To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 14 July 2016, as a correct record.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meetings of Cabinet held on 14 July 2016, be approved and signed as a correct record.

Any interests not already registered

There were none.

Cllr Purves asked a question about procurement for the construction of Bradbourne Multi Storey Car Park.  She said that she assumed the contractor had been selected by competitive tender and asked:

“What is the budgeted cost, who is responsible if construction runs over budget and has this budgeted cost been agreed by Full Council?”

The Leader of the Council responded that all contracts let by the Council have to be compliant with legislation and that the OJEU rules did not apply in this case as Willmott Dixon were a pre-approved contractor, which had already been through the OJEU process as part of a procurement framework.  The contractor would bear responsibility for construction running over budget.  The Leader of the Council undertook to arrange for details of the full budgeted cost to be provided to Cllr Purves and stated that the cost had been agreed by Full Council.

Cllr Purves then asked a supplementary question requesting details of the Full Council at which the cost of development was approved.

The Leader of the Council undertook to provide such details to Cllr Purves.

There were none.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning presented the report which set out a proposed Masterplan for Swanley and Hextable for public consultation.  The Strategic Planning Manager outlined that the Masterplan set out a 20 year Vision for regeneration.  It provided the means of formulating a cohesive and ambitious Vision for medium to longer term regeneration and growth and provided a focus on the large scale infrastructure projects needed to help achieve a positive transformation.He advised that the Planning Advisory Committee had considered and debated the same report and agreed to recommend it to Cabinet subject to a consultation strategy. 

The consultation strategy, which had been drawn up since the meeting of the Planning Advisory Committee, was presented to Cabinet by the Planning Policy Team Leader and was attached to the minute reference from the Planning Advisory Committee for Cabinet’s consideration.

The Chief Officer (Communities and Business) confirmed that there would be a newsletter delivered to each household at the beginning of the consultation period and that further consultation would take place online, through workshops, through consultation of Town and Parish Councils, by ‘drop in’ consultation in Swanley town centre and Hextable, a similar ‘drop in’ at Whiteoak Leisure Centre and a household survey.  Following a request from a Member it was confirmed that adjacent parish councils would also be invited to comment.

Public Sector Equality  Duty

Members were reminded of the requirement, under the Public Sector Equality Duty (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010) to have due regard to (i) eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, (ii) advance equality of opportunity between people from different groups, and (iii) foster good relations between people from different groups.  As above, subject to the outcome of public consultation the Masterplan Vision would be refined as an Area Action Plan element of the new Local Plan. The preparation and adoption of a Local Plan would directly impact on end users, and the impacts would be analysed via an Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) to be prepared alongside each key stage of plan making.

Resolved:  That

a)     a Masterplan for the future regeneration and growth of Swanley and Hextable be considered, and the Vision agreed, and Scenario 3 - the transformational growth option - be taken to a full 8 week public consultation;

b)     a full detailed consultation strategy be put in place; and

c)     authority be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder, to make any subsequent changes to the Masterplan as necessary.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning presented the report which sought approval to go to public consultation.  The Conservation Officer advised Cabinet that the report actioned policy EN.4 of the Allocations and Development Management Plan (ADMP) by creating a draft Sevenoaks District Local List Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for public consultation.  The compilation of the proposals to initiate the Sevenoaks District Council’s Local List SPD had been a good example of partnership working between the local community and the District Council to action SDC policy. The draft SPD identified criteria for local listing and the buildings, structures and spaces which met that criteria within the Sevenoaks town area.

The Chief Planning Officer advised that the Planning Advisory Committee had considered and debated the same report and agreed to recommend it to Cabinet.  He also explained that there was no appeal from inclusion on the Local List and that inclusion on the list simply reflected that an asset was already of heritage value.

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

Resolved:  That

a)     the draft Local List Supplementary Planning Document, be approved; and

b)     the commencement of the public consultation exercise on the draft Local List Supplementary Planning Document be approved.

A moment’s silence was held in memory of Cllr. Robert Brookbank who had recently died.

IMPLEMENTATION OF DECISIONS

This notice was published on 11 August 2016.  The decision contained in Minute 23 takes effect immediately. The decision contained in Minutes 22 takes effect on 19 August 2016.