Agenda and minutes

Venue: This will be a virtual, online meeting.

Contact: Candida Mckelvey, Democratic Services Officer  07895 213820 Email: candida.mckelvey@southandvale.gov.uk

Link: This is a virtual meeting - you can watch it here

Items
No. Item

Sc104

Apologies for absence

To record apologies for absence and the attendance of substitute members. 

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Debby Hallett, who was due to present. Councillor Emily Smith was in attendance to present the item on a Joint Local Plan.

 

Committee member, Councillor Jerry Avery, informed the committee that he had a clash with a Parish Council, so he attended for part of the meeting only.

Sc105

Declarations of interest

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

Minutes:

None.

Sc106

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, and to receive any announcements from the chair. 

Minutes:

Chair had no urgent business, but ran through the usual meeting housekeeping.

Sc107

Public participation

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

Minutes:

None.

Sc108

A joint local plan pdf icon PDF 152 KB

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to consider the attached report from the head of planning on a Joint Local Plan. Cabinet will consider this report on 17 March. Scrutiny committee are to decide whether it wishes to make any recommendations to Cabinet.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Emily Smith introduced the report on a joint local plan.

Also present to answer questions was Adrian Duffield, Head of Planning, and Lucy Murfett, Planning Policy Manager.

This was a paper regarding the principle of have a joint local plan, not a discussion on the governance.

A joint local plan would be worked on over the next 4 years, whilst the current local plan is in place. The plan would cover 2021 to 2041. However, there was housing allocation already planned up until 2031. The housing allocation for the joint local plan would be for long term.

Both Vale of White Horse (VOWH) and South Oxfordshire (SODC) district councils have Corporate Plan similarities and shared boundaries. Both councils had already worked jointly, so are already set up for joint working in the future. This will be simpler for policy and would save money.

Neighbourhood plans would remain an important aspect of planning and community involvement. A joint plan may have the perception of being less democratic. However, under a Section 28 arrangement, both councils retain their decision-making powers for respective districts.

The Local development scheme timeline needed approving. A key public consultation will be in summer 2022.

Councils would expect to see savings, especially at the examination of the joint plan, as the examination costs can be cut by sharing.

Todate, around £1 million per year was spent on local plan preparation.

 

Committee were asked for their views on the principle, and the cabinet member would consider them.

 

Chair highlighted that the confidential advice provided previously could not be discussed at this meeting.

 

The following comments and clarifications were made:

  • The difference between a section 28 and a section 29 arrangement was explained. Section 28 enabled both councils to have separate planning committees. The downside was potential delays. A section 29 arrangement would require formation of a new committee, including Oxfordshire County Council (OCC). This would likely be a faster process but would require relinquishing some power.
  • It was confirmed that the Local Development Scheme timetable could be subject to delays, especially relating to the Oxfordshire Plan 2050, and confidence was unknown at this stage.
  • Section 28 arrangement would mean there would be separate planning committees.
  • The committee enquired about whether a joint plan can be split in the future – was there a point of no return? Officers responded that there was opportunity to split the plan up to the Regulation 19, but once submitted it would be harder to do so. This would also cause delays and increased costs for examination.
  • If one council decided to withdraw from the joint plan, they would be without a plan, and the other council could continue with the plan.
  • SODC judicial review - it was hard to anticipate the impact. However, any delay would not impact on creating a joint local plan.
  • Concerns of residents regarding localness – there was opportunity to create sub areas, district specific policies to reassure.
  • There are national examples of success – West Country,  ...  view the full minutes text for item Sc108

Sc109

Work schedule and dates for all South and Vale scrutiny meetings pdf icon PDF 83 KB

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. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Chair reminded the committee that a new version had been published and circulated. There was a delay to the A34 item and it was hoped to see the item by the end of the year. If there are any queries or ideas for the plan, please contact the chair.

Sc110

Exclusion of the public

To consider whether to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following item of business under Part 1 of Schedule 12A Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 on the grounds that:

(i)        it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1-7 Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and

(ii)       the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

Minutes:

The committee had to consider whether to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following item of business under Part 1 of Schedule 12A Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 on the grounds that:

(i) it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1-7

Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and

(ii) the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in

disclosing the information.

 

Resolved: to

Exclude the press and public to consider agenda items 8 and 9 in confidential session.

Sc111

Leisure management overview

To consider the report of the acting deputy chief executive – place. 

Minutes:

The committee considered the report on leisure management overview.

Sc112

Covid-19 leisure support package

To consider the report of the acting deputy chief executive – place. 

Minutes:

The committee considered the report on Covid-19 leisure support package.

 

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Vale of White Horse District Council
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OX14 3JE