THREE RIVERS DISTRICT COUNCIL

At a meeting of the Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee held in the Colne Room, Watersmeet, Rickmansworth on Tuesday 6November 2012 from 7.30pm to9.25pm.

Present: -Councillors Alison Scarth (Chairman), Peter Wakeling (Vice-Chairman),Paula Hiscocks, Barbara Lamb MBE, David Major, Marie-Louise Nolan, Brian Norman and Sue Stibbs.

Apology for Absence: Councillor Ana Bakshi.

Officers: -Geof Muggeridge, Director of Community and Environmental Services

Clive Fuller, Principal Building Control Surveyor

Renato Messere, Head of Economic and Sustainable Development

Katherine Frost, Sustainable Projects Officer

Chris Fagan, Committee Manager.

In Attendance:CouncillorsSara Bedford, Ann ShawOBEand Martin Trevett.

SE25/12MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee held on 18September 2012 were confirmed as a correct record and were signed by the Chairman subject to the following correction:

Minute SE23/12 – Watford Credit Union Grant Funding

In the first bullet point the deletion of the number “17” and the insertion in its place of “13”.

SE26/12NOTICE OF OTHER BUSINESS

None.

SE27/12DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None.

SE28/12AMENDMENTS TO LOCAL VALIDATION CHECKLIST FOR PLANNING APPLICATIONS

The adopted Development Management validation checklist was produced in accordance with national guidance published by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The checklist set out national and local information requirements for planning applications to be validated. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) required such lists to be reviewed on a frequent basis. The report informed Members that the adopted validation checklist had been updated accordingly.

The Director of Community and Environmental Services advised that the checklist took no account of proposals for an extension of permitted development contained in the Government’s current Growth and Infrastructure Bill. A further report would be made following any legislative changes.

In response to Members’ questions the Director advised that:-

  • C-Plan energy statements were not required for applications other than new residential development and new commercial developments; however the Council was not reducing its sustainable energy standards;
  • it was considered most practicable to consider together for validation purposes applications for planning permission and applications for ListedBuilding or Conservation Area consent for specific sites;
  • planning application plans did not always include scaled drawings showing the effect of proposed developments on neighbouring properties because there was no legal requirement on applicants to provide them;
  • the consultation on the revised validation checklist had been undertaken on-line. One response had been received;
  • the charges set out in the Part B of the checklist document referred to Rickmansworth and hinterland which included Chorleywood. Maps were available identifying the areas concerned;
  • developers were entitled to appeal against the fees in the checklist if they considered them unreasonable and the Council would consider their representations.

Members supported the amendment of the recommendation to grant delegated authority to the Director of Community and Environmental Services in respect of future amendments to the validation checklist to provide for this to be done in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder. They also requested that all Members be notified when amendments were made so that Members could discuss any concerns with the Director of Community and Environmental Services.

ACTIONS AGREED:-

that the Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee recommends to the Executive Committee:

(1)to approve the changes to the Development Management validation checklist; and

(2)to recommend to the Council that the Director of Community and Environmental Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environmentbe authorised in to approve any other amendments to the validation checklistand to amend accordingly the Scheme of Delegation to Officers;and

(3)that all Members be notified when any such amendments are made.

SE29/12GREEN EXPECTATIONS – SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Green Expectations was a draft Sustainability Strategy for Three Rivers District Council which set out how the authority aimed to continue to reduce its impact on the local and global environments. This report requested approval to consult on the draft Strategy with key stakeholders and the general public in December 2012 and January 2013.

The Sustainable Projects Officerstated that the Strategy updated the Sustainability Action Plan which was agreed in March 2010. The consultation period was expected to last about six weeks.

Members expressed their appreciation for a valuable piece of work. They commented on a number of aspects as follows:

  • No specific reference to encouraging walking as a healthy and sustainable activity was made. This covered many aspects, among others the need to ensure that footpaths were kept in usable conditionand cleared of encroaching vegetation, particularly so that older walkers were not deterred from using them.

The Sustainable Projects Officer said that this could be made more specific in the action plan which would be developed from the Strategy.

  • Could Bishops Wood be included as a Local Nature Reserve?

The Sustainable Projects Officer undertook to consult the Council’s Biodiversity Officer on this matter.

Post Meeting Note:

A draft management plan for Bishops Wood and other woodland has been published for public consultation. It can be viewed viathe following weblink:

  • The problem of domestic water supply shortages was correctly highlighted, but how could the Strategy be implemented so as to secure reduced water usage and more efficient water supply to new developments? Information provided to the Environmental Forum indicated a substantial reduction in the water table, which was threatening rivers in the Chilterns.

The Sustainable Projects Officer replied that The County Council and Affinity Water would be working together on this issue during the next 12 months. Hertfordshire’s high domestic water use was generally acknowledged. Water use was already a factor in consideration of planning applications for new dwellings. The first steps would be for the Council and other organisations to establish the relevant facts and statistics of water use and to identify usage reduction targets.

  • The Strategy should be amended to state that three sites in the District held the Green Flag award, the third being Leavesden Country Park.

The Sustainable Projects Officer undertook to amend the draft Strategy accordingly.

  • Objective 6 should be reworded as follows: “Encourage residents to interact with and to preserve and enhance habitats and biodiversity.”
  • Could action be taken to reduce evening lighting in Three Rivers House?

The Sustainable Projects Officer replied that she understood that evening lighting in work areas was switched on by movement-sensitive detectors and might be on late due to people working or to security staff checking the building.

  • Flooding, especially in Rickmansworth and its neighbourhood, was recognised as a major risk. Members asked whether its priority in the Strategy should be raised. A Member observed that in past centuries much of Rickmansworth had been subject to winter flooding and today land in the vicinity of Tolpits Lane was on a flood plain. Building on flood plains led to increased risk of flooding.

Members noted that the prime responsibility for flood prevention lay with the County Council and considered that discussions should be held with the County Council to examine the areas of risk and potential measures to reduce these risks.

ACTIONS AGREED:-

that the Committee recommends to the Executive Committee:

(i)that the Green Expectations Sustainability Strategy and summary report are approved for public consultation subject to the amendments set out above; and

(ii)that a meeting be arranged with relevant officers of Hertfordshire County Council to consider flooding risks within Three Rivers District and appropriate prevention measures.

SE30/12HALF-YEARLY PERFORMANCE REPORT AND STRATEGIC, SERVICE AND FINANCIAL PLANNING 2013-2016

The Committee received a report on performance for the first six months of the current financial year, the Strategic Plan, the Committee’s service plans and the budgets to support them for the three years commencing on 1 April 2013.

The Director of Community and Environmental Services advised that most performance targets had been met fully or were within agreed tolerances. The only one which had not, SU01 – Turn-around of all land and property searches within three working days, had been affected by staff sickness. The current quarter’s performance was back on target. The content of the Strategic and Service Plans had been affected by the current restructuring of Council services, with newly-configured Services, Economic and Sustainable Development, Regulatory Services and Community Services alongside Building Control. Service and staff structure charts were being updated with relevant officers’ names for publicationon the Council website and Members would be informed when this was done.

Reports on the Service Plans were made as follows:

Economic and Sustainable Development

The Head of Economic and Sustainable Development drew attention to the revenue growth bid for economic development, for which no budget provision currently existed. One option was that the projected costs in 2013/14 and 2014/15 could be offset in part from the High Street Innovation Fund. Items within the bid included a survey of local businesses and the appointment of an assistant business adviser for a fixed term to help to administer a programme of support to businesses.

Members expressed strong support for the principle of encouraging apprenticeships but raised the following questions:

  • whether a survey of businesses might duplicate information already available from other sources, e.g. a recent survey of shops, records of the local Chambers of Commerce and WENTA;
  • what could be done to promote apprenticeships, either directly by the Council, by seeking sponsorships from local businesses or via support from national and County schemes;
  • whether effective liaison could be established with local schools and colleges to promote apprenticeships, youth training and employment opportunities; and
  • could the use of the vacant office space in Basing Housefor new business start-ups be explored.

The Head of Economic and Sustainable Development took note of these points. He advised that for effective help to businesses to be supplied, information was needed about the variety and needs of all types of business within the District. He also advised that whilst training programmes and assistance were available through partners and national programmes, help previously available to businesses through ‘Business Link’ had been scrapped by the Government and organisations such as WENTA did not have a base in Three Rivers.

The Director of Community and Environmental Services advised that the growth bid contained a number of potential ways of taking forward economic development, which were for decision by the Executive Committee and the Council. If Members had any further views they were welcome to send them to the Head of Economic and Sustainable Development.

Building Control

The Chief Building Control Surveyor reported that the Service continued to receive high levels of householder satisfaction and value for money scoring, revealed by surveys. The Service operated in a highly competitive market but had maintained 94% market share. There was however an increase in the number of domestic projects being controlled by the private sector, which was resulting in loss of income. Many benefits had been derived from working alongside staff from Watford Borough Council, who had provided both additional resources and expertise, although there had been no developments concerning a fully shared service. The South West Herts Service website had been put forward for a Customer Service Excellence (CSE) best practice award. The economic climate had led to increasing numbers of enforcement visits and two prosecutions were pending. Despite competition from the private sector the Service was still able to offer a high standard of performance as shown in thepublished performance indicators. The Service was also attracting interest from Agents in partnering with the Council under the LABC Partnership scheme. Due to the new flexible fee-setting structure (cost recovery) there had been increased interest in using the service from developers, for instance the developer of the Bellway site, Leavesden. The opportunity to tender for these larger developments had shown the Service to be competitive with the private sector, while retaining its high level of service, e.g. a greater number of site visits, appeared very attractive to customers.

Members asked whether the comments recorded under Staffing Implications regarding joint working with Watford could be modified to reflect the positive experience of current working. The Chief Building Control Surveyor stated that he would do so.

Regulatory Services 1

The Director of Community and Environmental Services reported with regard to those parts of Regulatory Services which were within the remit of the Committee. He stated that in 2013/14 this Service would include Building Maintenance. The new post of Head of Regulatory Services would be advertised shortly, to ensure that the appointed postholder was in place by April 2013. The chief operational change would be to combine the technical and administrative support sections of several departments to achieve greater efficiency and resilience. There would be improvements to the website to facilitate greater self-service by the public.

Members asked why certain performance targets such as DM01 and DM02, relating to the determination of planning applications within 8 weeks, appeared to have been set very low in relation to actual performance. The Director of Community and Environmental Services replied that these were national targets, but that the Service aimed for 100% determination within 8 weeks.

Members noted with satisfaction that the free walk-in duty Planning Officer service for pre-application advice would be maintained. They considered that this was a valuable service for applicants.

Community Services (Housing)

The Director of Community and Environmental Services introduced this Service Plan.

In response to questions the Director advised that:

  • people requiring temporary accommodation were placed in bed and breakfast accommodation when appropriate;
  • the historic difficulty in recruiting fully qualified/experienced new staff related to the District’s proximity to London, where salaries were higher.

In considering the Service Plans Members noted that they showed a substantial increase in budgeted Support Services charges and requested additional information about these. The Director of Community and Environmental Services undertook to ensure that this was provided to Members.

Post Meeting Note:

Support services charges are made for services provided by one section of the Council to another. They may be for work carried out in support of another department of the Council, for example, a charge from Office Services to Development Management, or they may represent the costs incurred by a department in support of one of its own services, for example Development Plans supporting Planning Economic Development.

For every support service charge made against a cost centre receiving an internal service, there is a recharge income to the cost centre providing that service. In other words, across the authority, the total of the support services charges equals the total of the recharges. Therefore the charges do not represent external expenditure.

The charges are calculated on percentages. In most instances the percentages used are the allocations of officer time on activities. The exceptions include HR, where the charge is based on employee numbers; Office Accommodation, based on floor area occupied; and Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, based on volumes of accounts processed.

The 2011/12 actuals for support services were based on actual expenditure incurred. The support services budgets for 2012/13 to 2014/15 were agreed in February 2012, based on earlier data and will be updated later this year based on actuals.

Any restructuring or reduction in service will result in a change in the support services charges.

ACTIONS AGREED:-

(1)that the Committee notes the content of the half-yearly performance report attached as Appendix 1;

(2)that the Committee notes the contents of the draft Strategic Plan attached as Appendix 2;

(3)that the Committee recommends to the Executive Committee the service plans attached at Appendices 3 to 6, subject to consideration of the concerns raised on the growth bid for Economic Development recorded above; and

(4)that the Committee notes the budgets and efficiency savings contained in the service plans and recommends to the Executive Committee its priorities for capital investment set out in Appendix 7.

SE31/12REVISED LOCAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME FOR THE LOCAL PLAN

The Committee was advised about proposed changes to the project timetable for the Local Plan (previously known as the Local Development Framework). The timetable was set out in a revised Local Development Scheme (LDS), a project plan which set out the timescales for production and adoption of Local Plan documents. Government approval for the revised LDS was required to enable the Local Plan to be taken forward.

The Head of Economic and Sustainable Development advised that there had been a slight slippage in the programme, but the Council was still the first in Hertfordshire to have achieved the adoption of a forward strategy.

In response to a Member’s question, the Head of Economic and Sustainable Development stated that external consultants would be used to assist with technical work because they had specialist skills. It would not be cost-effective to employ such staff directly.

ACTIONS AGREED:-

that the Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Policy and Scrutiny Committee recommends the Executive Committee:

(1)to approve the revised Local Development Scheme (LDS) as set out in Appendices 1 and 2; and