Agenda : Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 28/06/2004

Waverley Borough Council Committee System - Committee Document

Meeting of the Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 28/06/2004
Agenda

NOTE FOR MEMBERS

Contact officers are shown at the end of each report and members are welcome to raise questions, make observations etc. in advance of the meeting with the appropriate officer.

AGENDA

1. MINUTES

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 7th June 2004 (to be laid on the table half an hour before the meeting).

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

To receive apologies for absence and to report any substitutions.

3. DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

To receive from Members, in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting, disclosure of any interests which are required to be disclosed by Section 94(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 and in accordance with the Waverley Code of Local Government Conduct.

4. QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from members of the public of which notice has been duly given in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.

FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME

5. EXECUTIVE FOUR-MONTH ROLLING PROGRAMME

[Wards Affected: N/A]

To receive the Four-Month Rolling Programme of key decisions, which was considered by the Executive at its meeting on 15th June 2004, attached as Appendix A, and to identify any issues which the Committee would wish to have sight of before they are considered by the Executive.

6. COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME: IN-DEPTH REVIEWS

[Wards Affected: N/A]

It was agreed at the meeting on 16th March 2004 that the items to be included on the work programme for 2004/05 for in-depth reviews would be:-

(i) Development Control; and

(ii) Promoting Youth Activity in Sport and Countryside Pursuits

WORK PROGRAMME ITEMS

7. REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL

To receive an oral update from officers about progress on the review, including proposed sources of evidence and arrangements for gathering the views of planning and other relevant staff.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning has been invited to the Committee to present the Executive’s objectives for Development Control. The Committee will also be given the opportunity to give a detailed examination of the BVPIs and other relevant performance information and focus on key indicators.

OVERVIEW ISSUES

8. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE A3 HINDHEAD SCHEME BY THE HIGHWAY AGENCY

[Wards Affected: All Haslemere Wards]

The report at Appendix B sets out the proposed amendments to the A3 Hindhead highway scheme following public consultation.

Recommendation

That the amendments to the A3 Hindhead scheme proposed by the Highway Agency be supported, specifically:

1. the traffic management scheme for the Hazel Grove area;

2. the deletion of the Boundless Road junction and replacement with a design for Boundless Road to pass under the new A3; and

3. a new cycleway along the existing A3.

9. ENABLING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN WAVERLEY

[Wards Affected: All]

The environment in which the Council can enable the provision has significantly changed in the last two years and there are potentially more changes ahead. The future context in which the Planning and Housing Departments will have to operate, in order to secure affordable housing is somewhat uncertain at present.

The report at Appendix C:

1. provides background information about how affordable housing has been delivered in the past and the Council’s approaches to enabling affordable homes;

2. gives an update on the delivery of affordable housing across the Borough over the last financial year (2003/04) and the likely programme for 2004/05;

3. identifies the changes that have occurred in recent months in respect to affordable housing;

4. outlines some key issues and challenges for the future in relation to the delivery of affordable housing in the Borough;

5. acts as a discussion paper to start the debate as to how the Council might best operate in the new environment.

In short, many of the issues facing this and other Councils can be distilled into one fundamental question – how should ‘affordable housing’ be funded into the future?

It is intended that this paper should open the discussion about issues surrounding affordable housing into the future and that more detailed reports should return to the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and the Executive as national and regional policy become clearer, and as local responses to these issues are formulated.

Recommendation

This report is largely a scene-setting report pending further reports on specific issues. It is therefore recommended that:

1. the report be received;

2. Members express their views on the issues arising and challenges facing the Council as a Planning and Housing Authority and for:

a. Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider, in particular, the issues outlined in paragraph 22 a, b and c; and

b. Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider, in particular, the issues outlined in paragraph 22 d, e, f and g; and

3. opportunities to provide non-subsidised affordable housing be fully explored with organisations with which the Council has not traditionally worked and that there might be presentations to members, if appropriate;

4. further work be undertaken to establish a policy for the use of commuted sums which can be used for supporting affordable housing in the Borough;

5. further reports be brought before members as matters emerge, clarify or need resolution; and

6. the Executive note the comments and observations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committees on these issues, operating in their ‘overview’ role.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

10. BEST VALUE AND LOCAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: REVIEW OF WAVERLEY'S PERFORMANCE IN 2003-04

[Wards Affected: All]

The report at Appendix D gives details of Waverley's performance in 2003/04 in respect of best value and local performance indicators that fall within the remit of the Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee. These indicators will be reported in the Council's Corporate Plan 2004/05 which is due to be published on 30th June 2004.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Committee

1. notes the content of the report and Annexe 1;

2. indicates if it wishes to continue to consider all performance indicators within the Committee's remit or, should members wish to be more selective, which performance indicators it would like to focus on; and

3. agree any observations to be passed to the Executive.

11. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

To consider the following recommendation on the motion of the Chairman:-

Recommendation

That, pursuant to Procedure Rule 20, and in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during this item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information (as defined by Section 100I of the Act) of the description specified in the appropriate paragraph(s) of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act (to be identified, as necessary, at the meeting).

12. ANY OTHER ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED IN EXEMPT SESSION

To consider matters (if any) relating to aspects of any reports on this agenda which, it is felt, may need to be considered in Exempt session.


	For further information or assistance, please telephone Mahasti Ghavami, Trainee Committee Secretary on extension 3224 or 01483 523224.

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