Agenda, decisions and minutes

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.

No questions had been submitted or were asked by members of the public.

No questions had been submitted or were asked by members of the public.

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.

In the interests of openness and transparency Councillor Michael Arthur declared that his home was located on the boundary of a flood zone as identified in the Epsom & Ewell Strategic Flood Risk Assessment 2018 (SFRA 2018), item 7 on the agenda.

In the interests of openness and transparency Councillor Michael Arthur declared that his home was located on the boundary of a flood zone as identified in the Epsom & Ewell Strategic Flood Risk Assessment 2018 (SFRA 2018), item 7 on the agenda, but it was not considered that it would affect his consideration of the item.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 8 May 2018 (attached) and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee held on 8 May 2018 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee held on 8 May 2018 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee is requested to select four Members from the pool of Licensing Hearting Panel members to be available to Chair as required any Panels held during the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

This item was deferred to the next meeting.

This item was deferred to the next meeting.

The Committee is asked to recommend to Council the adoption of the renewed Statement of Policy as required under the Gambling Act 2005.

Having considered the renewed statement of policy for the Gambling Act 2005, the Committee agreed to recommend the adoption of the policy to Council, subject to minor amendments agreed at the meeting.

Under the Gambling Act 2005, the Council had a statutory requirement to review its policy and advertise their intention to publish the revision at least four weeks prior to the publication date.

The Committee was informed that one consultee had responded during the consultation period, namely the Association of British Bookmakers, and as a result minor amendments were made to the policy as follows:

Having considered the reviewed policy, the Committee agreed to further amendments as follows:

Officers confirmed that there were no licensed family entertainment centres in Epsom but agreed to investigate if there was a minimum age for children to use gaming machines in family centres.

Having considered the renewed statement of policy for the Gambling Act 2005, the Committee agreed to recommend the adoption of the policy to Council, subject to minor amendments agreed at the meeting.

This report provides a list of all the Key Priority Targets for 2018 to 2019 for the Committee’s review and agreement.

The Committee reviewed and agreed the corporate plan Key Priority targets for 2018 to 2019.

The Committee received the Corporate Plan Key Priority Targets for 2018/19 which are linked to the Council’s Annual Service Delivery Plans and had been developed in consultation with the Council’s officer Leadership Team and Committee Chairmen. 

Having reviewed the targets it was agreed under the section ‘Supporting businesses and our local economy to add ‘against officer recommendation’ to ‘the numbers of officer recommendations overturned by the Planning Committee.

It was acknowledged that some of the targets were challenging and not entirely within the control of officers.  However in such cases they were expected to influence the outcome.

Accordingly the Committee agreed the corporate plan Key Priority targets for 2018 to 2019 subject to the minor amendment above.

This report provides an overview of the Epsom and Ewell Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Update 2018 (SFRA 2018).  The SFRA update is an important evidence base document that informs the allocation of sites in the Local Plan, future policy formation and planning applications and decisions.

The Committee received and noted the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment update 2018 (SFRA2108), and the summary report.

The Committee received a report providing an overview of the Epsom & Ewell Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Update 2018 (SFRA 2018), and noted its importance as an evidence base document that informed the allocation of sites in the Local Plan as well as future policy formation and planning applications/decisions.

It was acknowledged that the SFRA outcomes could inform the preparation of future site allocations and their associated policies. However it was noted that SFRA updated conclusions had not altered significantly since the previous assessment, and would not therefore extensively change the Council’s plans for future growth in the borough.

Officers agreed to investigate an area on the map (adjacent to South Hatch) which members noted had previously experienced a flood event but which had not been identified as a flood risk area in the SFRA update.

Accordingly the Committee noted the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment update 2018 (SFRA2108), and the summary report.

During February 2018 the Borough Council commenced work on a Masterplan.  It will function alongside the new Local Plan and provide a supplementary planning policy framework that will facilitate the transformation of Epsom & Ewell into the 2040s.  The Committee is asked to consider the Masterplan and agree for it to be taken before the Strategy and Resources Committee for approval.

The Committee:

(1)            Agreed to the preparation of a Masterplan that would contribute to the transformation of the borough and the preparation of the new Local Plan

(2)            Agreed that a request for funding of the Masterplan be brought before the Council’s Strategy and Resources committee.

Work on a Masterplan for the borough commenced in February 2018 and the Committee received a report outlining the preparation process and scope of the Masterplan.  Members were informed that the document would run alongside the new Local Plan and could subsequently be further developed and adopted (following the adoption of the new local plan) as a supplementary planning policy framework to facilitate the transformation of Epsom & Ewell into the 2040’s. 

It was agreed that the views of local residents in relation to design were important.  However alongside their views the Council needed to be mindful of the government’s objectively assessed housing figure for the borough which could only be met by increasing density and height of future developments.  The Committee was assured that as these matters progressed there would be opportunities for Members to comment.

The considerations that would need to be taken in account in preparing the Masterplan specification were discussed and it was agreed that as well as good quality design and visually pleasing architecture, the Council’s approach to the preservation of conservation areas and heritage were also essential requirements. 

It was envisaged that the preparation and production of the Masterplan would take 12 months, and following the commissioning of consultants a timetable with more precise timescales could be produced.  It would also provide more detail on how and when the consultations would take place.

The complimentary link between the Masterplan and proposed ‘Visioning’ exercise was highlighted although it was pointed out that visioning looks beyond Town Planning issues that are the focus of the Masterplan. 

The Committee noted that the Council had previously implemented a successful masterplan for the development of the hospital cluster and whilst that piece of work was similar, the new Masterplan would be on a much larger scale.  It will also have the objective of transforming the borough in much the same way as the post war housing developments did.

It was emphasized and noted that the Masterplan should also reflect the need for young people accommodation with associated infrastructure i.e. recreational areas, open space and schools.

Accordingly the Committee:

(1)            Agreed to the preparation of a Masterplan that would contribute to the transformation of the borough and the preparation of the new Local Plan

(2)            Agreed that a request for funding of the Masterplan be brought before the Council’s Strategy and Resources committee.