Agenda and minutes

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Media

Items
No. Item

EC125:

Welcome and Introductions

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised that the meeting was being streamed live on You Tube.

 

Click here to view the recording of the meeting.

EC126:

Appointment of Vice Chair for the meeting

Minutes:

Click here to view the You Tube recording of this item.

 

RESOLVED: Councillor Spikings was appointed Vice Chair for the meeting.

EC127:

Apologies for absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bower, Bullen and Lawrence.

EC128:

Minutes pdf icon PDF 299 KB

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: The Minutes from the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record. 

EC129:

Declarations of interest

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

 

Those declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

EC130:

Urgent Business

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair proposed to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

Minutes:

There was none.

EC131:

Members Present Pursuant to Standing Order 34

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and what items they wish to be heard before a decision on that item is taken.  

 

Minutes:

Councillors Morley, Parish, Rust and Ryves. 

EC132:

Chair's Correspondence

If any.

Minutes:

There was none.

EC133:

Statement of Licensing Policy pdf icon PDF 393 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Click here to view the You Tube recording of this item.

 

The Senior Licensing Officer presented the report. 

 

The Chair thanked the Senior Licensing Officer for her report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

 

The Panel was informed that two correspondence had been received, as attached.

 

Councillor de Whalley referred to paragraph 4.1 and the definition of Cumulative Impact and the Senior Licensing Officer provided clarification.  He suggested that the paragraph be made clearer.  He also referred to the term ‘evidence available’ and the Senior Licensing Officer explained that it meant evidence from responsible authorities.

 

The Senior Licensing Officer would amend the typo ‘do’ to ‘do so’ in Paragraph 23.4.

 

Councillor Kemp referred to the Coronavirus Pandemic and the Senior Licensing Officer explained that at the next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel in December the Panel would be provided with information on Covid Safe events and she would also produce a guidance note which could be circulated to the Panel.

 

Councillor Rust addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34.  She referred to the removal of weblinks within the Policy as they were no longer valid.  It was suggested by the Panel that a link to the Borough Council’s Homepage be included in the document. 

 

Councillor Morley addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34.  He referred to paragraph 4.4 which was the to encourage measures outside of the licensed premises and felt that suggested measures should be included.  The Senior Licensing Officer referred to public space protection orders and reminded the Panel that Section 182 guidance stated that the Policy needed to make clear that Licensing Law was not the primary mechanism for dealing with nuisance and antisocial behaviour.   

 

Councillor Ryves addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 he referred to public safety, the Coronavirus Pandemic and Temporary Event Licences.  The Senior Licensing Officer explained that unfortunately Public Health was not a licensing objective.  She reminded the Panel that each application would be considered on its own merit.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Kemp, the Senior Licensing Officer explained that licensed premises still had to comply with Coronavirus Legislation and conduct a risk assessment.

 

The Chair informed the Panel that he had received a request from a Member to consider Temporary Event Notices during the pandemic.  

 

RESOLVED: The Panel reviewed the recommended changes and agreed that the Council be invited to adopt the revised statement of Licensing Policy in accordance with the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003.

EC134:

Establishment of the Climate Change Informal Working Group pdf icon PDF 107 KB

Minutes:

Click here to view the recording of this item.

 

The Panel discussed the report which had been included in the Agenda.

 

Councillor de Whalley suggested that ‘to review Policy and made Recommendations’, be added to the proposed Terms of Reference.

 

The Panel discussed the Membership of the Group and it was explained by the Chair that more Members had put themselves forward to sit on the Group than there were spaces.

 

RESOLVED:

1. The Terms of Reference were agreed as:

           To input and monitor the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, review          Policy, make recommendations and feedback to the Environment and     Community Panel as appropriate.’

2. The Informal Working Group comprise of six Members.

3. The Democratic Services Officer to circulate the list of Members who had expressed an interest in the Informal Working Group and ask Members of the Panel to choose the six Members that they would like to sit on the Informal Working Group.

EC135:

Annual Update on the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Action Plan and Work of the Task Group

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Click here to view the recording of this item.

 

The Assistant Director and Housing Strategy Officer provided the Panel with information on the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Action Plan, as attached.

 

The Chair thanked officers for the update and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

 

Councillor Moriarty referred to allocating sites for affordable housing and Neighbourhood Development Orders.  Officers would look into this and provide the Panel with further information.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Bubb, it was explained that the Travelodge was left without any damage.

 

Councillors Squire and Kemp asked if care leavers would be prioritised as needed.  Officers agreed to provide the Panel with the relevant information on this.

 

Councillors Rust and Bambridge made reference to the figures stated for the amount of people sleeping rough in the town and the provision available.  Officers provided details of the amount of people who had used the Night Shelter and had been accommodated during ‘Everyone In’.

 

Councillor Rust raised concerns about assistance provided to those that were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless

 

Councillor S Collop informed the Panel that she was a Member of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Task Group and hoped that the Task Group should meet again as soon as possible, especially as the winter night shelter was about to open.

 

In response to a question it was confirmed that the latest number of rough sleepers in the town was eight, as recorded on 19th October.

 

RESOLVED: The update was noted.

EC136:

Work Programme and Forward Decision List pdf icon PDF 145 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor de Whalley informed the Panel that Jennifer Hobson who was leading on the Seals and Flying Rings Campaign would be prepared to provide an update to the Panel if required.

 

RESOLVED: The Panel’s Work Programme was noted.

EC137:

Date of the next meeting

To note that the next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 8th December 2020.

Minutes:

The next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel would be held on Tuesday 8th December 2020.

EC138:

Exclusion of Press and Public

To consider passing the following resolution:

 

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, 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 exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, 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 exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 or 3 of Part 1 of schedule 12A to the Act.

EC139:

EXEMPT - Homelessness Update

To receive an update from officers to include:

 

-       Funding opportunities

-       Projects

-       Threats and risks

-       Winter preparedness.

Minutes:

The Assistant Director and Housing Strategy Officer provided a presentation to the Panel which covered:

 

-       Threats and Risks

-       Covid Homelessness Costs

-       Funding Opportunities

-       Projects

-       Winter Preparedness

 

The Chair thanked officers for the update and invited questions and comments from the Panel.  Officers responded to questions relating to:

 

-       The amount of beds available and how many had been accommodated

-       The provision available and associated costs

-       Universal Credit and Benefits

-       Funding opportunities

-       Evictions

-       Welfare Cabins

 

RESOLVED: 1. The update was noted.

2. The Panel thanked officers for their work in this area, particularly during the Coronavirus Pandemic.