Decisions

Councillor Ranger explained the meaning of his proposal, which was as follows: 

DEFRA’s response to UDC’s Air Quality Annual Status report  highlights that, “after distance correction, there are now no exceedances of the annual mean objective for Nitrogen Dioxide within the Saffron Walden AQMA, or any results within 10% of objective levels at positions of relevant exposure” and goes on to state that “The recent monitoring results are extremely encouraging, and the Council should maintain the strategy outlined within the Action Plan”. This council welcomes this response and will continue its work to improve further the air quality in our District.

Councillor Ranger said the report showed the Council was doing well, but that the Council was not complacent.  Monitoring would continue, and the Council would upgrade the analyser at London Road to a permanent situation, and would upgrade Hill Street.  At Hill Street the real-time analyser would not be replaced, but additional equipment would be deployed instead.  Councillor Ranger said he was aware of Councillor Hargreaves’ amendment, and invited him to consider withdrawing that amendment in light of the update he had given. 

Councillor Rolfe seconded the motion.

Councillor Hargreaves said his amendment was to add wording at the end of the last sentence of the motion, as follows:  “and urges the Cabinet to reinstate the council's failed monitoring equipment in order to return the air quality reporting to the more accurate local validation preferred by DEFRA.”

Councillor Hargreaves said it appeared Councillor Ranger was agreeing with his amendment, which should stand.

Officers confirmed the amendment had been uploaded to the meetings page of the website, and circulated to all members by email by the required deadline, and that printed copies were available. 

Councillor Fairhurst seconded the amendment. 

Councillor Ranger said the difficulty with the amendment was the requirement to reinstate failed equipment, and explained in detail the equipment which would in fact be used, which would satisfy the need to include local bias. 

Councillor Gerard said he did not understand why the amendment was not welcomed, as Councillor Ranger had explained the intention. 

Councillor Ranger said he would agree to alter the motion by removal of the reference to “reinstatement”, and read out the proposed motion as altered, which would omit the words “reinstate the council’s failed monitoring equipment in order to”. 

Councillor Dean said it was problematic that the matter had come to a meeting of the Council when there was a high level of technical detail.  There was no governance structure for this type of report.  Scrutiny Committee had seen the report but at not looked at the annual report which was published in July.  This was the wrong sort of motion to bring to Council and he would abstain. 

The Chairman reminded Members they were debating the substantive motion. 

Councillor R Freeman said it was important to get the right equipment to tackle air quality monitoring, and to ensure it worked. 

Councillor Lees said planning was an important part of air quality.  Poor air quality was the largest risk to health in the UK, and caused 40,000 premature deaths each year, affecting the most vulnerable people disproportionately.  The historic layout of Saffron Walden contributed to traffic emissions, and she urged the Council to have the correct equipment for the welfare of future generations. 

Councillor S Barker said the debate missed the point, as the Council welcomed the report from DEFRA.  Officers should be applauded, as the overall picture was an improvement, but the Council had to keep working on monitoring air quality. 

Councillor Lodge asked Councillor Ranger whether he was aware of a report commissioned by the Council by air quality experts, Global Ltd. 

Councillor Ranger said he was not aware of this report. 

Councillor Lodge read an extract from the report, which forecast that there would be hotspots across the district by 2023 where illegal levels of pollution would be reached.  The Council was complacent, and whilst he would not oppose the motion, such complacency had to stop.  The efforts made so far were sticking plasters, and real action was needed in view of the forthcoming new housing estates which would be too dangerous to implement on this analysis. 

Councillor Rolfe said the Council was not complacent.  The motion noted what DEFRA had said.  There had been detailed explanation of the way in which the equipment would be used.  It was important also to be creative and to use initiatives such as walking routes to schools, and cessation of parking in roads, as had been the case with Peaslands Road. 

Councillor Lodge said, as a point of order, that parking in Peaslands Road had not stopped. 

Councillor Rolfe said the condition had been set as part of development conditions. 

Councillor Lodge withdrew his point of order.

Councillor S Barker proposed that the motion now be put. 

Councillor Ranger summed up the reasons for his motion, as altered. 

The motion being put to the vote, it was carried with one abstention. 

RESOLVED: 

DEFRA’s response to UDC’s Air Quality Annual Status report highlights that, “after distance correction, there are now no exceedances of the annual mean objective for Nitrogen Dioxide within the Saffron Walden AQMA, or any results within 10% of objective levels at positions of relevant exposure” and goes on to state that “The recent monitoring results are extremely encouraging, and the Council should maintain the strategy outlined within the Action Plan”. This council welcomes this response and will continue its work to improve further the air quality in our District and urges the Cabinet to return the air quality reporting to the more accurate local validation preferred by DEFRA.

To consider the draft Statement of Community Involvement.

RESOLVED to agree the draft Statement of Community Involvement for a six week consultation aiming to begin from 7 January to 18 February, subject to alignment with the publication of the updated Sustainability Appraisal.

To provide an update on the Treasury Management function and financial position for the first 2 qtrs. of 18/19. Includes any requests for updates to processes within the strategy.

RESOLVED to:

i.              approve an amendment to the Treasury Management Strategy 2018/19 for the use of Money Market Funds domiciled outside of the UK that comply with the current Treasury Management Strategy with a maximum investment of £3m and Arlingclose recommendations and guidance (detailed in points 12 – 23).

ii.             note the Treasury Management mid year review report, updated prudential indicators and Minimum Revenue Provision policy (Appendix A - C).

Cabinet to consider the Independent Examiner’s recommended modifications to the Thaxted Neighbourhood Plan and to consider the recommendation that the Plan proceed to a referendum of voters within the Parish of Thaxted to establish whether the plan should form part of the Development Plan for Uttlesford District Council.  

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

i.              Accepts the Independent Examiner’s recommended changes to the

Thaxted Neighbourhood Plan in full as set out in the Schedule at Enc 2 and note the recommendation that the amended Thaxted Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to a Referendum of voters within the Parish of Thaxted to establish whether the plan should form part of the Development Plan for Uttlesford District Council.

ii.             Approves the holding of a referendum relating to the Thaxted Neighbourhood Plan on 24 January 2019 that will include all the registered local government electors in Thaxted Parish.

WITHDRAWN due to the Parish Council’s request for a further meeting with officers.

To present the actual spend for Quarter 2 2018/19 (July – Sep) and provide a predicted outturn position.

RESOLVED to approve the outturn forecast and the updated reserves position.

To review the LCTS scheme proposals and consultation responses for 2019/20 and agree recommendation for Full Council.

RESOLVED to recommend to Full Council for approval of the 2019/20

LCTS scheme and empty homes premium as set out below:

i.              The 2019/20 LCTS scheme is set on the same basis as the 2018/19

scheme and therefore the contribution rate is frozen for the fifth consecutive year.

ii.             The Council continues to protect Vulnerable and Disabled Residents

and Carer’s on a low income.

iii.            The premium applied to properties empty for a period of more than 2

years is increased from 50% to 100%.

Cabinet to consider details of Joint Venture proposals, as well as the option of a Council managed project, in respect of the proposed redevelopment of the existing sheltered housing scheme at Walden Place.

RESOLVED that the redevelopment of Walden Place is progressed as a

Council funded and managed project (Option 2) subject to budget availability.

To adopt a policy for the use of civil penalty notices for Housing Act offences.

RESOLVED to:

i.              agree that the council use new enforcement powers contained in the

Housing and Planning Act 2016 allowing the Council to impose civil

Penalties.

ii.             Approve the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy set out at Appendix A.