Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Forde House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4XX

Contact: Neil Aggett  Email: comsec@teignbridge.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

418.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 56 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 5 April 2018 (previously circulated).

 

Minutes:

Minutes of the meeting on 5 April 2018 were confirmed, approved and signed as a correct record.

 

 

419.

Newton Abbot Primary School

Minutes:

The Leader advised that the annual visit of the Newton Abbot Primary Schools had taken place recently. This had been an entertaining day and the pupils had given feedback on the Local Plan and the Leisure Strategic Plan.

 

 

420.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Councillor Bullivant declared an interest in respect of Minute no.398 (Local Plan Review: Issues Consultation including supporting documents) as his son was a Local Estate Agent in the area and knew some of the landowners. He did not take part in the debate and did not vote (Code of Conduct for Members - Paragraph 14).

 

421.

Notice of Motion under Council Procedure Rule 4.5(l)

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Hook and supported by Councillors Connett, Dewhirst, Keeling, Nutley and Rollason at the Full Council meeting on 22 February 2018 and referred to the Executive for consideration.

 

 This Council notes with concern:

 

·         That 300 million tonnes of new plastic is made each year, half of which is for single use plastic such as packaging and convenience foods. In many cases, such as plastic straws, takeaway food containers and coffee cups, there are practical alternatives available that are either reusable or sustainable.

 

·         That in 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimated that by weight, there could be more plastic in our oceans than fish, as soon as 2050. As plastics are durable and strong they will stay in the environment for up to an estimated 600 years. (Columbia University).

 

·         That marine plastic leads to coastal/offshore dead zones, entanglement, death through ingestion, toxic transfer and, once degraded into micro plastics, contamination of the food chain... including our own. We are quite literally eating the plastic that has ended up in our seas.

 

Council welcomes:

 

·         Moves towards Deposit Return Schemes

 

·         The success of the "Plastic Bag Levy" introduced by the Coalition Government of 2010-15, which has lead to a 90% reduction in plastic bag usage.

 

·         The success reported from councils both in Devon and around the country in reducing plastic waste and improving recycling figures by the introduction of a three weekly residual waste service.

 

Therefore this council commits to playing its full role in reducing plastic waste, specifically:

 

·         That the council will undertake an audit, within existing resources, of single use plastics used by the Authority and seek to replace with sustainable or renewable alternatives wherever practical.

 

·         That the council will play its part in educating the public about plastic waste, specifically by including information on reducing plastic waste in both online and written materials.

 

·         That the council will introduce, following appropriate trials, a three weekly residual waste collection scheme to encourage plastic recycling ( as well as all other recycling) and thus start to improve our recycling figures which have been flat lining for far too long.

 

·         That the council will use its best offices to work with all other local authorities in Devon to achieve a Devon wide consensus to see a similar system implemented by all collection authorities within the county.

 

·         To write to both our members of Parliament and the European Parliament, and to the secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, urging them to consider legislation and regulations which will reduce the amount of single use plastic used by society.

 

·         To use all links that we have with business in Teignbridge to encourage them to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced and specifically to contact our major supermarkets asking them to consider introducing a "plastic free aisle" in the local stores on a trial basis.

 

Councillor Hook, as proposer of the Motion, commented that action was required to stop and prevent marine pollution  ...  view the full minutes text for item 421.

422.

Revised Draft National Planning Policy Framework Consultation Response pdf icon PDF 80 KB

To consider the Revised Draft National Planning Policy Framework Consultation Response.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Principal Delivery Officer presented the report to consider the Government’s proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and confirm the Council’s consultation response. The current framework was introduced in 2012, as part of a bid to reform the planning system and the revised draft framework for consultation was published on 5 March 2018.

 

Members were advised that the proposed NPPF changes focused on boosting housing supply and the main implication would be around the change to the delivery of new homes. They were advised of the key points:-

 

·         Calculation of Housing Need

·         Housing Delivery Test

·         Five Year Housing Land Supply

·         Explicit support for Joint Strategic Plans

·         Introduction of more detailed Viability Guidance

·         Develop allocations of varying sizes and custom build implications

·         Redefining Affordable Housing

·         Providing high quality broadband

 

An earlier version of the report had been considered at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 9 April 2018 and its comments and updates to the consultation were noted.

 

Members raised issues with regards to the public veto over wind energy development and the need for improved sustainable transport.

 

A Member thanked officers for their work on this consultation.

 

During discussion the Executive raised the following points:-

 

·         Provision of Broadband

·         Support for smaller business

·         Work on the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) and how this could affect the five year housing supply

·         Land values being publicly available

·         Potential to borrow against Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to put in place infrastructure before developments were started

·         Affordable rented homes

·         Need to ensure that the allocation of employment land was not lost to higher land values.

 

The Business Manager Strategic Place commented that no formal decision had been taken regarding whether the GESP would set out a single overall five year housing supply or if the authorities would have individual targets.

 

The Principal Delivery Officer responded to enquires as follows:-

·         Local authorities were required to demonstrate five year supplies of deliverable housing sites; there was clarification required around deliverable sites where outline (but not detailed) planning permissions had been given

·         There was a role for the Local Plan in the protective allocation of employment land

·         The draft NPPF proposed that viability assessments should be published including land price

·         There should be some flexibility to forward fund CIL Infrastructure

 

These points would be addressed though amendments to the consultation response.

 

RESOLVED that the draft response to the revised draft National Planning Policy Framework consultation that is set out at Appendix A with the additions from Executive be approved.

 

423.

Revised Local Development Scheme pdf icon PDF 81 KB

To consider the Revised Local Development Scheme Review.

 

Minutes:

The Business Manager Strategic Place presented the report which provided a revised timetable for the Local Development Scheme (LDS) Plan preparation. The timetable would be published on the Council’s website and come into effect from the agreed date. Members were advised that the LDS was a statutory statement of the timetable for local plan preparation and it included the proposed timetable for the preparation of the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP).  The GESP had been held up by a number of factors including the complexity of transport work and therefore the draft plan was proposed to be published in June 2019 which would also avoid issues associated with purdah. The other authorities that were part of GESP would be taking a report to update their LDS in the next couple of months.

 

The Executive supported the proposal.

 

RESOLVED that the Local Development Scheme be approved and be brought into effect from 8 May 2018.

 

424.

Local Plan Review: Issues Consultation including supporting documents pdf icon PDF 79 KB

To consider the Local Plan Review: Issues Consultation including supporting documents.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Bullivant declared an interest as his son is a Local Estate Agent and knew some of the landowners. He did not take part in the debate and did not vote (Code of Conduct for Members - Paragraph 14).

 

The Principal Planning Policy Officer presented the report to update Members on the Local Plan Review. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered the Local Plan Review: Issues Paper and supporting documents on the 9 April 2018. The Teignbridge Local Plan 2020-2033 was adopted on the 6 May 2014 and the five years was therefore up in May 2019. The Local Plan Review Issues report and supporting documents included the Statement of Community Involvement, Settlement Boundary Review and Settlement Hierarchy Review. There would be a comprehensive consultation process which would include Council Members, Town and Parish Councils, Neighbourhood Planning Groups and other stakeholders during the eight week consultation period. The consultation process would include evenings and Saturday workshops.

 

Some Members raised the issue of new housing developments being self-sufficient with the provision of community facilities which would help reduce traffic movements and congestion; the need to ensure that there were affordable houses to rent as well as to buy; and suitable accommodation for the over 65’s.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources commented that there was a viability issue with retail units on a number of the new estates.

 

The Principal Planning Policy Officer advised that the achievement with regards to affordable housing provision were detailed in the consultation document.

 

A Member thanked the officers for all their work in putting these consultation documents together.

 

The Executive noted that these documents which would now go out to public consultation.

 

RESOLVED that the;-

 

a)    Local Plan Review Issues Paper and supporting documents attached to this report be approved for public consultation between 21 May 2018 and 16July 2018; and

 

b)    delegated authority be given the Strategic Place Business Manager to approve the Sustainability Appraisal (SA)/Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitat Regulation Assessment Scoping report for consultation between 21 May 2018 and 16 July 2018.

 

 

425.

Teignbridge Economic Development Plan 2018 - 23 pdf icon PDF 62 KB

To consider the Teignbridge Economic Development Plan 2018 – 23.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Economy Manager presented the report which provided Members with the draft Economic Development Plan 2018-2023 and sought approval for the Plan to be the subject of public consultation. The plan had been developed to deliver commitments as set out in the Council’s Strategy, in particular the ‘Going to Town’ and ‘Investing in Prosperity’. The plan had input from the Economic Development Review Group of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Stakeholders would be consulted including Chambers of Commerce, business networking groups, Town and Parish Councils and neighbouring authorities.    

 

The report had been considered at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 9 April 2018 and the comments with regards to engagement with schools and colleges and support for the regeneration of town centres would be included in the plan.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Environment Services commented that it was important that business rates remained affordable to ensure that small business could continue to thrive.

 

In response to Members’ enquiries, the Economy Manager clarified that there was work being undertaken towards the installation of free Wi-Fi for anyone visiting the town centre of Newton Abbot and that comments on the Town Centre Manager Post for Teignmouth and Dawlish and all town centres regeneration would be taken into account.

 

The Executive welcomed and endorsed the plan for public consultation.

 

RESOLVED that the Teignbridge Economic Development Plan 2018-23 be approved for public consultation.

 

 

426.

Dawlish Warren Car Parks Improvements pdf icon PDF 77 KB

To consider the Dawlish Warren Car Park Improvements.

 

Minutes:

The Business Manager, Strategic Place Economy & Assets presented the report to obtain the Executive’s approval to invest funding to carry out improvement works at Dawlish Warren car parks.

 

Members were informed that there were areas within the Dawlish Warren car parks which required significant improvement works to alleviate health and safety issues and to extend the ongoing serviceability of this important Council asset. The planned works entailed resurfacing of the inner car park, filling potholes in the stone areas, improvements to drainage in both car parks, relining parking spaces and providing improved pedestrian walkways.  There would be a marginal gain in spaces totalling 11.

 

Members were advised that the £220,000 capital expenditure would be funded by revenue contributions of £47,560 and capital receipts of up to £172,440 and a tender had been produced and procured following a compliant procurement process.

 

In response to Members, the Business Manager, Strategic Place Economy & Assets clarified the time scales for the project and that the completion date was expected to be 20 July 2018 before the start of the summer school holidays.

 

The Executive welcomed and endorsed the improvements.

 

RESOLVED that the £220k capital expenditure, funded by revenue contributions of £47,560 and capital receipts of up to £172,440, for the improvement works at Dawlish Warren car park be approved and to award a contract following a compliant procurement process.

 

 

427.

Executive Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 174 KB

To note forthcoming decisions anticipated to be made by the Executive over the next 12 months.

Minutes:

Details were noted of the Forward Plan for the next 12 months.