Minutes of the Meeting of the PLANNING AND ESTATES COMMITTEE held at 5.30 pm on MONDAY 30 JANUARY 2017 in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Evesham.
Those present:
Chairman: Cllr R S W Jones (Deputy Mayor)
Vice Chairman: Cllr A P Booth
Councillors: Cllr Mrs S Amor, Cllr M D Elliman, Cllr Miss E Haynes, Cllr Mrs J Johnson, Cllr F Kaler (Mayor) Cllr Mrs M Sale,
Cllr C Tether
Officer: Mr S D Carter – Town Clerk
Also present was Cllr M S Goodge, J H Smith OBE
66. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Mrs Whiting.
67. Declarations of pecuniary or other interest including requests for dispensation (if any)
There were no declarations of interest.
68. Minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2016
The Clerk had circulated with the agenda the minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2016. It was moved, seconded and RESOLVED that the minutes be adopted as a true and accurate record.
69. Planning Applications
a. 17/0005/LB - New Wave Installations Cardronics UK, 68 Port Street
Retention of an ATM to right of the shop front glazed entrance door with illuminated ATM fascia signs including the provision of CCTV- Listed Building Consent application
It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved.
b. 16/03019/PP - Mr & Mrs Bates, 4 Four Pools Road - single storey side & rear extension to form dining room and utility space.
It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved.
c. 16/03032/PP - Mr D Pepper, 19 Isbourne Crescent - two storey extension - as approved under permission ref no. W/16/01877/PP but without compliance with condition 4 (to allow change to approved plans and exterior of the extension)
It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved.
d. 16/02917/PP - Mr Smith, Bossington, 60 Broadway Road - proposed extended garage and garden wall
It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved.
e. 16/03018/PP - Mr & Mrs Keen, 2 Tyne Drive - single storey rear extension infill to front porch to form internal space
It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved.
70. Planning Decisions from Wychavon District Council
The Clerk had circulated with the agenda a report which listed the decisions made by Wychavon District Council and the decisions made by ETC. The report was NOTED.
71. Worcestershire’s Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) - Consultation
The Town Clerk had circulated with the agenda a report which gave details of Worcestershire County Council’s LTP4 consultation. It was explained that the document set out the transport policies and strategies for Worcestershire from 2017 to 2030. The main document could be downloaded from http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/downloads/file/7676/local_transport_plan_4_-_main_document.
The clerk had included the following from the consultation literature for background, ‘LTP4 sets out the County Council's aspirations for investing in our transport networks, including infrastructure, technology and services which are essential to support planned growth and promote social and economic success as a highly desirable place to live work and visit. This local transport plan sets out the issues and sets our priorities for investment in transport, infrastructure and services to support all relevant modes of transport including walking, cycling, rail, bus and community transport as well as highways.
Potential plans in Worcestershire include improvements investment in highways, walking and cycling infrastructure, passenger transport, traffic management and parking.
The County Council is required by Central Government to produce Local Transport Plans (LTP) to set out objectives for developing transport plans. The draft plan currently being consulted will cover the period from April 2017 until 2030. Although it's expected the document will be reviewed regularly, as the county is expected to see unprecedented population growth, housing development, economic diversification and technological advances.
The success of Worcestershire's economy is reliant on good connections with neighbouring and strategic economies, such as Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and London. Investment in transport infrastructure, information and services must be secured to enable the County to respond to future pressures as the national and local environment changes, so that Worcestershire remains an attractive place for people to live, work, visit and invest in.’
It was explained that responses were made by completing a survey/questionnaire which had been attached for members’ information. The consultation closing date was 17 March 2017.
It was highlighted that this was a strategic document and not about highlighting individual schemes.
Members were encouraged to respond individually and in addition it was agreed that the Council should formulate a response. It was RESOLVED that all members of the Council be asked to submit their comments to the Clerk by the 20 February so that he is able to collate a response to the survey/questionnaire to be considered at the next meeting of this committee on the 27 February 2017.
Whilst discussing this, it was commented that there had been another accident on the Evesham by-pass and whilst this consultation was not the correct means to bring it up, the Council should consider writing to Highways England as this was the third accident in as many months, one of which had tragically been fatal. It was agreed that the Clerk should write on behalf of the Council to Highways England expressing the Council’s concern about the safety of this stretch of road for motorists.
72. Consultation on draft proposals, policies and submitted sites for mineral extraction in Worcestershire
The Town Clerk had circulated with the agenda a report detailing a consultation being conducted by Worcestershire County Council regarding mineral extraction in the county.
The Clerk included a paragraph from the consultation literature that stated ‘The consultation document includes policies to: protect and enhance health, well-being and the natural and historic environment; safeguard important mineral resources and mineral infrastructure for the future; identify broad locations where proposals for mineral development will be viewed favourably; and identify "specific sites" and "preferred areas" for mineral development. If these sites are allocated in the final plan it does not replace the need for these sites to apply for planning permission.’
Again, the consultation was done by completing a survey/questionnaire. The plan could be viewed at http://gis.worcestershire.gov.uk/Website/MineralsLocalPlan/.
It was RESOLVED that to send any comments to the Clerk by 20 February to be collated.
73. Future of Acute Hospital Services in Worcestershire – Consultation
Similarly to the previous two items, the Town Clerk had circulated with the agenda a report detailing a consultation by the NHS in Worcestershire on acute hospital services. The proposals were summarised in the report as follows:
‘The model of care we are proposing moves:
· All hospital births from the Alexandra to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital
· Inpatient children’s services from the Alexandra to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital
· Emergency surgery from the Alexandra to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital
· Most planned orthopaedic surgery from Worcestershire Royal to the Alexandra Hospital
· Some planned gynaecology surgery from Worcestershire Royal to the Alexandra Hospital
· More planned surgery – eg breast surgery from Worcestershire Royal to the Alexandra Hospital
· More ambulatory care from Worcestershire Royal to the Alexandra Hospital
· More daycase and short stay surgery to Kidderminster Hospital
It retains an adult-only emergency department and introduces a new Urgent Care Centre for adults and children at the Alexandra Hospital. By doing this it concentrates the higher risk, emergency care at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital and planned elective care at the Alexandra Hospital.’
The trust had stated that these proposals separated much of the emergency and planned care and enabled them to utilise their workforce and equipment in the moist cost-effective way.
The details of the consultation could be viewed at http://www.worcsfuturehospitals.co.uk/.
It was commented that these proposals would overload the Worcester Royal Hospital and it would mean that many people would have to travel great distances to access the care they required. It was also commented that a relatively minor problem could mean that you are bed blocking in Worcester or Redditch, through no fault of your own.
It was commented that this was a very important consultation and that both councillors individually and the Council should respond to it. It was RESOLVED that all members of the Council be asked to submit their comments and responses to the Clerk by 20 February to collate and report back to the next meeting of this committee. The consultation ended on 30 March 2017.
74. Proposed Disabled Parking Space – Albert Road
Details were circulated with the agenda of a proposed new disabled parking space outside 110 Albert Road. It was noted that the application met all the criteria for a disabled parking space. Accordingly it was RESOLVED to raise no objection to the proposal.
75. Town Hall – New Homes Bonus
A report was circulated informing members that before the New Homes Bonus (NHB) bid for £50,000 could be submitted, some decisions needed to be taken, primarily regarding the floor, so suitable quotes could be obtained. Officers had already obtained quotes for wooden sprung flooring, Karndean flooring, carpets etcetera, but members needed to decide exactly what they wanted as there were a number of positives and negatives to both. It was agreed that a working group be established to work through the options and present them to this committee before the NHB bid is formally submitted. It was therefore RESOLVED that a working group consisting of Cllrs Elliman, Mrs Johnson, Smith OBE and Tether be formed.
76. Member attendance at WDC Planning Meetings
The Clerk had circulated a report seeking clarification on whom the Council should send to represent the Council to planning committee meetings at Wychavon District Council (WDC). There had been a few recent occasions when a member had requested to attend the meeting on behalf of the Council but a lack of clear policy or protocol meant that the Clerk was seeking clarification.
It was agreed that the Town Council should send a representative, especially as upcoming was the Abbey Road development. It was commented that whoever did speak should be sure to ensure they are expressing the views of the Council not themselves individually.
It was noted that the vast majority of applications were delegated to planning officers and were therefore never dealt with by committee. Those that were to be dealt with by committee were usually flagged up in the application process and therefore it would be easier to allocate a representative on a case by case basis at the meeting it was discussed at. It was therefore RESOLVED that the applications to be considered by committee at WDC be flagged up and that a Town Councillor is nominated on a case by case basis to speak on behalf of the Council if it is felt necessary and appropriate.
77. Almonry Heritage Centre – Heating
A report was tabled explaining that the electric heating in the Almonry had failed, with only a couple of units still working. Staff had tried to supplement the heating with plug in heaters but these had tripped the circuits. As a result, the museum was currently closed to the public and a gas heater was in the reception area to keep staff and visitors to the TIC warm.
Two independent electricians had inspected the heaters and the circuits and both had condemned the heaters and stated that a fixed wiring conditioning report should be undertaken. This was in essence a test and survey of the Almonry’s electrics, wiring, and circuits. This would inform as to whether a new heating system could be placed on the current system, whether it was safe and what would need upgrading or replacing. Neither electrician was able to undertake this work. A quote had been obtained to undertake this report, with a cost of £1,185 net.
Members commented that heating was essential and RESOLVED to approve the commissioning of the electrical report.
78. Matters of urgency raised, for information only, at the discretion of the Chairman
No matters of urgency were raised under this agenda item.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 6.40pm
COUNCILLOR R S W JONES CHAIRMAN