Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Louise Price, Steve Drury and Jonathon Solomons with the substitutes being Councillors Chris Whately-Smith and David Major.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the Policy and Resources Committee meeting held on 10 June 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2024 were confirmed as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

PR6/24 – ‘Councillor Oliver Cooper proposed an amendment’ in place of ‘Councillor Oliver Cooper tabled an amendment’

and signed by the Chair of the meeting.

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency. The Chair to rule on the admission of such items.

There were no items of urgent business.

To receive any declarations of interest.

Councillor Fraser declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 4, Batchwood Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 Consultation, as Chair of Batchwood Community Council.

The current Temporary Accommodation Placement Policy has been reviewed and the report sets out the six minor amendments required.

Recommendation

For Committee to approve the updated Temporary Accommodation Placement Policy.

Kimberley Grout, Associate Director Corporate, Customer and Community, presented the report and informed Members that the report set out an update to the Temporary Accommodation Placement Policy. The Policy had been reviewed as it had been 3 years since the last one took place. There had been several minor amendments.

It was suggested by Councillor Scarth that any amendments were highlighted in bold or coloured script to make them obvious.

In response to Members questions, the Associate Director Corporate, Customer and Community informed Members that there were currently 70 households in temporary accommodation. The vast majority of those had been placed within the Three Rivers district but 9 households were out of district hence the need for this policy.

Households were placed in accommodation on a case-by-case basis and would be placed out of district if there was a need due to domestic abuse and other reasons.

The Chair proposed to move the Officer’s recommendation and this was seconded by Councillor Scarth.

RESOLVED: that the Policy and Resources Committee AGREED to approve the updated Temporary Accommodation Placement Policy.

Batchworth Parish Council have formally submitted their draft Neighbourhood Plan to Three Rivers District Council. It is now a statutory requirement for Three Rivers to consult on the draft Neighbourhood Plan and this report seeks agreement from the Policy and Resources Committee to go out for consultation.

Recommendation

i.                 That the Policy & Resources Committee note the report and agree the Batchworth NDP for consultation; and

ii.                note that the Council will be reconsulting on the Sarratt Neighbourhood Plan.

Marko Kalik, Head of Planning Policy and Conservation, presented the report and explained that Batchworth Community Council had prepared a Neighbourhood Plan with assistance and guidance from officers at Three Rivers District Council (TRDC). The Plan had gone out for consultation with the local community and had now been submitted to TRDC for the next stage in the regulations; a statutory duty for TRDC to consult on the Regulation 16 under the Neighbourhood Plan Regulations. Officers were satisfied that the legal requirements had been met.

At the same time, TRDC was required to re-consult on the Sarratt Neighbourhood Plan.

Members commented that a lot of excellent work had been done by both the officers, Batchworth Community Council and Sarratt Parish Council.

A Member asked if any NPPF changes happening now, before the examination takes place, would have to be reflected in this Neighbourhood Plan.

The Head of Policy Planning and Conservation would investigate this and update Members.

After concerns raised by a Member about delays to the Batchwood Neighbourhood Plan being brought to the Policy and Resources Committee, the Head of Planning Policy and Conservation agreed to investigate the timeline.

The Chair proposed to move the officer’s recommendation and this was seconded by Councillor Scarth.

RESOLVED: that the Policy and Resources Committee AGREED to

       i.          note the report and agree the Batchworth NDP for consultation; and

     ii.          note that the Council will be reconsulting on the Sarratt Neighbourhood Plan.

The Housing Delivery Test and associated Action Plan for the 2021 measurement figure was agreed by the Policy and Resources Committee on 12 September 2022. The Action Plan analyses the reasons for under-delivery of new homes and sets out actions to improve housing delivery within the district.

Recommendation

That the Policy and Resources Committee;

i.       Notes the Housing Delivery Test Result for 2022;

ii.      Agrees the Action Plan and the series of actions that the Council will seek to implement;

iii.     Agrees to the publication of the Action Plan on the Council’s website.

Aaron Roberts, Senior Planning Officer presented the report.

Members referred to paragraph 4.26 in the officer’s report regarding a review of Council owned land and asked if it was a valid plan. The Director of Finance explained that this was to achieve delivery. There was a programme in place to build on the garage sites and talks were taking place with Hertfordshire County Council.

Members asked officer’s about the impact of Biodiversity Net Gain. The Head of Planning Policy and Conservation explained that it was a challenge across both policy and planning development management and officers were having to learn new areas of expertise, very quickly. It would also affect the number of dwellings that could be put on a specific site.

The Chair proposed to move the officer’s recommendations and this was seconded by Counsellor Whateley-Smith.

RESOLVED: that the Policy and Resources Committee AGREED to

       i.          note the Housing Delivery Test Result for 2022;

     ii.          agree the Action Plan and the series of actions that the Council will seek to implement;

    iii.          agree to the publication of the Action Plan on the Council’s website.

To seek approval to use S106 funding to purchase 2 new benches for use outside of the conservation grazed area on The Horses’ Field, Leavesden Country Park.

Recommendation

That the proposal to request to use £1,720 of S106 funding to install 2 benches at The Horses’ Field, Leavesden Country Park, as outlined in section 2, is approved and that budget should be made available by Council as part of the next budget monitoring report.

Alison Scott, the Director of Finance, presented the report.

A Member asked what “Replacement Land” meant in reference to paragraph 2.6 of the officers report. The Chair would confirm in writing, what this referred to.

There was an error in the title of the report which should read “S106” not “S016”.

Councillor Lloyd proposed to move the officer’s recommendation and this was seconded by Councillor Whately-Smith.

RESOLVED: that the Policy and resources Committee AGREED that the proposal to request to use £1,720 of S106 funding to install 2 benches at The Horses’ Field, Leavesden Country Park, as outlined in section 2, is approved and that budget should be made available by Council as part of the next budget monitoring report.