Belt land based on its merits for potential development.

Planning applications on sites which come within the grey belt definition will still be subject to all of the other usual material planning policies and considerations.”

Supplementary question

“That question was written before CPPP that I was at last night. The term “green belt” seemed to some ways to be a way of justifying conversion of more green belt land for development. Just very simple question would you agree that in general it's essential to preserve as much of the green belt was possible?

Supplementary answer

“I think that one of the things that is a requirement within the consultation is a review of green belt. I think most boroughs are going to be asked to do that and I think that we won't know what we are going to be asked to be do within the new NPPF. The final real definition of whether we are going to be asked to do a review of the whole of the green belt, or whether we will have to define grey belt areas will be know better when we actually see the final MPPF. I think that you know that Councillor Kingsbury at the CPPP last night, the officers in their response to the consultation did say that we do need more clarity, so I really to accept that in terms of the terms associated with grey belt and how this will work in practice that we've asked for that clarity so that's the situation with that.”

4.            Question to the Leader of the Council from Councillor Jones

“The Liberal Democrat Party noted the recent announcement by the Labour Government to restrict eligibility of Winter Fuel Payments to only those in receipt of Pension Credits (and other benefits) and believe this criteria is too restrictive. Many people affected by this change have also been given insufficient time to budget for the winter ahead.

With the Energy Price Cap due to rise by 10% in October as well, many pensioners in Welwyn Hatfield could potentially fall into fuel poverty. 

The low take up of pension credit is deeply concerning and this Council has a role to play in increasing awareness of benefits such as Pension Credit to ensure people are aware of the support they are entitled to.

Could the Joint Administration assure residents that an awareness campaign to maximise uptake of pension credits can be initiated to help as many of those affected as possible?”

Answer – Councillor Holloway:

“Thank you for your question Cllr Jones.

When faced with a £22 billion black hole in public finances left by the previous government, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have very little choice but to make some very tough and painful decisions. 

The Joint Administration is committed to support an awareness campaign to maximise the uptake of pension credits.  I’m aware that officers are working on the following activities:

-       The next issue of the One Magazine, which is distributed to all households in the borough, will contain an article to promote pension credit

-       Running an awareness campaign through Social media

-       Running an awareness campaign through our communications with our tenants

-       Working with voluntary organisations including Citizens Advice to promote the uptake of pension credit

-       Raising the awareness of pension credit through the council’s engagement activities/events

The campaign will run between now and throughout winter.”