Minutes for Local Development Framework Panel meeting, Nov 27 2008, 7.30PM official page

An officer introduced a report which identified the need to amend the existing Local Development Scheme to reflect recent changes to Planning legislation and to allow more time to prepare a robust evidence base for the Core Strategy.

The officer explained that the report had been deferred from the last meeting of the Panel.  The draft timings contained within the proposed Local Development Scheme had been presented to the Government Office for London (GOL) at a recent meeting in November 2008.  GOL reinforced the need for the Council to focus on the delivery of the Core Strategy above all other local development documents.  They had also agreed to allow the Council to continue working on a Harrow Town Centre Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document.

Another officer outlined the timelines involved with the priority 1 level documents including the Core Strategy Development Plan Document, the Harrow Town Centre Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document, the West London Joint Waste Development Plan Document and the Sustainable Building Design Supplementary Planning Document.

During the discussion on this item, Members raised a number of queries which officers responded to as follows:

·                     that the Greater London Authority had an overriding authority on the approval process of the Local Development Scheme should there be a disagreement between the Secretary of State and the Mayor of London;

·                     that the dates specified in the report for the examination in public and adoption for the Priority Two level documents should replace each other;

·                     that a diagram contained in the report depicted documents which were required to be progressed under the Local Development Framework.  A revised diagram would be produced in the final version of the Local Development Scheme to include completed documents such as the Harrow on the Hill Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Strategy and the Bentley Priory Supplementary Planning document;

·                     the Sustainable Community Plan was not part of the Local Development Framework Process although it was still an important consideration.  The Plan was a document prepared by the Harrow Strategic Partnership and was due to be revised in early 2009;

·                     that a standard and uniform term be used for the Trees and Allotments Supplementary Planning Document.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Cabinet)

That the draft revised Local Development Scheme, subject to the incorporation of the comments above, be approved for submission to the Government Office for London and the Greater London Authority.

Reasons for Recommendation:  (1)  To allow more time to prepare a robust evidence base for the Core Strategy and ensure that the Council stood the best possible chance of the Core Strategy being found sound by the Planning Inspectorate at examination in public and avoid unnecessary delays in the adoption of the Core Strategy.

(2)  To ensure interim design guidance was developed to help manage development pressure on Harrow Town Centre, whilst the Local Development Framework Core Strategy was being prepared for submission to the Secretary of State.

(3)  To ensure that the Council received the maximum possible amount of funds  ...  view the full minutes text for item undefined

The officer reported on the 4^th version of the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) which identified the performance of the Council for the past financial year, against a set of nationally and locally defined indicators designed to monitor the implementation and performance of planning policies.  The officer explained that there had been changes in the national Core Output Indicators which had resulted in the slight alteration of the format of the report.

The officer reported that document was still being updated and the Council had until the 31 December 2008 to complete the document.  Additionally the Council were still conducting work on the Housing Trajectory which had not yet completed for inclusion in the report.  It was anticipated that this would be completed for inclusion in the final version of the AMR.

A Member of the Panel requested that officers investigate whether hard copies of the AMR could be produced for circulation to Members of the Council and other relevant parties.  The Panel thanked officers for their work on the AMR.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Development and Enterprise)

That the Annual Monitoring Report be endorsed and approved for submission to the Secretary of State (via the Government Office for London) before the 31 December 2008.

Reason for Recommendation:  To enable the Council to comply with the requirement under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 for submission of the Annual Monitoring Report.

An officer introduced a report which set out the latest position on the preparation of the Joint Waste Development Plan Document (JWDPD) and arrangements for public consultation on an initial Issues and Options Report.  The officer reported that informal consultation on the document had commenced.  A public meeting was also scheduled for 2 December 2008.  It was envisaged that adoption of the document would take place in 2011.

In response to a query by a Member, the officer responded that the JWDPD was a document which would address issues on waste at a strategic level for all participating London boroughs. Issues relating to composting would be addressed in each borough’s local plans.  The Council would be addressing composting in the Waste Management Strategy.

The officer agreed to report to the Council’s Waste Management officers on the different composting techniques suggested by the Panel.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Cabinet)

That the latest position on the preparation of the Joint Waste Development Plan Document and arrangements for public consultation on an initial Issues and Options report be noted.

Reason for Recommendation:  To enable the panel to note progress on the preparation of the Joint Waste Development Plan Document and arrangements for public consultation on an initial Issues and Options report.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

Ordinary Member

Reserve Member

Councillor Marilyn Ashton

Councillor Dinesh Solanki

Councillor Husain Akhtar

Councillor Julia Merison

Councillor Navin Shah

Councillor Jerry Miles

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Agenda Item

Member

Nature of Interest

7.     Local Development Scheme – Revision

8.     Annual Monitoring Report 2007/08

9.     Joint Waste Development Plan Document Progress Report.

11.   Joint Waste Development Plan Document Progress Report

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Councillor Eileen Kinnear

The Member who was not a member of the Panel declared a personal interest in that she owned a property in the Town Centre. Councillor Kinnear remained in the room during the discussion and decision making on these items.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2008 and the two special meetings held on 29 October 2008 be taken as read and signed as correct records.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2008 and the two special meetings held on 29 October 2008 be taken as read and signed as correct records.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put or petitions received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rules 16 and 14 respectively.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  That in accordance with Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution) a deputation be received in respect of Agenda Item 7 – Local Development Scheme – Revision.

[Note:  During the deputation, the Panel agreed that the deputation did not accord with the content of the item.  The Panel agreed to hear the speaker as an additional item to ensure that the representations could be heard and that Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 be suspended for this additional item].

(See Minute 148).

Report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment.

(See Recommendation 1).

Report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment.

(See Recommendation 2).

Report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment.

(See Recommendation 3).

The Panel received a representation from Mrs Galbraith which related to using results of specific past consultations constructively and on how to improve future consultations.  Mrs Galbraith expressed concerns at the previous round of consultation held for the Core Strategy.  She also expressed that she believed that some of the responses provided had not been grouped constructively.  She requested that, on behalf of the Campaign for a Better Harrow Environment, she would like to examine responses to future consultations before a formal report was produced.  Mrs Galbraith requested that interested parties be consulted on how questionnaires be designed and advertised prior to public consultation.  Mrs Galbraith also requested that a machine readable version of the responses to the previous round of consultation on the Core Strategy be provided by officers.

RESOLVED:  That the comments be received and noted.

(See Minute 144).

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence, or of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972:

Agenda Item No

Title

Description of Exempt Information

11.

Appendix to Item 9 – Joint Waste Development Plan Document Progress Report.

Information under paragraph 5 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, relating to information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

RESOLVED:  That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item for the reasons set out below:

Item

Title

Reason

11.

Appendix to Item 9 - Joint Waste Development Plan Document Progress Report.

This item contained information under paragraph 5 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, relating to information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

Appendix to the report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment.

An officer introduced an exempt appendix which outlined the legal implications to the report on the Joint Waste Development Plan Document Progress Report.

RESOLVED:  That the exempt appendix be noted.