Agenda item

6a)       Budget monitoring report

Recommendation:

To Council:

1.     That the revenue budget virements as set out in appendices 1 to 3 be approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

2.     That the revenue budget supplementary estimates as set out in appendices 1 to 3 be approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

3.     That the revenue variances to be managed as set out in appendices 1 to 3 be noted.

4.     That the capital variances as set out in appendices 1 to 3 be approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

6b)       Calendar of meetings

Recommendation:

The Committee are asked to recommend to Council:

1.    That the attached draft Calendar of Meetings for 2025/26 be agreed with Members able to comment on the dates before ratification by Council on 17 October 2023.

2.    That the proposed changes in the scheduling of the meetings as detailed in Paragraphs 1.2 and 1.3 or the report be agreed for recommendation to Council on 17 October 2023.

6c)       Local Plan Regulation 18 Part 4 Consultation

Recommendation:

·     That Full Council approves the Local Plan Regulation 18: Part Four: Three Rivers’ Preferred Local Plan Lower Housing Growth Option – Protecting More Green Belt Land document as set out in Appendix 1 for public consultation in accordance with the regulations and the Local Development Scheme.

·     That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning Policy & Conservation in consultation with the Lead Member for the Local Plan to make any minor changes that are required before the documents are published for consultation.

Agenda for Policy and Resources Committee on Monday, 11th September, 2023, 7.30 pm - Modern Council (threerivers.gov.uk)

Agenda for Policy and Resources Committee on Thursday, 5th October, 2023, 7.30 pm - Modern Council (threerivers.gov.uk)

Council considered recommendations arising from resolutions made by the Policy and Resources Committee at its meetings on 11^th September 2023 and 5^th October 2023.

a)     Budget Monitoring Report

Council was informed that a review of the Council’s budgets at the end of the first quarter had concluded that the approved budget of £13.754million, would be insufficient to cover the Council’s projected costs to the end of the 2023/24 financial year.   The shortfall was attributed to a number of factors including inflationary pressures, the pay award and the cost of recycling materials.  To ensure the continued delivery of uninterrupted services it was proposed that a portion of the Council’s reserves were used to close the budget gap.

It was moved by Councillor Keith Martin, seconded by Councillor Sarah Nelmes, that:

        i.           That the revenue budget virements, as set out in appendices 1 to 3, be approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

      ii.           That the revenue budget supplementary estimates, as set out in appendices 1 to 3, approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

     iii.           That the revenue variances to be managed, as set out in appendices 1 to 3, be noted.

     iv.           That the capital variances as set out in appendices 1 to 3, be approved and incorporated into the three-year medium-term financial plan.

On being put to Council the recommendations were CARRIED, the voting being For 26, Against 0 and Abstaining 8.

RESOLVED that the budgetary changes be approved.

b)     Calendar of Meetings

It was clarified that the Local Area Forums were intended to be a mix of face to face, virtual and hybrid meetings dependant on the facilities available in each area. The final decision on the type of meeting would lie with ward councillors.

It was moved by Councillor Sarah Nelmes, seconded by Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhust, that:

         i.          The draft calendar of meetings for 2025/26 be ratified.

        ii.          The proposed changes to the schedule of meetings as set out in Paragraphs 1.2 and 1.3 of the report be approved.

On being put to Council the recommendations were CARRIED unanimously.

RESOLVED the Calendar of Meetings for 2025/26 be approved.

c)     Local Plan Regulation 18 Part 4 Consultation

Following concern about the Council’s ability to secure infrastructure provision for particular areas it was proposed by Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, that Appendix 1 of the Plan be amended to include wording that required the infrastructure requirements detailed for Maple Cross and Shepherds Lane to be secured through a legal agreement.  The proposed amendment was seconded by Councillor Matthew Bedford, put to the vote and carried unanimously.

It was noted that Green Belt constraints would make it difficult to meet Government housing targets for the area.  Consequently, it was proposed that the Local Plan would be an evidence based Local Plan based on a low growth Green Belt constraints.

It was moved by Councillor Chris Mitchell that the Red Cross Centre in Croxley Green be removed from the List of Preferred Sites in the Regulation 18 consultation.  The proposed amendment was seconded by Councillor Narinder Sian put to the vote and defeated.  The Voting in favour of the amendment was For 3, Against 21.  

It was moved by Councillor Oliver Cooper that the following amendments be made to the Foreword of the Regulation 18 Consultation document:

§    That the word ‘required’ is removed from ‘required government target’. 

§    That ‘Government Inspector’ is replaced with ‘Planning Inspectorate’. 

§    That the sentence ‘As we go to print the government has not changed any of the planning rules’ is replaced with ‘Whilst the government is implementing proposals which would allow Green Belt land to be protected, this will only come into law next year.’

The proposed amendment was seconded by Councillor Philip Hearn put to the vote and defeated.  The voting in favour of the amendment was For 8, Against 26.

It was moved by Councillor Oliver Cooper that the following sites be removed from the Regulation 18 Consultation document:

·        CFS3 - Fraser Crescent and Woodside Road 

·        CFS6 - Mansion House 

·        PCS21 - Love Lane 

·        CFS65 - Bucknalls Lane 

·        CFS16 - Chorleywood Station Car Park 

·        EOS12.4 - Maple Cross 

·        EOS7.0 - Shepherds Lane, Mill End 

·        CFS59 - London Road 

·        CG65 - Croxley Green Red Cross 

The proposed amendment was seconded by Councillor Philip Hearn, put to the vote and defeated.  The voting in favour of the amendment was For: 8, Against 26.

It was moved by Councillor Oliver Cooper that in respect of site CFS16 Chorleywood Station car park the Regulation 18 consultation document be amended so that no change to the boundaries would be permitted under any planning application in Chorleywood Common.  The proposed amendment was seconded by Councillor Philip Hearn, put to the vote and defeated.  The voting in respect of the amendment was For 8, Against 26.

It was moved by Councillor Oliver Cooper that in respect of sites EOS12.4 Maple Cross and EOS7.0 Shepherds Lane a requirement be added that all health, education, and similar facilities secured must be contracted to open and operate before residential properties could be occupied.  The proposed amendment was seconded by Councillor Philip Hearn, put to the vote and defeated.  The voting in favour of the amendment was For 10, Against 24.

In response to concerns about the inclusion of a number of proposed housing allocation sites in the plan, including the Croxley Green Red Cross building and Chorleywood Station Car Park, it was stressed that the Regulation 18 consultation focused on the preferred issues and options and consequently was not the final iteration of the Local Plan that would be going to Examination.  Any responses to the Regulation 18 consultation would receive full consideration and where sites were subsequently found to be unviable they could be removed before the Local Plan progressed further.  It was stressed that even if all the potential housing sites identified in the draft Local Plan were progressed, the District would still face a shortfall against Government housing requirements and removing sites at this stage would impact on the plan’s soundness at Examination.

It was moved by Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, seconded by Councillor Mathew Bedford that:

       i.          The Local Plan Regulation 18: Part Four Three Rivers Preferred Local Plan Lower Housing Growth Option – Protecting More Green Belt Land document as set out in Appendix 1, as amended, be approved for public consultation in accordance with the regulations and the Local Development Scheme.

      ii.          Delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning Policy and Conservation in consultation with the Lead Member for the Local Plan to make any minor changes that are required before the documents are published for consultation.

On being put to Council the recommendations were declared CARRIED, the voting being: For 24, Against 8 and Abstaining 2.

RESOLVED that the Local Plan be approved for Regulation 18 consultation.

NOTE: At the end of consideration of this item, Councillor Roger Seaborne left the meeting.