Agenda and minutes

Venue: Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3HT

Contact: Democratic Services, 01795 417330 

Items
No. Item

628.

Fire Evacuation Procedure

The Chairman will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. This is particularly important for visitors and members of the public who will be unfamiliar with the building and procedures.

 

The Chairman will inform the meeting whether there is a planned evacuation drill due to take place, what the alarm sounds like (i.e. ringing bells), where the closest emergency exit route is, and where the second closest emergency exit route is, in the event that the closest exit or route is blocked.

 

The Chairman will inform the meeting that:

 

(a) in the event of the alarm sounding, everybody must leave the building via the nearest safe available exit and gather at the Assembly points at the far side of the Car Park. Nobody must leave the assembly point until everybody can be accounted for and nobody must return to the building until the Chairman has informed them that it is safe to do so; and

 

(b) the lifts must not be used in the event of an evacuation.

 

Any officers present at the meeting will aid with the evacuation.

 

It is important that the Chairman is informed of any person attending who is disabled or unable to use the stairs, so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

629.

Minutes

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 28 March 2018 (Minute Nos. 587 - 594) as a correct record.

Minutes:

The Spatial Planning Manager drew attention to paragraph 6  of Minute No. 591 and advised that, due to IT and General Data Protection Regulations, respondents’  names and addresses could not be requested in the questionnaire.  In the debate that followed, Councillors Baldock and Bonney asked that their disappointment that responses to the questionnaire would remain anonymous be recorded, and requested that the issue be considered again. 

 

Councillor Monique Bonney proposed the following motion:

 

“That the consultation be deferred until further advice is sought from Central Government on the inclusion of names and addresses.”  This was seconded by Councillor Mike Baldock.  On being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

 

Members agreed that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 28 March 2018 (Minute Nos. 587 – 594) be taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

630.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

 

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

 

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

 

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

 

(c)          Where it is possible that a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts would conclude that there was a real possibility that the Member might be predetermined or biased the Member should declare their predetermination or bias and then leave the room while that item is considered.

 

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

 

 

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

631.

Building For Life 12 pdf icon PDF 84 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Senior Planner introduced the report which sought Members’ agreement to use the Building for Life 12 (BfL 12) technical document when assessing major planning applications for development consisting of more than ten dwellings, for a 12 month trial before being reviewed.  He drew attention that recommendation (1) should be amended to ten dwellings, not twenty.

 

A Member agreed that the document should be adopted as soon as possible but suggested that new Swale Parking Standards should be brought forward urgently.  The Head of Planning Services advised that some preliminary work had been undertaken and that work on it was a priority.  He added that the production of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) could take up to 18 months  including a consultation. Early commencement of the work would use the services of a consultant.

 

Councillor Monique Bonney proposed an additional recommendation:

 

“That Swale Parking Standards be adopted as a priority.” 

 

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Mike Baldock.

 

In the debate that followed, a Member questioned why consultants were necessary and suggested looking at other Councils that had implemented their own parking standards.  A Member had concerns over timescales of implementing new Parking Standards.

 

On being put to the vote the proposal was lost.

 

Members requested further debate on Parking Standards and the Chairman suggested the item could be discussed at the next Local Plan Panel meeting.

 

In response to questions from Members, the Head of Planning Services clarified the benefits of introducing Swale Parking Standards and highlighted the extra resource required to carry out the work.

 

A Member noted that if the 12 month BfL 12 trial period was not successful it would take a further 12 to 18 months to adopt it as an SPD.  Councillor Monique Bonney proposed that Officers report back to the Local Plan Panel 6 months after the BfL12 was implemented to discuss whether the process of an SPD was required to adopt that formally.  This was seconded by Councillor David Simmons.

 

The lack of environmental and quality of life objectives in the BfL12 document was raised.  In response, the Senior Planner advised that the document was a master planning tool and should be used in addition to existing guidance and legislation, and referred to pages 11 to 12 of the report which included some of the issues raised.

 

The original recommendations were put to the vote and agreed, with the amendment that a progress report be presented to the Panel in 6 months.

 

Recommended:

 

(1)  That  ‘Building for Life 12’ be adopted as a technical document for assessing major planning applications for development consisting of more than ten dwellings.

(2) That the use of ‘Building for 12’ as an assessment tool be trialled for twelve months and reviewed after 6 months.

632.

Swale Brownfield Land Register pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Planner introduced the report which detailed the criteria and results of the Brownfield Land Register which had now been published.  He advised that there were currently 15 sites on the register, as attached as Appendix I to the report and highlighted the different criteria in Parts 1 and 2 of the Register.

 

The Spatial Planning Manager clarified that Part 1 of the Register did not require Member approval prior to being published and entries on the register were made in accordance with the Ministry of Housing Communities, and Local Government ‘s criteria set out in the report.   She added that any site being entered on a Part 2 Register did have planning permission in principle and would have needed Member consultation.  The Spatial Manager said that no sites in Swale were considered suitable for permission in principle at this stage, but if any did occur the Register could be updated and included in Part 2 if appropriate.

 

In response to questions from a Member on whether the information on West Street, Queenborough (page 33) and Land West of Rushenden Road, Queenborough (page 34) was up to date, the Planner agreed to check and respond after the meeting.

 

A Member raised concern about the criteria of Part 1 of the Register but acknowledged the positive step forward.

 

There was a discussion on the sites put forward that were not on the Register to be made available as well as including sites where planning permission had been granted but not yet implemented.

 

The Head of Planning Services asked Members to suggest sites to include on the Register and agreed that a list of rejected sites would be circulated to Members.

 

Recommended:

 

(1) That the Panel notes that a Brownfield Land Register for Swale be published on the Council’s website, either by the date of the meeting or shortly thereafter, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017.