Agenda and minutes

AGREED:  Councillor R Blunt be appointed Chairman for the Municipal Year 2019/2020.

AGREED:  Councillor T Parish be appointed Vice-Chairman for the Municipal Year 2019/2020.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor J Moriarty.

The notes of the meeting held on 6 March 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

There were no matters arising.

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 Members should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These 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.

There were no declarations of interest.

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

There was no urgent business.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chairman.

There were no Members present under Standing Order 34.

There was no Chairman’s correspondence.

The Principal Planner tabled a document on the Draft Local Plan Review (2016 – 2026) Consultation Overview, a copy of which is attached to the notes.

The Task Group was informed that responses to the consultation had been captured online and were all publically available.  Following this, the comments were being collated and would be presented to future meetings of the Task Group, together with responses and revised policies.

In response to questions on the consultation exercise, the Principal Planner explained that this was also an opportunity for new sites to have been submitted for consideration as well as any comments on any part of the Local Plan and the associated supporting documents.

The Principal Planner and Principal Planner Policy and Water Management Officer gave a presentation, a copy of which is attached to the notes.

The Chairman and officers responded to questions relating to:

·         National Planning Policy Framework.

·         Government policies.

·         Key drivers identified in the presentation.

·         Role of the Norfolk Strategic Planning Forum.

·         Environmental measures which could be potentially considered when new properties were built and cost implications, as well as benefits – for example, photovoltaic panels, water efficiency devices.

·         The Council’s duty to co-operate.

·         Further work to be undertaken in relation to both adaptation and mitigation measures.

·         EU legislation.

·         Sustainability appraisal.

·         List of documents on the Borough Council’s website which planning agents are required to use for planning applications. 

·         Coastal Change Management Area.

·         Habitats Regulation Levy currently £50 per new dwelling, as a one-off payment and ability to review/increase levy.  How levy is allocated/spent.

·         Potential work required to address the reduction of carbon.

·         Renewable energy/encouragement for electric vehicles and relevant charging points.

·         Cost of modular housing.

·         Custom and self-build scheme.

·         Borough Council’s response corporately to climate change – officers advised this was being developed.

·         West Winch Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

AGREED:  Website links relating to the legislation, documents/information referred to in the presentation to be collated and shared with the Task Group.

In response to questions on the proposed indicative timetable set out in the work programme, the Chairman, Councillor Blunt explained that the dates were flexible and would be agreed at each meeting.

The next meeting of the Task Group will take place on Wednesday 14 August 2019 at 10 am in Meeting Room 2-4, King’s Court, Chapel Street,

The next meeting of the Task Group will take place on Wednesday 14 August 2019 at 10 am in Meeting Room 2-4, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn.