Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

Contact: Email: committeeservices@horsham.gov.uk  Direct Line: 01403 215465

Items
No. Item

EX/11

Minutes pdf icon PDF 77 KB

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 26th May 2016

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26th May 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

EX/12

Declarations of Members' Interests

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Cabinet

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

EX/13

Announcements

To receive any announcements from the Leader, Cabinet Members or the Chief Executive

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture advised Members of ongoing discussions regarding the future use of the element of the “Tube” facility at the existing Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre that was to be retained.

EX/14

Public Questions

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which in the opinion of the person presiding at the meeting are relevant to the business of the meeting

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

EX/15

Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document pdf icon PDF 123 KB

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development on the Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document

Additional documents:

Decision:

            RESOLVED

 

(i)         That the recommended changes to the draft Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be approved for incorporation into the final document.

 

(ii)        That the amended Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be approved for adoption to guide the Development Plan.

 

(iii)       That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development be authorised to agree minor editorial changes.

 

REASONS

 

(i)         To take into account the issues raised during the consultation period.

 

(ii)        To shape improvements and enhancements to Billingshurst Village Centre.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that, in order to plan for growth in Billingshurst and to ensure that the village centre was improved so that it could play a role as the social and economic focus for the area, a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) had been produced.  The SPD had been developed based on previous research and stakeholder consultation.  The Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document would identify key issues and priorities for the improvement of the village centre.

 

The draft Supplementary Planning Document had been published for public consultation on 4th March 2016 and comments invited by 29th April 2016.  The report before Cabinet summarised the consultation responses and any recommended changes to the SPD as a consequence.

 

The Planning and Development Policy Development Advisory Group supported the proposal.

 

            RESOLVED

 

(i)         That the recommended changes to the draft Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be approved for incorporation into the final document.

 

(ii)        That the amended Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be approved for adoption to guide the Development Plan.

 

(iii)       That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development be authorised to agree minor editorial changes.

 

REASONS

 

(i)         To take into account the issues raised during the consultation period.

 

(ii)        To shape improvements and enhancements to Billingshurst Village Centre.

EX/16

Waste and recycling collections from restricted access properties pdf icon PDF 121 KB

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Waste and Recycling on a review of the collection points for restricted access properties

Decision:

            RESOLVED

 

            That the revised collection points for properties serviced by small capacity vehicles that were accessed by poorly maintained driveways, unmade tracks, difficult access or secure property entry systems be agreed.

 

            REASON

 

            The Council spends approximately £40,000 per annum repairing damage to vehicles sustained travelling down unmade access tracks that landowners do not maintain to a suitable standard.  This results in vehicles being off the road and presents service delivery challenges.  In addition, third party claims are made against the Council for damage to property (grassed lawns, paving damage, trees etc) due to restricted access and manoeuvring arrangements.  Many private driveways (including those with secure property entrance systems) require vehicles to be reversed on to the highway which puts staff at risk.  Collection from secured properties can often add several minutes wait time on the highway for gates to be opened/permissions given to enter a property which is inefficient and increases disproportionately the cost of waste collection at these properties.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Cleansing advised Cabinet that the Council provided waste and recycling collections to approximately 127 properties across the District that were accessed by poorly maintained driveways, unmade tracks or had secure property entrance systems (e.g. electric gates and intercoms).  Council vehicles sustained significant damage when accessing such properties and the cost of providing waste collections to these properties was also much greater due to the loss of productivity time, challenging and often dangerous vehicle manoeuvres on to the highway and the high risk of damage to private property.  When the Council’s small capacity vehicles sustained damage it was difficult to source temporary replacement hire vehicles, which caused service disruption and inconvenience to customers.

 

Eighty-eight properties with unmade tracks or poorly surfaced driveways which had or could cause potential damage to vehicles or presented a hazard to collection crews undertaking delivery of the service and a further 39 properties with secure property entrance systems had been identified.

 

In order to improve crew safety, reduce damage to waste collection vehicles, eliminate damage to third party property and improve service efficiency, it was proposed to write to the owners of the properties identified and either inform them of new collection points at the highway or give them 28 days’ notice to undertake driveway/access improvements.  The Council would continue to provide assisted collections for those residents who met the relevant criteria.

 

Whilst the number of properties affected by these proposals was currently 127, this would need to be kept under review as driveways could deteriorate and more properties were adding secure access systems.

 

The Waste, Recycling and Cleansing Policy Development and Advisory Group supported the proposal.

 

Cabinet discussed the issue of poorly maintained private roads which could also potentially cause damage to vehicles and agreed that this should be investigated.

 

            RESOLVED

 

            That the revised collection points for properties serviced by small capacity vehicles that were accessed by poorly maintained driveways, unmade tracks, difficult access or secure property entry systems be agreed.

 

            REASON

 

            The Council spends approximately £40,000 per annum repairing damage to vehicles sustained travelling down unmade access tracks that landowners do not maintain to a suitable standard.  This results in vehicles being off the road and presents service delivery challenges.  In addition, third party claims are made against the Council for damage to property (grassed lawns, paving damage, trees etc) due to restricted access and manoeuvring arrangements.  Many private driveways (including those with secure property entrance systems) require vehicles to be reversed on to the highway which puts staff at risk.  Collection from secured properties can often add several minutes wait time on the highway for gates to be opened/permissions given to enter a property which is inefficient and increases disproportionately the cost of waste collection at these properties.

EX/17

The Empty Homes Strategy 2016-2020 pdf icon PDF 120 KB

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Protection on a review of the Empty Homes Strategy

Additional documents:

Decision:

            RESOLVED

 

            That the Empty Homes Strategy 2016-2020 be approved as submitted.

 

            REASONS

 

            To enable the Council to maintain a robust Empty Homes Strategy and to take into account that delivery of all of the strategy has been brought in-house.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Protection reported that the Council’s Empty Homes Strategy had been reviewed on 26th April 2016 by the Private Sector Housing Policy Group to ensure that the strategy continued to deliver its objectives, reflected current best practice and was in line with legislation and national policy.  It had been considered that the existing policy met these objectives and only minor amendments were required to the strategy to take account of the fact that the delivery of parts of the strategy, previously undertaken by Brighton and Hove City Council, had been brought in-house.  Approval was therefore sought for the new Empty Homes Strategy for 2016-2020.

 

The Housing and Public Protection Policy Development Advisory Group supported the proposal.

 

            RESOLVED

 

            That the Empty Homes Strategy 2016-2020 be approved as submitted.

 

            REASONS

 

            To enable the Council to maintain a robust Empty Homes Strategy and to take into account that delivery of all of the strategy has been brought in-house.

EX/18

Sharing Support Services with Chichester and Arun District Councils pdf icon PDF 133 KB

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance on the outline business case for shared back office services with Arun and Chichester District Councils

Additional documents:

Decision:

            RESOLVED

 

(i)         That full business cases and implementation plans be developed for Human Resources, Internal Audit and Legal Services including comparing other delivery options with shared services.

 

(ii)        That a contribution of £25,000 be made towards the cost of a project manager and support to prepare the detailed business cases and implementation plan.

 

REASON

 

Continuing with the shared services project for Legal Services, Internal Audit and Human Resources is recommended because potential savings would make a useful contribution towards balancing Horsham District Council’s budget in the next three years while improving resilience through the larger team.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets reported on the work completed to develop outline business cases for sharing some support services with Chichester and Arun District Councils. The work completed indicated there would be sufficient savings from sharing these services for Horsham to continue to progress to a full detailed business case.  It also looked likely that sharing would improve the resilience of the Council’s small support services and give more career opportunities to employees.  Cabinet was therefore being asked to approve working up to full business case the sharing of Legal Services, Internal Audit and Human Resources. 

 

A contribution of £25,000 to a shared fund to recruit a project manager and team to prepare the full business cases was required.

 

The Finance and Assets Policy Development Advisory Group generally supported the proposal and considered it important that the quality of the services to internal and external customers was maintained.

 

            RESOLVED

 

(i)         That full business cases and implementation plans be developed for Human Resources, Internal Audit and Legal Services including comparing other delivery options with shared services.

 

(ii)        That a contribution of £25,000 be made towards the cost of a project manager and support to prepare the detailed business cases and implementation plan.

 

REASON

 

Continuing with the shared services project for Legal Services, Internal Audit and Human Resources is recommended because potential savings would make a useful contribution towards balancing Horsham District Council’s budget in the next three years while improving resilience through the larger team.

EX/19

Proposed Sale of Warnham Mill Cottages, Warnham Road, Horsham pdf icon PDF 110 KB

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets on the proposed sale of Warnham Mill Cottages, Warnham Road, Horsham

Decision:

            RESOLVED

 

            (i)         That the proposal to sell the properties be approved.

 

(ii)        That the Director of Planning, Economic Development & Property be authorised to approve the final sale details.

 

REASON

 

Delegated authority to agree the final price is sought in order to achieve commercial expediency.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets reported that the Council owned two residential properties at Warnham Nature Reserve which were surplus to operational requirements and could therefore be sold.  Agents had been instructed to market the premises and there was strong interest from potential buyers.

 

The Finance and Assets Policy Development Advisory Group supported the proposal.

 

            RESOLVED

 

            (i)         That the proposal to sell the properties be approved.

 

(ii)        That the Director of Planning, Economic Development & Property be authorised to approve the final sale details.

 

REASON

 

Delegated authority to agree the final price is sought in order to achieve commercial expediency.

EX/20

Proposed Sale of Land at Holbrook School Lane, Horsham pdf icon PDF 109 KB

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets on the proposed sale of land at Holbrook School Lane, Horsham

Decision:

            RESOLVED

 

            (i)         That the terms of the release of the restrictive covenant be approved.

 

            (ii)        That the proposal to sell the land be approved.

 

(iii)       That the Director of Planning, Economic Development & Property be authorised to approve the final sale consideration.

 

REASONS

 

Delegated authority to agree the final price was sought in order to achieve commercial expediency.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets reported that the Council currently owned a parcel of land in Holbrook School Lane, North Horsham, which had been acquired under a S106 agreement for the development of a scout headquarters building.  The property had been transferred to the council in 1999 and, whilst attempts had been made to use the site for the designated purpose, this had not happened.

 

Discussions had taken place with the beneficiary of the restrictive covenant and, subject to Cabinet approval, it had been agreed for the covenants to be released for a consideration to enable the sale of the land for development.

 

The Finance and Assets Policy Development Advisory Group supported the proposal.

 

            RESOLVED

 

            (i)         That the terms of the release of the restrictive covenant be approved.

 

            (ii)        That the proposal to sell the land be approved.

 

(iii)       That the Director of Planning, Economic Development & Property be authorised to approve the final sale consideration.

 

REASONS

 

Delegated authority to agree the final price was sought in order to achieve commercial expediency.

EX/21

Overview & Scrutiny Committee

To consider any matters referred to Cabinet by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Minutes:

There were no matters currently outstanding for consideration.

EX/22

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 127 KB

To note the Forward Plan

Minutes:

The Forward Plan was noted.

EX/23

To consider matters of special urgency

Minutes:

There were no matters of special urgency to be considered.