Agenda and minutes

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th January 2016

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 28^th January 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the 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 Chief Executive reported that the Council’s Commissioning & Performance and Sustainability teams had won the Sustainability/Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year Award at the National Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards 2016/17.  The teams had won the award for their innovative commissioning approach to the sustainable disposal of surplus office equipment when the Council moved from its old premises to its new location in 2015.

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.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that the Planning Compliance Team undertook investigations into alleged breaches of planning legislation and had discretionary powers to take action where appropriate and in the public interest.

Whilst the Council had agreed performance indicators that were used to monitor the performance of the Planning Compliance Team, there was no adopted Local Enforcement Plan.  A Local Enforcement Plan had therefore been developed, setting out the Council’s policy for the enforcement of planning control and identifying local priorities for enforcement action, so that resources were put to best use in dealing with breaches of planning control that threatened the quality of the local environment or the amenities of residents of the District. 

If adopted, the Local Enforcement Plan would provide guidance to Councillors, businesses and members of the public by setting out the principles and standards the Planning Compliance Team would work to in enforcing breaches of planning control.

In response to concerns expressed, the Cabinet Member undertook to amend the wording of the penultimate paragraph of section 2 of the Plan (How the planning compliance team will deliver the service).

                        RESOLVED

(i)         That the wording of the penultimate paragraph of section 2 of the Plan (How the planning compliance team will deliver the service) be amended by the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development in consultation with the Head of Legal & Democratic Services.

(ii)        That, subject to (i) above, the Local Enforcement Plan be adopted as Council Policy.

                        REASONS

(i)               Paragraph 207 of the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) states that:

“Local planning authorities should consider publishing a local enforcement plan to manage enforcement proactively, in a way that is appropriate to their area. This should set out how they will monitor the implementation of planning permissions, investigate alleged cases of unauthorised development and take action where it is appropriate to do so.”

(ii)        An adopted Local Enforcement Plan would assist the Council to effectively mitigate any legal challenges made against the decision as to whether or not to take formal enforcement action on individual cases and provide clarity to all those involved within the Compliance process what to expect from the service.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets, on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Local Economy, reported that the existing Agency Agreement between West Sussex County Council and Horsham District Council for the delivery of on street parking services, introduced in 2006 was due to expire at the end of March 2016.

Approval was therefore now being sought to enter into a new Agency Agreement with the County Council for the management and operation of Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) and the management of the Horsham and Billingshurst Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ).  The proposed new Agency Agreement did not seek to amend the current operation of the service but did give the opportunity to achieve financial savings against Horsham’s current contributions.

                        RESOLVED

                        That a new Agency Agreement be entered into with West Sussex County Council with regard to Civil Parking Enforcement and the management of the Controlled Parking Zones, as reported.

                        REASONS

To ensure that the service can be managed in an efficient and cost effective way,ensuring that the Council has control over parking enforcement processes and matching operations against strategic objectives.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that it was important to identify and deliver priorities for strategic planning, development and infrastructure.  A mechanism for doing this, in the absence of Regional Planning and to meet the duty to cooperate, was the production of non-statutory Local Strategic Statements across local planning authority areas.  The Coastal West Sussex and Greater Brighton (CWS&GB) Local Strategic Statement (LSS) had therefore been prepared by the local planning authorities (LPAs) in the sub-region to provide the context for delivering sustainable growth over the period 2013-2031.  The northern part of Horsham District was covered by the Gatwick Diamond Local Strategic Statement, whilst the southern area did not have any LSS coverage.  

When the CWS&GB authorities decided to update their existing LSS, Horsham District had been invited to join their Strategic Planning Board (SPB) and take part in drafting the updated LSS.  An updated LSS had now been produced which included the context and delivery priorities for the southern part of Horsham District.

The Coastal West Sussex and Greater Brighton Local Strategic Statement was therefore now submitted for approval.

                        RESOLVED

(i)         That the updated Coastal West Sussex and Greater Brighton Local Strategic Statement (LSS2) including Annexes 1-3 be endorsed.

(ii)        That Annex 4, the Coastal West Sussex and Greater Brighton Monitoring and Delivery Framework (Update January 2016), be noted.

REASON

The LSS is important evidence to demonstrate that the requirements of Duty to Cooperate have been met and have been an integral part of plan-making across the area.

The Leader presented a report seeking approval to exercise the existing option to extend the current ten year leisure management contract with Places for People Leisure Limited (PfP) by a further five years to the end of November 2027.  The current contract also included a provision to vary the contract to include a new or replacement leisure centre at Broadbridge Heath.  It was therefore intended that the extended contract would include the management of the replacement Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre (BBHLC), which was anticipated to open in early 2018.

The current contract provided for a significant payment to be made to the Council for the management and operation of Pavilions in The Park, Steyning Leisure Centre and Billingshurst Leisure Centre, whilst the management and operation of the existing BBHLC was carried out at a considerable cost to the Council.  Alongside proposals for building a replacement BBHLC, officers had been participating in ongoing negotiations with PfP to agree a contract sum to be paid to the Council in order for PfP to operate the replacement BBHLC.  An independent assessment of the likely revenue return of a replacement BBHLC to the Council had been undertaken based on the feasibility design proposals and a figure of £59,000 per annum (excluding the management of the Athletics track) had been included in the affordability calculations of building a replacement  BBHLC, as agreed by the Council in December 2015.  The negotiations had resulted in a final offer from PfP which was conditional on the Council extending the current contract for an additional five years to November 2027.

The final offer from PfP would result in a significant additional leisure management revenue contribution to the Council over the extended term of the contract, in accordance with the benefits expected from running a new purpose built facility with its associated efficiency and income generating opportunities.  It also guaranteed the Council an improved overall management fee comparable with estimated figures if the Council were to undertake a procurement exercise for the same proposal.

                        RESOLVED

(i)         That the extension of the existing leisure management contract with Places for People Leisure Limited for the period 1st December 2022 to 30^th November 2027 be approved, to include operating the replacement Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre.

(ii)        That the proposal from Places for People Leisure Limited in respect of a variation to the current management fee payable to the Council linked to the opening date of the replacement Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre be approved, as reported.

(iii)       That the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture, be authorised to agree the final details of the contract extension.

REASONS

(i)         The replacement Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre requires the renegotiation of some aspects of the existing leisure management contract between the Council and Places for People Leisure Limited (PfP).  A negotiated extension offer would provide the Council with best value for money, as benchmarked by a recent independent evaluation.

(ii)  ...  view the full minutes text for item EX/53

To consider any matters referred to Cabinet by the Scrutiny & Overview Committee – There are no matters currently outstanding for consideration

There were no matters currently outstanding for consideration.

To note the Forward Plan

The Forward Plan was noted.

There were no matters of special urgency to be considered.