To receive questions from members of the council under standing order 12 .
1. Question from Councillor Patrick Lonergan to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Matthew Barber
Could the Leader please give a detailed financial breakdown of the planned upgrade to the Lodge Hill junction – including a) its total cost, b) the hoped-for contribution from the CIL, Section 106 contributions, grants, and any other sources of funding, and also state the number of homes that will be needed to be built to deliver the required CIL and Section 106 contributions?
2. Question from councillor Jenny Hannaby to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Matthew Barber
Could the Leader please give a detailed financial breakdown of the plans to deliver the NE Wantage link road - including a) its total cost, b) the hoped-for contribution from the CIL, Section 106 contributions, grants, and any other sources of funding, and also state the number of homes that will be needed to be built to deliver the required CIL and Section 106 contributions?
3. Question from Councillor Richard Webber to Councillor Mike Murray, Cabinet member for planning policy
Please could he tell the Council how many Vale communities have to date formally embarked on Neighbourhood Planning by submitting an application for designation?
4. Question from Councillor Judy Roberts to Councillor Mike Murray, Cabinet member for planning policy
In its proposed Local Plan, the administration places much hope on the Planning Inspector’s acceptance of the Liverpool approach. Does the Cabinet member agree this is a risky policy?
5. Question from Councillor Jerry Patterson to Councillor Mike Murray, Cabinet member for planning policy
Does he agree that the Council should affirm the importance of the Green Belt protection and ensure robust safeguards are not undermined when assessing unmet housing needs?
6. Question from Councillor Julie Mayhew-Archer to Councillor Elaine Ware, Cabinet member for economy, leisure and property
Can you provide an update to Council on progress towards a trial of automatic number plate recognition in the Charter multi-storey car park in Abingdon?
7.
Question from Councillor Sandy Lovatt to Councillor Jim Halliday, Chairman of the Scrutiny
Committee
In light of the Inspector's letter at Cherwell
District Council's Examination in Public does Councillor
Halliday agree that the Council should
use the Vale's Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) from the Oxfordshire
Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) as the District's
Housing Target for the Vale Local Plan 2031?
8.
Question
from Councillor Yvonne Constance to
Councillor Jim Halliday, Chairman of
the Scrutiny Committee
For the benefit of the Council can Councillor Halliday please detail any specific alternative proposals or amendments to the plan which would be acceptable to a Local Plan Inspector which have been proposed via the Scrutiny Committee or from his own political group?
Minutes:
1. Question from Councillor Patrick Lonergan to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Matthew Barber
‘Could the Leader please give a detailed financial breakdown of the planned upgrade to the Lodge Hill junction – including a) its total cost, b) the hoped-for contribution from the CIL, Section 106 contributions, grants, and any other sources of funding, and also state the number of homes that will be needed to be built to deliver the required CIL and Section 106 contributions?’
In response Councillor Barber stated that the total scheme cost of the option currently promoted is estimated at £13.3 million. This scheme design requires approval by the Highways Agency, due to the impact on the A34 Trunk Road. Other options would cost more.
Around £4million will be available from the CIL and section 106 contributions. He would respond in writing on the number of houses required to deliver the funding.
In response to a supplementary question Councillor Barber responded that the Local Enterprise Partnership had not formally agreed funding for the project but had commissioned assessment work.
In accordance with standing order 27, the chairman asked Council whether it wished to continue the meeting for a further thirty minutes to complete the remaining business or finish the meeting at this point. Council, by assent, agreed to continue for a further thirty minutes.
2. Question from Councillor Jenny Hannaby to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Matthew Barber
‘Could the Leader please give a detailed financial breakdown of the plans to deliver the NE Wantage link road - including a) its total cost, b) the hoped-for contribution from the CIL, Section 106 contributions, grants, and any other sources of funding, and also state the number of homes that will be needed to be built to deliver the required CIL and Section 106 contributions?’
Councillor Barber responded that the total cost of the Wantage Eastern Link road that passes through the Crab Hill area is estimated at £15 million. Expected funding for the road will come from s106 contributions as the two major contributing schemes, Grove airfield and Crab Hill predate CIL. Contributions to the value of just over £12 million have been agreed to date with £4.5 million Local Transport Board funding to help fund the middle section of the link road early. The two end sections are being provided by the Crab Hill developers as they’re required to give access to their site.
In response to a supplementary question Councillor Barber undertook to provide written details of the source of funding for the balance of the middle section of the link road.
3. Question from Councillor Richard Webber to Councillor Mike Murray, Cabinet member for planning policy
‘Please could he tell the Council how many Vale communities have to date formally embarked on Neighbourhood Planning by submitting an application for designation?’
Councillor Murray responded that as of 9 October 2014 10 communities had submitted applications for designation.
In response to a supplementary question Councillor Murray confirmed that he was hopeful that more communities would embark on the process. The simplification of the process would facilitate this.
4. Question from Councillor Judy Roberts to Councillor Mike Murray, Cabinet member for planning policy
‘In its proposed Local Plan, the administration places much hope on the Planning Inspector’s acceptance of the Liverpool approach. Does the Cabinet member agree this is a risky policy?’
Councillor Murray responded that the council had commissioned an independent assessment into how it could meet the housing need for the district as identified in the up-to-date Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA). The study concluded that by pursuing an allocation strategy bringing forward a wide range of sites in a range of locations, the council will be maximising the likelihood of delivery.
Output would also be supported in the short to medium term by the quantum and range of small to medium sites already in the planning pipeline. However, it will still take some time for the increased delivery rate to build up’. On this basis, the study suggests that ‘delivery in the first five years of the Plan would be between 6,700 and 6,900 units, assuming market conditions remain broadly favourable and developers are not unduly cautious’.
The council has prepared a balanced and sustainable strategy that does everything possible to increase housing delivery with a range of sites and to meet in full the objectively assessed need for housing. Housing sites are identified that range in terms of size, type and geographical location, whilst still being consistent with proposed employment growth and infrastructure delivery.
In response to a supplementary question Councillor Murray confirmed that both the Liverpool and Sedgefield approach were appropriate and that he had received assurance that the council’s approach was credible.
5. Question from Councillor Jerry Patterson to Councillor Mike Murray, Cabinet member for planning policy
‘Does he agree that the Council should affirm the importance of the Green Belt protection and ensure robust safeguards are not undermined when assessing unmet housing needs?’
Councillor Murray responded that the emerging Local Plan 2031 does include robust safeguards to protect the Oxford Green Belt, either from development proposals or through any future exercise to address unmet need for Oxfordshire. Core Policy 13 (The Oxford Green Belt) clearly sets out how the Green Belt will be protected against inappropriate development in accordance with the NPPF and Core Policy 2 (Cooperation on unmet Housing Need for Oxfordshire) makes it clear that the council will first seek to meet its own needs in full to help ensure that the needs of both the district and the housing market area as a whole are met as quickly as possible and that the process to address any unmet need will include all reasonable spatial options, including for example, a full strategic review of the whole Oxford Green Belt.
In reponse to a supplementary question Councillor Murray confirmed that he did not find it difficult to make speeches.
6. Question from Councillor Julie Mayhew-Archer to Councillor Elaine Ware, Cabinet member for economy, leisure and property
‘Can you provide an update to Council on progress towards a trial of automatic number plate recognition in the Charter multi-storey car park in Abingdon?’
Councillor Ware responded that the council would not be conducting a trial of an automatic number plate recognition system at The Charter because it would require the purchase of a complete system estimated to cost £65,000 excluding running and ancillary costs.
In response to a supplementary question Councillor Ware acknowledged that the use of the RingGo payment phone system was not suitable for everyone. However, the system is relatively inexpensive, cost effective and efficient.
7. Question from Councillor Sandy Lovatt to Councillor Jim Halliday, Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee
‘In light of the Inspector's letter at Cherwell District Council's Examination in Public does Councillor Halliday agree that the Council should use the Vale's Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) from the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) as the District's Housing Target for the Vale Local Plan 2031?’
Councillor Halliday responded that he did not.
In response to a supplementary question regarding the Councillor Halliday responded that he had given his views on the use of the SHMA figures during the debate on the Local Plan.
8.
Question
from Councillor Yvonne Constance to
Councillor Jim Halliday, Chairman of
the Scrutiny Committee
‘For the benefit of the Council can Councillor Halliday please detail any specific alternative proposals or amendments to the plan which would be acceptable to a Local Plan Inspector which have been proposed via the Scrutiny Committee or from his own political group?’
Councillor Halliday undertook to provide a written response.
Urgent question
Question from Councillor Jim Halliday to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Matthew Barber
‘As the Leader is aware last Thursday Oxfordshire County Councillor Nimmo-Smith inexplicably reversed his previous decision, and stated that he was minded to approve the creation of two new pedestrian crossings in Marcham Road and Ock Street Abingdon. As soon as the formal reasons for this complete change of mind are published, will the Leader seek legal opinion about the validity of the latest decision, and keep all Vale Councillors informed of the advice he is given?’
In response Councillor Barber stated that he had instructed officers to take legal advice on the options available to the council to challenge the decision
He encouraged those councillors who spoke against the scheme at the meeting or who were present at the meeting when this matter was considered and a decision made to send any observations to officers. He confirmed that councillors would be kept informed.