Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Democratic Services 01732 227247  Email: democratic.services@sevenoaks.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

13.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 34 KB

To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 15 June 2017, as a correct record.

 

 

Minutes:

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 13 July 2017 be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

 

14.

Declarations of interest

Any interests not already registered

Minutes:

There were no additional declarations of interest.

 

15.

Questions from Members

Minutes:

There were no questions from Members.

16.

Matters referred from Council, Audit Committee, Scrutiny Committee or Cabinet Advisory Committees pdf icon PDF 32 KB

Minutes:

a)           Planning Advisory Committee response to referral – Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Spending Board.

 

At Cabinet on 15 June 2017 (Minute 11), the following was referred to Planning Advisory Committee:

a)     Recommendation A from the Planning Advisory Committee of 16 May 2017 be referred back to the Planning Advisory Committee to devise a recommendation on a model for Spending Board similar to that applicable to Development Control Committee;

At Planning Advisory Committee on 22 June 2017 (Minute 15) this was considered and it was decided that: Officers be delegated authority to finalise a draft CIL spending Board protocol in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Chairman of the CIL spending board; the draft protocol be referred to Governance Committee; it be recommended to Cabinet that the CIL Spending Board consist of a fixed membership of 19 Members; and the draft protocol be recommended to Cabinet. 

 

The draft protocol was referred to Governance Committee on 27 June 2017 (Minute 6) and it the reference was noted; and no objection be raised with the proposed draft protocol.

 

Cabinet was therefore now being asked to note the action that had been taken and agree the protocol.  If minded to agree:

i)        delegate authority to the Head of Legal & Democratic Services to take the necessary changes and/or consequential amendments to the Councils’ Constitution to enact the agreed protocol; and

ii)      appoint the membership of the CIL Spending Board (as discussed in Appendix B).

Since the publication of the agenda work had been carried out by officers on theamendments required to the current CIL Spending Board terms of reference should the draft protocol be agreed, which were tabled. 

 

Members discussed the suggested membership of 19 and noted that the current Board including all the Members within the pool was 15 and was already politically proportionate.

 

Resolved:  That

 

a)     Officers be delegated authority to finalise a draft CIL Spending Board protocol after consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Portfolio Holder for Planning and Chairman of the CIL Spending Board;

 

b)     the tabled amended terms of reference be agreed (and form Appendix X1 of the Constitution);

 

c)     the Board consist of 15 Members (13 Conservative, 1 Liberal Democrat, 1 UKIP) (and form part of Appendix H of the Council’s Constitution); and

 

d)     the current membership remain as appointed on 9 May 2017 subject to the ‘pool’ being made permanent membership as follows -

 

Chairman: Cllr. Edwards-Winser

Vice Chairman: Cllr. Reay

 

Cllrs. Ball, Mrs. Bayley, Brown, Clack, Dyball, Halford, Kelly, Maskell, McArthur, McGregor, Parson, Purves and Miss. Stack.

 

17.

Redress Schemes for Lettings Agency Work and Property Management Work (requirement to belong to a scheme etc) (England) Order 2014 pdf icon PDF 18 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Housing & Health presented the report which advised Members that the Order made it a legal requirement for all lettings agents and property managers in England to join a Government-approved redress scheme by 1 October 2014.  Enforcement and the setting of the level of penalty charge applicable for a breach of the Order was the responsibility of the Council.  She advised that the Housing & Health Advisory Committee had considered and agreed to recommend the report to Cabinet.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

 

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

 

Resolved:  That a penalty charge of £5,000 for breaching the order, unless following representation extenuating circumstance applies, be approved.

 

 

18.

Housing Strategy 2017 pdf icon PDF 15 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Housing & Health presented the report which presented the findings of the recent public consultation on the new Draft Housing Strategy. The strategy set out a series of strategic priorities, many updated from the previous housing strategy, under the following three headings: providing a good mix of decent and affordable housing across tenures; Improving the quality and use of existing housing stock; and meeting the needs of vulnerable and low income households.  If approved, more detailed action plans (where required) would be prepared to deliver on the agreed strategies.  Once completed, these would be made available to Members as internal working documents.   

Both the Housing & Health Advisory Committee and the Planning Advisory Committee had considered the same report and agreed to recommend it.

Public Sector Equality Duty

 

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

          Resolved:  That it be recommended to Council that the Draft Housing Strategy be approved as District Council policy.  

19.

Sevenoaks District Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme Policy pdf icon PDF 18 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Health presented the report which set out the Council’s Policy for participating in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme (SVPRS) in Kent.  Members were asked to consider the report to Cabinet which recommended adoption of the Sevenoaks District SVPRS Policy to enable the Council to support the resettlement of Syrian refugee families, if suitable and affordable housing was identified.  Decision making on a case by case basis would be achieved through delegated powers to the Portfolio Holder responsible for Housing, following consultation with local Members. 

 

The Head of Housing and Health set out that Members were asked to adopt the Sevenoaks District SVPRS Policy to enable the Council to support the resettlement of Syrian refugee families.  A public speaker from Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees also spoke on the item and thanked the Council for its support.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

 

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved:  That

 

a)   the Sevenoaks District Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme set out in Appendix A be adopted; and

b)   authority be delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Housing to make decisions relating to the Sevenoaks District Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme Policy.

 

20.

Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme (VPRS) - Community Sponsorship Programme Resettlement Plan Assessment pdf icon PDF 16 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Housing & Health presented the report which sought Cabinet approval for the proposed assessment form following the meeting of Cabinet on 15 October 2016, when it was resolved that Officers work on and implement a process to consider applications from potential Community Sponsors under the Government’s Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme (VPRS) Community Sponsorship Programme. 

 

The Housing & Health Advisory Committee had considered and noted the same report.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

 

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

 

Resolved:  That

a)     the assessment form for the Council’s response to Community Sponsorship Programme Resettlement Plan applications as set out at Appendix A to the report, be agreed; and

b)   authority be delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Housing, following consultation with local Members, to make decisions relating to the VPRS Community Sponsorship Programme Resettlement Plan assessment.

21.

Local Plan Issues and Options pdf icon PDF 14 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Strategic Planning Manager presented a report detailing the Issues and Options document which represented the first public consultation in the process of preparing a new Local Plan to replace the adopted Core Strategy 2011 and Allocations and Development Management Plan 2015. The document reflected other strategic documents of the Council in particular, the Corporate Plan, Community Plan and the housing and economic development strategies. Evidence for the consultation had been assembled over a two year period. An eight week consultation will be followed by a period when responses would be assessed and a draft Local Plan prepared for further public consultation.

 

The Planning Advisory Committee had considered the report and had agreed to recommend to Cabinet.  The Chairman and Vice Chairman of that Advisory Committee both spoke in support of the recommendation and it was agreed that both of them, and not just the Chairman, would be consulted by the Chief Planning Officer when finalising consultation questions and any non-substantive text amendments.

 

The Chairman had agreed to exercise his discretion and allowed a member of the public to address the Committee.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

 

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

 

Resolved:  That

 

a)   the Sevenoaks District Local Plan 2015 – 2035 Issues and Options document be agreed for public consultation; and

 

b)   the finalisation of consultation questions and any non-substantive text amendments required in the document be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer following consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder and Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Planning Advisory Committee.

 

 

IMPLEMENTATION OF DECISIONS

IMPLEMENTATION OF DECISIONS

 

This notice was published on 14 July 2017.  The decisions contained in Minutes 16 and 17 take effect immediately.  The decisions contained in Minutes 20 and 21 take effect on 24 July 2017.  The decisions contained in Minutes 18 and 19 are references to Council.

 

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