Agenda and minutes

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Venue: Council Chamber - Council Offices, London Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4ER

Contact: Democratic Services  Email: committee@uttlesford.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

SC44

Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest

To receive any apologies for absence and declarations of interest.

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence or declarations of interest.

 

SC45

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 121 KB

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 22nd September 2022 were approved as an  accurate record.

 

SC46

Cabinet Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 29 KB

To receive the updated Cabinet Forward Plan.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Forward Plan was noted.

 

SC47

Scrutiny Work Programme pdf icon PDF 40 KB

To receive the Scrutiny Work Programme.

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Work Programme was noted.

 

SC48

Update of Planning Review pdf icon PDF 91 KB

To receive an update of the Planning Review including a draft performance action plan issued to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Planning, Stansted Airport, Infrastructure Strategy and the Local Plan said that work had been undertaken over the last two years to improve the service and this was the fourth report prepared to provide an update to Members.  He said that the report set out the work completed in detail and he thanked the Director of Planning for the work he had undertaken and the effectiveness of what had been achieved.

 

He asked that the Committee noted the completion of the pathways work and endorsed the further work to be undertaken, working with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, (DLUHC), in the monitoring of a Performance Action Plan against which the Planning Service’s performance would continue to be assessed by the DLUHC.

 

In response to Members questions the following comments were made:-

  • The work that had been undertaken fulfilled the responsibilities and statutory duties of the Planning department to a satisfactory level.  However, it was the intention to work towards providing an excellent service. 
  • The availability of skilled planning personnel remained an issue and was the main priority for the department.  It was not a problem unique to this Council.
  • There was approximately a third of staff that were either temporary or agency staff. 
  • The Planning Policy team had three vacancies, taking into account permanent and agency staff.  These were in the process of being filled and offers had been made, albeit using mostly agency staff.
  • In Development Management there was one vacancy, but a number of other positions were filled with agency staff and there was a process underway to recruit permanent staff.
  • The ‘fit for purpose’ comment in the report related to the ability of the Planning department to meet all statutory requirements; this had not been the case a couple of years ago. 
  • Improvements were ongoing but would take time to implement.
  • On the Local Plan Team, an offer had been made to an experienced Policy Manager who had verbally accepted a six months contract, from March 2023, to run the team. 
  • There were still gaps in the team and this could result in slippage. 
  • The Local Plan team consisted of nine members of staff and there had been offers made to fill the three vacant posts. 
  • The Director of Planning was part of a recruitment group across Essex, and they were exploring various options in terms of shared planning services.
  • Contracts for senior staff were being reviewed and in order to provide more security to the Council, a three month notice period was being considered. 
  • The duty planner service had been suspended but there was a proposal within the budget to reinstate, with a small fee of £90.
  • In the job adverts for planning staff, the lack of a Local Plan had been stated as a positive to shape the future of the district. 

 

Members made the following comments: -

SC49

Corporate Plan 2023-2027 pdf icon PDF 69 KB

To consider the Corporate Plan 2023-2027.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for the Economy, Investment and Corporate Strategy presented the report.  He said that the draft plan started at the beginning of April 2023 for a four year period.  He said that more changes had not been made as the new administration would have their own manifesto and plans after the election.

 

He said that the statutory services were included in the plan.

 

He said that the successes of the Corporate Plan included:-

  • Personally helping one resident get into affordable housing. 
  • Finances, the action taken on investments and income received.
  • Climate change and the £1 million for climate change actions.
  • The Economic Recovery plan and the efficient distribution of grants during the Covid period.
  • The 3 new sports facilities.
  • The development of the Local Plan, including the Northside development which had recently been approved by the Planning Committee and would provide 5,000 jobs and new business opportunities.

 

Members made the following comments:-

  • A Climate Change update would be on the next Scrutiny agenda.
  • The underlying evidence of the Corporate Plan would be included in the Corporate Plan Delivery Plan.
  • It was hard to comment on the Corporate Plan as it represented the priorities and plans of the administration.

 

SC50

Medium Term Financial Strategy and 2023/24 Budget Proposals pdf icon PDF 693 KB

To consider the Medium Term Financial Strategy and 2023/24 Budget Proposals.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Budget presented the Report.

 

He highlighted the following:-

  • The budget consultation document with responses.
  • Council Tax would be increased by 3% or £5 and provided an extra £195k of income.
  • The extra income provided additional cost of living support, separate from the Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) Scheme.  The government had also funded a similar grant with an extra £85k. 
  • The budget for 2023/24 had been balanced through the use of £1.8 million for planned specific purposes, and a further £2.7 million from the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) reserve. 
  • Museum and parking costs had not been increased.
  • Planning fees had increased to cover the full costs of the service and to be consistent with other Local Authorities, some of the fees were set by the Government. 
  • The 85% reimbursement of fees if an application was withdrawn was being reconsidered.
  • There was a £360k improvement to budgeted income due to the low number of major planning applications going directly to the planning inspectorate.   
  • New rental income from Shire Hill and Little Canfield Depot and the reduction in the budget for their previous utility and premises costs.
  • The budget had been reviewed to reflect recent changes including home  working, the new site locations and inflation, to ensure accurate costs as Blueprint Uttlesford commenced.
  • Total planned capital expenditure over the 5 year period was £55.8 million, including £9.1 million for the General Fund and £46.7 million for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).  
  • The Capital Strategy was a balance of short, medium and long term borrowing which gave flexibility to the Council. 
  • As at 31 December 2022, the Council held £13 million of treasury investments at an average interest rate of 3.50%.
  • Housing rents for existing tenants would be increased by 7%, and 11.1% for new tenancies, in line with Central Government policy. 
  • Other housing charges would increase by Consumer Price Index (CPI) or by the cost of the service. 
  • The rises in housing charges had been endorsed by the Tenant and Leaseholder Panel and the Housing Board.
  • The housing budget for 2023/24 had resulted in a planned operating surplus of £2.9 million which would go towards new builds and planned new developments.
  • The average rent was £106.94 per week.
  • The increased income from the rise in housing charges would not fully cover the increased anticipated costs, resulting in a reduction in budgeted net operating surplus of £486k.
  • The economic outlook and uncertain government policy made it difficult to produce a long term budget with any certainty which meant that it was prudent to take a more pessimistic view.
  • The value of the commercial assets in September 2022 was £290 million.
  • As part of the provisional Local Government finance settlement, the Government had agreed at least a 3% increase in spending power; however, as inflation was currently over 10% this represented a real time cut in the Council’s core spending power for the third successive year.
  • The current method for allocating government funding to local authorities was  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC50