Agenda and minutes

Venue: Via Skype

Contact: Democratic Services, 01795 417330 

Items
No. Item

Audio Recording

27.

Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the Municipal Year 2020/21

Minutes:

Councillor Mike Baldock was confirmed as Chairman and Councillor Monique Bonney as Vice-Chairman for the municipal year 2020/21.

 

 

28.

Introduction

Minutes:

The Chairman explained that the meeting would be conducted in accordance with the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panel (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 No. 392.

 

The Chairman welcomed all Members, officers and members of the public to the meeting.

 

29.

Minutes

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 July 2020 (Minute Nos. 734 - 741) as a correct record.

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held 9 July 2020 (Minute Nos. 734 – 741) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

30.

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.

31.

Growth Options pdf icon PDF 140 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman said the recommendations would be considered in turn and he invited Members to first comment on the vision, as set-out in paragraphs 2.6 and 2.7 on page 6 of the report.

 

Local Plan Vision

 

The Planning Policy Manager introduced the report which asked Members to consider a draft Local Plan Vision, and the options for the distribution of future development growth requirements for Swale and the strengths and weaknesses of each of the growth options.  She said that a Member steer was sought on the draft vision at paragraph 2.6 in the report.  The Planning Policy Manager said that Local Plans must have a vision, and this was a draft vision, prepared by officers which included comments made at the Regulation 18 stage consultation.

 

Members raised points and asked questions, a summary of which is provided below:

 

A Member suggested the Local Plan Vision included wording to say that overall we would like the Local Plan to be acceptable and a fair and balanced Plan that delivered to all parts of the Borough.  The Head of Planning advised that the vision was a narrative for the land use of the Borough over the Plan period, and was not sure whether that sentence was applicable, but said the wording could be used to imply that the benefits of development within the Borough should be spread across the whole Borough.

 

A Member said this was an opportunity to use smaller sites, and to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the use of brown field sites.  He considered brown field sites should be at the forefront and be used before greenfield sites.  Developers needed to contribute to the needs of existing residents.  A larger vision was required on highways for the future, and infrastructure needed to be improved generally.

 

Development Strategy Objectives

 

The Planning Policy Manager said that the Local Plan Review needed an overall strategy for the pattern and scale of development for the Local Plan period, up to 2038.  She said there was a broad assumption that all the allocations in Bearing Fruits would be carried forward in the Local Plan Review.  Since Bearing Fruits was adopted in 2017, specific evidence had been undertaken and completed, and the Council had also set-out its objectives in the Corporate Plan.  The Planning Policy Manager said that a number of principles and objectives had been established which underpinned the Local Plan Review and she said there would be elements of each option that were interchangeable, which could result in Members selecting a further option with these elements.  She said the focus needed to be on getting a high level strategy for the Local Plan Review, so that there was a sound Plan which would aid selection of sites for allocation.  She said there was a common approach in all the options to develop brown field sites, within the urban areas, especially in the town centres.  This would deliver around 1,500 of the 10,000 dwellings that were required.  The Planning Policy Manager  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.