Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Epsom Town Hall, https://www.youtube.com/@epsomandewellBC/playlists. View directions

Contact: Sandra Dessent, tel: 01372 732121  email:  sdessent@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

10.

Question Time

To take any questions from members of the the Public

 

Please note:  Members of the Public are requested to inform the Democratic Servicers Officer before the meeting begins if they wish to ask a verbal question to the Committee.

Decision:

A question was asked by a member of the public, in relation to Item 05, Epsom & Ewell Local Plan, Issues and Options Consultation paper.  The question was an enquiry regarding the four options presented in the paper.

The Chairman undertook to provide a written response.

Minutes:

A question was asked by a member of the public, in relation to Item 05, Epsom & Ewell Local Plan, Issues and Options Consultation paper.  The question was an enquiry regarding the four options presented in the paper.

The Chairman undertook to provide a written response.

11.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

Decision:

No declarations of interest were made by Councillors regarding items on the Agenda.

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made by Councillors regarding items on the Agenda.

12.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 104 KB

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 12 July 2017 (attached) and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.


Decision:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2017 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2017 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

13.

Corporate Plan: Performance Report One 2017 to 2018 pdf icon PDF 93 KB

This report provides an update against our Key Priority Performance Targets for 2017 to 2018, under our new Corporate Plan.

Decision:

The Committee:

(1)            Considered the performance reported in Annexe 1 and did not identify any areas of concern

(2)            Considered the actions that had been proposed where performance was a concern

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered a report which provided an update against the Council’s Key Priority Performance Targets for 2017 to 2018 as set out in the Corporate Plan.

The report detailed one target that had not been achieved, relating to supporting businesses in the local economy, as set out in the table below.  The Committee noted the clarification of the target description to read ‘No more than 10% of major planning applications determined…’, and that there were 29 major applications determined, 4 of which had been allowed at appeal, one more than the maximum allowed.

 

Not Achieved

Action Identified

No more than 10% of major planning applications determined allowed at appeal (using the two-year rolling assessment period defined by the government)

We are working with the LGA to conduct a peer review in September.  This will address concerns and include actions on how this target could be achieved.

It was also noted that the key priority objective of supporting businesses and our local economy would be achieved not only through the development of ‘town centre sites’ but also the development of sites across the borough. 

Accordingly the Committee:

(1)            Considered the performance reported in Annexe 1 and did not identify any areas of concern

(2)            Considered the actions that had been proposed where performance was a concern

14.

Epsom & Ewell Local Plan - Issues and Options Consultation Paper pdf icon PDF 126 KB

As part of the review of the Local Plan this report sets out the challenging issues and the choice that we now face in respect of how we respond positively to demand for new housing.  The Committee is asked the draft Issues and Options Consultation Paper and subject to any amendments, approve for consultation during the Autumn 2017. 

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Committee considered the draft Issues and Options Consultation paper and approved it for consultation during Autumn 2017, subject to amendments agreed at the meeting.

Details of the amendments will be listed the Minutes.

Minutes:

With regard to the partial review of the local-plan, the Committee was informed that the initial stage of the process, the review of technical evidence used to inform the preparation of the Local Plan was largely complete and the outputs from the study had been used to prepare a Consultation paper. 

The objective of the consultation exercise was to invite responses from local residents and local communities regarding the options that the Council could pursue in order to positively plan for growth and meet the national planning policy requirement of ‘significantly boosting the supply of housing’.  To that end Members were also presented with a brief overview of the recently published (14 September 2017) government proposals for a new standard methodology for assessing housing numbers and a standard approach to development viability.  Alongside these proposals the government had published their own indicative calculations for how much housing each planning authority should be planning for – their figures for Epsom & Ewell were 39% higher than the Council’s calculations.  It was stressed that the government’s proposed figure was not national planning policy, but were indicative of the direction that the government wanted to take, and that the public consultation should proceed as planned with the addition of a paragraph which reflected the government announcement, as set out in the table below.  It was also noted that Members would have an opportunity to consider the Council’s response at a special meeting of the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee to be arranged for late October.

Having considered the Issues and Options Consultation paper it was agreed that the following additions/amendments would be made:

 

Agenda page

Paragraph reference

 

31

Paragraph 4 final sentence to read

‘…and tell us what matters most to you and which options you support.’

32

Development needs up to 2032 final box to read

Need for investment to support future growth as there is significant pressure on existing roads and facilities.

32

Challenges for our Local Plan third box down to read

43% of land is Green Belt of which 44% has additional environmental designations

33

First paragraph insert text as follows:

Our evidence shows there is demand for 418 new homes each year to be built in the Borough over the next plan period.  The Government has recently published its own indicative calculation which currently estimates that 579 new homes are needed each year.  However, the evidence shows that we don’t have enough currently available land to meet the demand for new homes over the next 15 years.

33

Third paragraph – insert text:

Between the 1980’s and early 2000s infilling continued but within this period the rate of house building slowed down.

34

Paragraph 7, insert percentage as follows:

‘Additionally, there are fewer than 300 (1%) empty homes in the borough…’.

34

Paragraph 9 last sentence to read:

‘…particularly affordable housing need, which have never been experienced before and there may be no other reasonable option…’.

35

Paragraph 1, first sentence to read:

‘The Local Plan no  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Sexual Entertainment Venue Policy pdf icon PDF 90 KB

This report requests the Committee to recommend to Council the adoption of a Revised Sexual Entertainment Venue and Sexual Establishment Policy.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Committee agreed to recommend to Council the adoption of a revised Sexual Entertainment Venue Policy, subject to a minor amendment agreed at the meeting.

Minutes:

In order to ensure that the Council continued to exercise its licensing function, the Committee received and considered a report setting out a revised policy on the regulation of venues which offer sexual entertainment facilities.

It was noted that the definition of relevant entertainment did not include massage parlours and the Committee was informed that whilst it was incorporated in other boroughs’ policies,  in Epsom & Ewell,  massages and special treatments were licensable under the London Local Authorities Act 1991 (as amended).

Having considered the revised policy, a minor amendment was requested and agreed, as follows:  page 46, paragraph 1.2, to read:  ‘…Making Epsom and Ewell an excellent place to live and work…’.

Accordingly, subject to the correction of the amendment set out above, the Committee agreed to recommend to Council the adoption of a revised Sexual Entertainment Venue Policy.

16.

Surrey-wide Convictions Policy for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers pdf icon PDF 91 KB

The Committee is asked to agree in principal to the adoption of a Surrey-wide convictions policy for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers.

Decision:

The Committee agreed in principle to the formulation of a Surrey-wide convictions policy for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report outlining the reasons and justification for adopting a Surrey-wide convictions policy for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers.  The formulation of the policy had been led by Guildford Borough Council in liaison with all Surrey Authorities and included proposals for training drivers, information sharing and matters under the Licensing Act.

Members were informed that there would be an opportunity to comment on the   on the extensive draft policy during the public consultation period, and they would be informed of the commencement date when it was known.   Following the consultation a further report would be brought before the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee in January, recommending the adoption of the policy, which would sit alongside the Authority’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire policy.

Accordingly the Committee agreed in principle to the formulation of a Surrey-wide convictions policy for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers.