Agenda and minutes

None.

To agree and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2016 (attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2016 were agreed as an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman.

None.

To receive notification of any matters, which the chairman determines, should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances, which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chairman (report attached).

The chairman had submitted a report setting out her three main objectives for the overview and scrutiny function, proposals for the way forward in 2017 and a timeline for action over the next six months.

The proposals were as follows:

·         To resume production of the annual scrutiny report to council beginning in July 2017

·         The committee to manage its work programme proactively

·         A scrutiny best practices workshop to be held in May or June 2017

The committee broadly welcomed the report.  During the discussion the following issues were raised:

·         A member expressed the view that the scrutiny function would be more effective were it not split amongst Vale scrutiny, South and Vale joint scrutiny and 5 councils’ partnership joint scrutiny.

·         A member asked how the performance of the committee could be evaluated. The chairman replied that one measure was the number/percentage of recommendations to the executive that were accepted and implemented.

None.

To consider the report of the head of corporate strategy and head of planning (attached.)

The committee considered the joint report of the head of corporate strategy and head of planning on the draft playing pitch, local leisure facilities and open space evidence studies to support the Local Plan 2031.

Councillor Charlotte Dickson, Cabinet member for leisure, parks and grounds maintenance introduced this item. Also present to answer questions were Councillor Roger Cox, Cabinet member for planning policy, Clare Kingston, head of corporate strategy, Kate Arnold, leisure manager, Adrian Duffield, head of planning and Andrew Maxted, planning policy project lead.

The committee was informed that the reports contained factual information and background evidence to influence the development of planning policies related to open space, sport, leisure and recreation in the Local Plan 2031.

In response to questions and issues raised by the committee, it was reported that:

·         With regard to the playing pitch strategy, the report had taken into account cross-boundary movement beyond the administrative boundaries of the district, for example, facilities located within Oxford City and South Oxfordshire.

·         A school leisure facility that had ad hoc public use was not considered to be a community facility.  There was a community use agreement in place for Tilsley Park sports facilities.

·         With regard to open spaces, the adopted 2008 Supplementary Planning Document included a combined parks and gardens, amenity green space and natural and semi-natural green space standard. Given the relatively small number of parks and garden sites in the district, an alternative standard was not considered appropriate.

·         The Council would seek to secure allotment sites as part of any major housing development.

·         The reports were living documents that would be updated continuously and reviewed annually.

Following further discussion, the committee requested that officers report back on the following matters:

·         whether some play areas were closed on Sundays.

·         whether Caldecott and Box Hill Recreation Grounds were included in the open spaces report.

The committee requested the following alterations to the draft reports:

General

·         The out of date ward maps to be replaced with the current ones.

·         A clear definition of which areas are included within the term “Botley”.

Local Leisure Facilities

·         To include the Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill, Botley, in the list of local leisure facilities.

Open Spaces

·         Figure 28 to be corrected to distinguish between local service centres and larger villages.

RESOLVED: to request the Cabinet members for planning policy and leisure to make the amendments detailed above to the draft reports, prior to their publication alongside the preferred options consultation on the Local Plan 2031 Part 2.

To consider the report of the head of planning (attached).

The committee considered the head of planning’s report on the proposed modifications to the Council’s community infrastructure levy (CIL) charging schedule, other associated documents relating to CIL and the draft developer contributions (SPD) that were published for consultation on 15 December 2016.

Roger Cox, the Cabinet member for planning policy introduced this item.  Also present to answer questions were Andrew Maxted, planning policy project lead and Adrian Duffield, head of planning.

In response to questions and issues raised by the committee, it was reported that:

·         The definition of residual development would be set out in the use class orders.

·         The proposed changes to the draft charging schedule was intended to simplify the charging structure.

·         The proposal to exempt additional sites from CIL was based on updated viability testing. It was important to note that these sites would continue to provide for appropriate infrastructure via S106 agreements.

·         The greatest risk to the transition from S106 to CIL was changes in legislation.

RESOLVED: to note the proposed modifications to the Council’s community infrastructure levy (CIL) charging schedule, other associated documents relating to CIL and the draft developer contributions (SPD).

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.

The committee was advised that, since the publication of the work programme, a budget briefing had been scheduled for 6 pm on 7 February, prior to the next committee meeting.