Agenda and draft minutes

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Contact: Email: democraticservices@swale.gov.uk 

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No. Item

379.

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

Visitors and members of the public who are unfamiliar with the building and procedures are advised that:

(a)      The fire alarm is a continuous loud ringing. In the event that a fire drill is planned during the meeting, the Chair will advise of this.

(b)      Exit routes from the chamber are located on each side of the room, one directly to a fire escape, the other to the stairs opposite the lifts.

(c)      In the event of the alarm sounding, leave the building via the nearest safe exit and gather at the assembly point on the far side of the car park. Do not leave the assembly point or re-enter the building until advised to do so. Do not use the lifts.

(d)      Anyone unable to use the stairs should make themselves known during this agenda item.

 

 

Minutes:

The Chair outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

380.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their families or friends.

 

The Chair will ask Members if they have any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) or disclosable non-pecuniary interests (DNPIs) to declare in respect of items on the agenda. Members with a DPI in an item must leave the room for that item and may not participate in the debate or vote. 

 

Aside from disclosable interests, where a fair-minded and informed observer would think there was a real possibility that a Member might be biased or predetermined on an item, the Member should declare this and leave the room while that item is considered.

 

Members who are in any doubt about interests, bias or predetermination should contact the monitoring officer for advice prior to the meeting.

 

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

381.

Local Plan Review - Housing Targets Exceptional Circumstances Study pdf icon PDF 214 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Project Manager (Policy) introduced the report as set out in the agenda papers and responded to points raised by Members throughout the discussion.

 

The Chair invited Members to make comments and these included:

 

·         Clarification sought on the Council’s position with the 2,605 vacant caravans/mobile or temporary structures and whether they should be included as part of the Council’s housing stock and whether the housing target would increase or decrease?;

·         as evidence was needed on these figures, considered that further investigation should take place;

·         it was important to consider all the suitable options coming forward;

·         reference paragraph 4.2.3, Swale’s growth was the highest in the South East;

·         reference paragraphs 4.2.3 and 4.2.17, Swale was providing homes for residents who did not necessarily work in the borough which was not sustainable;

·         needed to consider a decrease in housing supply and an increase in employment areas;

·         currently Swale was providing more housing than employment, there needed to be more employment sites;

·         considered there should be more information on transport (issues) within the borough in the report;

·         the cumulative impact of transport needed to be considered;

·         more sustainable transport was needed;

·         many junctions were working at full capacity already;

·         all six growth options should be modelled, with site allocations;

·         considered progress could not be made until the decision on the Highsted Park applications had been finalised;

·         councillors needed to see the traffic modelling that had already been carried out on large sites;

·         this was a good report and recognised that it had informed councillors on what they already knew:  that the borough had transport issues;

·         the traffic modelling had been carried out already but acknowledged that it might be out of date;

·         the council needed to be confident that the 2,605 vacant caravans etc. figure was correct; and

·         it was important to recognise that there was an issue when caravans were inhabited permanently, and this put pressure on Council services and the infrastructure.

 

Councillor James Hunt moved the following motions: (1) That the Council investigated whether the 2,605 vacant caravans or other mobile or temporary structures should be considered part of the authority’s base dwelling stock, and (2) That additional traffic modelling be carried out.  These were seconded by Councillor Mike Baldock.

 

Councillor Baldock moved the following amendment:  That, as it was important to see the historic traffic modelling, these be brought to the Planning and Transportation Policy Working Group (PTPWG) and that traffic modelling be commissioned on each of the six proposed options with site allocations.  The amendment was accepted by the proposer.

 

Further comments included:

 

·         Traffic modelling needed to take into account the expectation of the use, i.e. employment land use;

·         employment commuting patterns had changed, with hybrid working;

·         there were impacts on developments as a result of Grampian conditions, which had a cumulative impact, and this needed to be factored in;

·         undertaking traffic modelling would have an impact on the Council’s budget;

·         sustainable travel and living options were needed;

·         employment needed to be near residential areas; and

·         traffic modelling needed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 381.