Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 26^th January 2017

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26^th January 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Deputy Leader.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Cabinet

There were no declarations of interest.

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

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development advised that the referendum on the Thakeham Neighbourhood Plan had resulted in a clear majority of those who voted in favour of the Plan.  Council will therefore be asked to approve the making of the Plan at its next meeting.

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

No questions had been received.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development

RESOLVED

(i)         That the content of the updated Consultation, which now included the responses from the South Downs National Park Authority, Indigo Planning and West Sussex County Council, be noted.

(ii)        That the recommended changes to the adopted Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be approved.

(iii)       That the existing adopted Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be revoked.

(iv)       That the revised Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be approved for adoption, to guide the Development Plan.

(v)        That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development be authorised to agree minor editorial changes to the Billingshurst Supplementary Planning Document.

REASONS

(i)         To take account of all consultation responses made in relation to the SPD.

(ii)        To ensure that all consultation representations and recommendations received by Horsham District Council during the consultation from March to April 2016, are taken on board in a revised Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document.

(iii)       To enable the revised SPD to be adopted as Council Policy.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that the Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) identified key issues and priorities to plan for growth and for the improvement of the village centre, so that it could play a role as the social and economic focus for the area. 

The SPD had been adopted in September 2016.  However, it had come to light that the representations received from three organisations (West Sussex County Council, the South Downs National Park Authority and Indigo Planning) had not been included in the Statement of Consultation that had been considered by Cabinet (Minute No. EX/15 (21.7.16) refers) and as a consequence it had not been possible for Members to consider the amendments to the SPD proposed by two of those organisations.

The current report contained an updated consultation statement which included all consultees’ representations and the Council’s responses and recommendations.  The adopted SPD, showing the amendments proposed to take account of the representations referred to above, was also submitted.

Cabinet was asked to agree the proposed minor amendments to the SPD, revoke the adopted SPD and adopt the updated SPD as Council policy, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

            RESOLVED

(i)         That the content of the updated Consultation, which now included the responses from the South Downs National Park Authority, Indigo Planning and West Sussex County Council, be noted.

(ii)        That the recommended changes to the adopted Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be approved.

(iii)       That the existing adopted Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be revoked.

(iv)       That the revised Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document be approved for adoption, to guide the Development Plan.

(v)        That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development be authorised to agree minor editorial changes to the Billingshurst Supplementary Planning Document.

REASONS

(i)         To take account of all consultation responses made in relation to the SPD.

(ii)        To ensure that all consultation representations and recommendations received by Horsham District Council during the consultation from March to April 2016, are taken on board in a revised Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document.

(iii)       To enable the revised SPD to be adopted as Council Policy.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development

RESOLVED

(i)         That the draft Gypsy Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations of Land Preferred Strategy and Sustainability Appraisal documentation be published for a six week period of consultation from 21^st April to 2^nd June 2017.

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

REASONS

(i)         The recommendations are required to ensure that the statutory requirements in the The Housing Act 2004 and Town and County Planning (Local Planning) England Regulations 2012 are met.

(ii)        To meet the Council’s stated commitment in the Horsham District Planning Framework to publish a site allocation document to identify sites for Gypsy and Traveller sites.

(iii)       It is both necessary and appropriate to invite public participation in the preparation of a new planning document for the District.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that the adopted Local Plan for Horsham District (the Horsham District Planning Framework (HDPF)) included the allocation of land for 39 net additional permanent residential pitches for Gypsies and Travellers within the period 2011–2017 and a policy setting out the criteria by which any applications for non-allocated sites would be considered. 

However, as the HDPF only provided allocations for Gypsy and Traveller sites until 2017, it was recognised in the Local Plan that further work would need to be undertaken to identify and monitor need, and to provide for additional pitches beyond the initial five year planning period.  It had been envisaged that these sites would be identified in a Site Allocations Document and this document had now been developed for consultation purposes.

The draft Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocation of Land Development Plan Document (DPD) included detail on the national and local context for providing accommodation for Gypsy and Traveller site provision; the results of the updated Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs assessment; and the process by which potential sites for allocation for Gypsy and Traveller land had been considered together with details of the preferred locations.

Approval was now therefore sought for the publication of the Gypsy Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Draft Site Allocations of Land Preferred Strategy for consultation purposes.

            RESOLVED

(i)         That the draft Gypsy Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations of Land Preferred Strategy and Sustainability Appraisal documentation be published for a six week period of consultation from 21^st April to 2^nd June 2017.

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

REASONS

(i)         The recommendations are required to ensure that the statutory requirements in the The Housing Act 2004 and Town and County Planning (Local Planning) England Regulations 2012 are met.

(ii)        To meet the Council’s stated commitment in the Horsham District Planning Framework to publish a site allocation document to identify sites for Gypsy and Traveller sites.

(iii)       It is both necessary and appropriate to invite public participation in the preparation of a new planning document for the District.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development

RESOLVED

(i)         That the relevant CIL rates for different types of development in Horsham District be noted, as set out in the submitted Horsham CIL Charging Schedule.

(ii)        That the recommendations of the Independent Examiner be noted, as reported.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

(iii)       That the Horsham District Council Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule be adopted, to be implemented from 1^st October 2017 or as soon as practicable thereafter, in consultation with the Cabinet Member.

REASON

To enable the Horsham CIL Charging Schedule to be adopted as Council Policy and to ensure that CIL contributions are provided to support the development identified in the HDPF over the Plan period (up to 2031).

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that, following three rounds of public consultation, the Council had now received the Independent Examiner’s report following his examination of the draft Horsham District Council Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule. 

The Independent Examiner recommended that the draft Horsham CIL Charging Schedule should be approved without any further modifications and Cabinet was therefore asked to recommend to Council the adoption of the Horsham District Council Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule.

            RESOLVED

(i)         That the relevant CIL rates for different types of development in Horsham District be noted, as set out in the submitted Horsham CIL Charging Schedule.

(ii)        That the recommendations of the Independent Examiner be noted, as reported.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

(iii)       That the Horsham District Council Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule be adopted, to be implemented from 1^st October 2017 or as soon as practicable thereafter, in consultation with the Cabinet Member.

REASON

To enable the Horsham CIL Charging Schedule to be adopted as Council Policy and to ensure that CIL contributions are provided to support the development identified in the HDPF over the Plan period (up to 2031).

Report of the Leader

RESOLVED

That the Technology Strategy be adopted, as submitted.

REASON

The Council requires a Technology Strategy to provide strategic direction on the use of technology to deliver services.

The Director of Corporate Resources, on behalf of the Leader, reported that the Council did not currently have a strategy document covering IT and other technology matters.  It was considered important that the Council had such a document as it would provide a clear strategic direction for the use of technology to support and improve service delivery.

A proposed Technology Strategy had therefore been developed with the strategic aim of enabling innovation and excellence in service delivery.  It focused on technology not as an end in itself but as a means for the Council to achieve its desired outcomes by making the most of developments in technology and new working practices.

Details of the objectives of the Strategy were reported.  It was noted that the Strategy focused on six key principles of good technology and the means of ensuring that these principles were always met.  In addition, the strategy introduced a process through which technology requirements were identified, approved and taken forward.  This would ensure the Council only invested time and money in technology that met the requirements of the strategy and delivered value.  The Strategy also outlined the working culture and practices of the Technology Services department and the services they worked with, and outlined how the Council would support Members and staff with the appropriate technology to enable them to do their work.

            RESOLVED

            That the Technology Strategy be adopted, as submitted.

            REASON

            The Council requires a Technology Strategy to provide strategic direction on the use of technology to deliver services.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets

RESOLVED

That the use of a four year framework agreement for the provision of Agency Staff, established by the Council’s Shared Procurement Service in conjunction with Crawley Borough Council and Mid Sussex District Council, be approved with immediate effect.

REASON

By accessing the framework agreement, the Council will have a compliant contract in place for the provision of agency staff for the next four years.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets reported that the Council’s contract with Comensura, for the provision of agency staff, had officially expired in June 2016.  Therefore, an EU compliant tender exercise for the provision of temporary agency staff had been conducted in conjunction with the partners in the Shared Procurement Service.

This Council, in conjunction with Crawley Borough Council and Mid Sussex District Council, had tendered for a framework agreement which Crawley Borough Council had legally established on behalf of all three Councils and approval was now sought for the Council to access this framework agreement. 

The framework agreement would provide flexible access, under agreed terms and rates, to specialist, office based, and operational staff and drivers.  This would ensure that a broad range of the Councils’ staffing requirements were met and that agency spend was compliant with public spending regulations.

            RESOLVED

            That the use of a four year framework agreement for the provision of Agency Staff, established by the Council’s Shared Procurement Service in conjunction with Crawley Borough Council and Mid Sussex District Council, be approved with immediate effect.

            REASON

            By accessing the framework agreement, the Council will have a compliant contract in place for the provision of agency staff for the next four years.

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

There were no matters currently outstanding for consideration.

To consider nominations and make appointments to represent the Council on the following bodies:

·        High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Joint Advisory Committee

·        Gatwick Greenspace Group

RESOLVED

That Councillor Adrian Lee be appointed as the Council’s representative on both the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Joint Advisory Committee and the Gatwick Greenspace Group until May 2019.

            RESOLVED

            That Councillor Adrian Lee be appointed as the Council’s representative on both the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Joint Advisory Committee and the Gatwick Greenspace Group until May 2019.

To note the Forward Plan

The Forward Plan was noted.

There were no matters of special urgency to be considered.