Agenda and draft minutes

No apologies for absence were received

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 10 March 2025.

The minutes of the Policy and Resources Committee Meeting held on 10 March 2025 were confirmed as a correct record 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 other business.

To receive any declarations of interest.

Councillor Tankard declared a non-pecuniary interest in Abbots Langley Parish Council.

To receive and agree the Fee Charging Structure as set out in the Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain in Planning Report.

Members discussed the Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain in Planning Fee Schedule with concerns being raised around the fees being set without considering the size of the application. Councillor Cooper expressed belief that the fees should reflect the size of the application and focus on a fee per hectare. This would mean that the fee would fall for smaller applications and rise for larger applications.

It was clarified that the fee schedule was set from guidance from the Ecological Society Advisers. It was noted that the scheme was in its infancy and expected to be refined following the first year’s findings. Council Giles-Medhurst clarified that the recommendations were loose for officers to make changes to the fees following the meeting.

Members queried the financial situation of a development that did not pay or moved out of the district. It was noted that the council would have enforcement powers if a development within the district does not pay the fees however enforcement action would not be possible for a development that had moved away from the district as the council would have no jurisdiction to monitor or to act outside of the district. The fees would then be paid to the council that the development fell under.

It was noted that the progress of the item would be reported annually under the Fees and Charges Regime.

The recommendations in the report were agreed by general assent with the amendment that Table 2.3.5 be reviewed with an increased differential incremental higher scale for larger sites and a decreased differential lower scale for smaller sites.

Councillor Cooper expressed concern that CIL items should not be discussed with the exclusion of the press and public and instead should be discussed openly.

Councillor Cooper queried the amounts proposed to be awarded to Batchworth Sea Scouts and 1^st Chorleywood Scouts HQ.

Kimberley Rowley Head of Regulatory Services, clarified that two quotes were submitted by Batchworth Sea Scouts, only items relating to Strategic Infrastructure were taken forward and officers considered the highest quote with ineligible items removed. A discrepancy in the cost of the Asbestos removal was noted.

Backbench Councillor Reed stated that Batchworth Sea Scouts had submitted a well written application and was a model example of what an application contains. The application will reflect a real change in the community.

Members queried whether an application either successful or unsuccessful would be able to reapply, it was noted that the applicants would be welcome to reapply, and each application would be considered on its own merits, and potential inflationary costs would be considered.

Members heard from Andy Dalgliesh on behalf of the Rickmansworth Cricket Club

            “Rickmansworth Cricket Club is committed to creating a legacy, the facilities of the club are substandard, and the community does not appreciate the unique setting the facilities holds. Rickmansworth Cricket Club could be the best venue in the country. Kids are travelling to play at other grounds due to massive flooding issues that could be fixed with a converse drainage system. One team played one home game out of 10, even with the good weather umpires did not want to continue as there was standing water on the field. The youth sector is booming but Rickmansworth Cricket Club is losing kids to other clubs as the club cannot give them the facilities they deserve. The changing facilities require improvement and women and girls who use the football pitch can also use the facilities. Disabled access needs improvement and sporting options to those with mobility issues. Rickmansworth Cricket Club can be a massive community asset, and it will be very sad if it does not go ahead.”

 It was noted by Kimberley Rowley Head of Regulatory Services, that officers had requested further information from the club that they did not receive. The Environment Agency had not been consulted at the time of the application and planning permission had not yet been granted for all the works. No match funding had been secured however there had been a lot of local support.

Councillor Lloyd offered to advise Rickmansworth Cricket Club outside of the committee and work together to improve the clubs standing.

Councillor Cooper queried the score Rickmansworth Cricket Club was given and expressed concern that this fell to not securing matched funding. It was clarified by Kimberley Rowley Head of Regulatory Services that any further information following the papers being published had not been received. Match funding does not affect the issues relating to planning permission and the Environment Agency.

Members advised the applicant to resubmit the application for the next round of  ...  view the full minutes text for item PR624

To review the Budget Outturn Report.

It was noted that Councillor Price thank Alison Scott, Head of Finance and team for their work on the Budget outturn report.

Councillor Ranger queried the effectiveness and value for money of the Garden Waste System. Councillor Nelmes clarified that the outturn figures now match expectations however regarding trade food waste take up had been slow, but not all firms will require the service.

Councillor Mitchell noted that the council was operating at a loss of half a million, but the council retains a reserve of 6 million GBP. Members noted that Climate Change received external grant funding and based on external advisers, the council did not charge the revenue budget £500,000 as had occurred in previous years.

The recommendations were agreed by general assent.

NOTE Councillor Reed left the room 20:46 and returned 20:47

In accordance with Procedure Rule 11(5), the motion submitted to Council in relation to a community governance review for Croxley Green has been referred to the Policy and Resources Committee for consideration.

The potential Review of the Croxley Green and Sarratt Parish Boundary had been brought back to Committee following Sarratt Parish Council sharing their joint viewpoint with Croxley Green. Both Croxley Green Parish Council and Sarratt Parish Council together requested that the Boundary Review be put on hold whilst awaiting the result of planning permission of the proposed site in Sarratt Parish District.

Councillor Mitchell expressed concern that the potential review is not lost and instead be revisited at a set time and date however members discussed the review be brought back by request.

It was agreed by general assent to not continue with the recommendations unless requested by Croxley Green Parish Council and Sarratt Parish Council.

Abbots Langley Parish Council has formally submitted its 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 (Regulation 16 Consultation).

Recommendation

That the Policy & Resources Committee notes the report and agrees the Abbots Langley Neighbourhood Development Plan for consultation.

Members received an outline of the Abbots Langley Neighbourhood Plan from Marko Kalik Head of Planning Policy and Conservation, the plan had been formally submitted and checked against legal requirements. The consultation would go live the following week depending on the council website status. The consultation would run for 6 weeks and during this time officers would be contacting the Parish Council to share feedback on the plan and the Parish Council can respond on the feedback before being handed over to an examiner. The examiner would bring back a report to the Parish and then to Committee and the final step would be to liaise with the election team on a potential election date.

The Recommendations in the report were agreed by General Assent.

This report proposes an amendment to the Risk Management Strategy and providing a delegation to the Associate Director of Corporate, Customer and Community to authorise minor changes to the policy.

Members discussed the Risk Management Strategy Amendment and the inclusion of the green belt as a category rather than an item on the Risk Register. Officers clarified the purpose of the Risk Management Strategy was about how the council operates and functions and not the district.

Councillor Cooper raised a motion that the Green Belt be added to the Risk Management Strategy Amendment as a category. Councillor Edwards seconded.

The item was put to the vote with 4 votes for, 7 votes against, and 1 abstained.

The Recommendations were agreed by general assent.