Audio Recording

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.

The Chairman ensured that those present were aware of the emergency evacuation procedure.

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.

No interests were declared.

At this point, the Chairman made the following statement:  “I would like to assure people especially people from Faversham that despite some demands from a Sittingbourne MP that 10,000 houses be put in Faversham, we won’t be doing that, and I’d also like to assure people that despite claims from a similar source, or it might even be the same source, I am not trying to get 10,000 affordable houses into the Local Plan.”

The Principal Planning Officer introduced the report which provided a brief explanation of the standard method and overview of the findings of the Local Housing Needs Assessment for Swale Borough, conducted using the standard method as required by Government and as set-out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The Principal Planning Officer explained that when the NPPF was revised in 2018, it brought in a specific requirement that Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) should use the Government’s standard method for calculating a boroughs housing needs using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.  The Principal Planning Officer advised that housing numbers were not ‘set in stone’ until the LPA submitted its plan to the Secretary of State for examination.  She further advised that the standard method calculation would be revised, once the 2018 household projections had been published.

The Principal Planning Officer reported that the Council had commissioned independent specialist consultants,  to prepare a report looking at the different year based household projections and different affordability ratio scenarios.  She explained that the figures in the consultant’s report gave an indication of what the final figures could be, but this could not be confirmed until the standard method formula itself was updated and this was expected in the autumn of this year.

The Principal Planning Officer reported that there was a second part to the Local Housing Needs Assessment which would determine the type,  size and tenure  of requirements for affordable housing, family accommodation, people with disabilities and accommodation for elderly people.  This work would be presented to Panel in the late spring 2020.  Members were asked to note the content of the report and accept the findings as part of the evidence base for the local plan review. 

In response to a query from the Chairman, the Principal Planning Officer stated that the ‘local’ part of the Housing Needs Assessment was based on ONS data.  The ONS data was taken from census information i.e. births and deaths and that enabled accurate population and household growth predictions.

Members raised points and asked questions of the Principal Planning Officer. A summary is provided below:

·         It appeared from the report that the higher the affordable ratio, the higher the housing requirement?  The Principal Planning Officer stated that that was correct however the % increase was capped at 40%;

·         in the report it suggested using the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) data rather than the ONS data, was that correct?  The Head of Planning Services stated that the difference between the 2014 and 2016 household predication data  ...  view the full minutes text for item 545.

The Local Plan Manager introduced the report which set-out the Council’s Local Development Scheme (LDS) programme for production of local development plan documents which was required to be produced, monitored and kept up-to-date under Section 15 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004).   The Local Plan Manager stated that subsequent to the adoption of the previous LDS in 2018, it was now proposed that the Council would set a target of adopting its Local Plan by Spring 2023.  The Local Plan Manager stated that the LDS set-out the milestones for the Local Plan.  He reported that the major change in the LDS was that the Council would not proceed directly to another options and issues stage, but instead proceed to a Regulation 19 stage which was the preferred option.  They had checked that it was a robust and sound procedure.

The Chairman stated that a lot of work had gone into preparing the report.  He advised Members that officers were currently arranging workshops and an explanation about each document listed in the LDS would be provided, this would be of particular benefit to new Panel Members. 

A Member requested a full list of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs).  The Local Plan Manager stated that these were provided at Appendix 3 of the report.  It was agreed that the Local Plan Manager would respond to the Member’s queries about specific SPDs outside of the meeting.

Recommended:

(1)      That the Local Development Scheme at Appendix I of the report be adopted as the current programme for the Swale Borough Local Plan Review.

The Chairman invited Members to make suggestions for the Future Work Plan.

In response to a query from a Member, the Head of Planning Services stated that the Sustainable Design and Construction SPD would be considered by Members at the proposed workshops.  A Member considered that particular SPD should also include improved household waste collection schemes. 

A Member spoke about the proposed policy for unadopted estate roads which she considered should also include improved bus access.  The Local Plan Manager stated that a Transport Strategy would be produced which would include design of estate roads.  In response to queries, the Local Plan Manager advised that the Transport Strategy would cover all forms of transport and they were currently working on the document with Kent County Council  (KCC) who were promoting and encouraging environmentally friendly transport.

The Head of Planning Services encouraged Members to forward officers any items for discussion and consideration at the planned workshops.

Resolved:

(1)          That the suggestions and actions above be noted.