Agenda and minutes
PDF 100 KBVenue: Meeting Room 1, 135 Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, Milton, OX14 4SB
Contact: Susan Harbour, Democratic Services Team Leader
Note: AGENDA will be published on home page of this website
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Notification of substitutes and apologies for absence To record the attendance of substitute members, if any, who have been authorised to attend in accordance with the provisions of standing order 17(1), with notification having been given to the proper officer before the start of the meeting and to receive apologies for absence. Minutes: None. |
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Minutes and actions arising and referral To agree and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2015 (attached).
Actions arising and outcomes
Referrals made to other bodies
Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2015 were agreed as accurate and were signed by the Chair.
The Chair reported back that the portfolio holders had had a positive meeting with Sovereign Vale Housing Association who would work to put right concerns raised by councillors and would bring proposals forward on improved joint working. |
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Declarations of interest To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. Minutes: None. |
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Urgent business and Chair's announcements To receive notification of any matters which the Chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances, which have made the matters urgent.
To receive any announcements from the Chair. Minutes: None. |
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Statements, petitions and questions from the public relating to matters affecting the Scrutiny Committee Any statements and/or petitions from the public under standing order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting. Minutes: These would be heard later in the agenda with the item on the Botley Supplementary Planning Document. |
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Work schedule and dates for all South and Vale scrutiny meetings To review the attached scrutiny work schedule. Please note, although the dates are confirmed, the items under consideration are subject to being withdrawn, added to or rearranged without further notice.
Minutes: This was noted. No amendments were made. |
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Botley Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) To consider the report of the head of planning (attached). Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered the report from the head of planning on the proposed Botley Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).
Before discussing the issue, the Committee heard the comments and questions of members of the public and councillors, not on Scrutiny Committee, who had registered to speak.
Mary Gill, a local resident, spoke about questions which had been raised by West Way Community Concern, and also by Riki Therivel, about the legality of the process of the preparation and consultation on the SPD.
Neil Rowley from Savills, the agent for Mace, gave his view on the content of the SPD and outlined the representations they had made, and the consultation process that they ran alongside the SPD to understand local views on thesite.
Councillor Emily Smith, one of the ward councillors, spoke about her concerns relating to the height and scale of the SPD for Botley Centre and also raised her concerns about the consultation process. Councillor Dudley Hoddinott, one of the neighbouring ward councillors, spoke stating that he did not feel that the SPD met the needs of local people, nor did it acknowledge that Botley is a local service centre serving the needs of local people. He asked the Scrutiny Committee to reject this SPD and have it rewritten to include most of the comments of the 357 people who took the trouble to respond to the consultation.
Adrian Duffield, head of planning; Sophie Horsley, planning policy manager and Anna Sinnott, from consultants BDP came to the committee to present the item and answer questions. They were joined by Mike Murray, the Cabinet member for planning.
The committee debated the issues and asked questions of the officers, a summary of the key points raised is below:
Background and Purpose of SPD · The SPD would be a piece of planning guidance and is to assist with appropriate potential development. It is not a mechanism for Compulsory Purchase Orders. · The SPD is not prescriptive about what goes on the site but has tested different scenarios to draw out sustainability issues. · The SPD is intended as a guide to the development management team and to the planning committee for potential applications coming forward.
Other Policies · The Local Plan to 2031 has a limited weight for this SPD. · The SPD is supplementary to the 2011 Local Plan.
Consultation on the SPD · Officers felt that the consultation was consistent with the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement. Committee did not feel that this had necessarily been the case. · The sustainability proposal looked at various options · The consultation period was extended due to the summer break. · Prior consultation helped to inform thinking on the SPD. · The Local Plan is the main evidence base for the SPD. · The Committee were concerned that other key documents for the evidence base were not published until the end of the consultation. · Officers and consultants believed the consultation to be legally sound. · The sustainability proposal looked at various options · The consultation period was extended due to the ... view the full minutes text for item Sc22 |