Meeting documents

Planning and Transportation Advisory Board
Wednesday, 28th July, 2010 7.30 pm

Place:
Civic Suite, Gibson Building, Kings Hill, West Malling
ItemDescriptionResolution
PART 1 - PUBLIC
PE 10/013 Declarations of interest.
There were no declarations of interest made.
PE 10/014 Minutes
RESOLVED: That the notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 23 February 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
MATTERS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE CABINET
PE 10/015 Character Area Appraisals Supplementary Planning Document
 
Decision Notice D100087MEM

The report of the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure described the process and progress in respect of the Character Area Appraisals being undertaken for the whole Borough pursuant to a policy in the Managing Development and the Environment DPD. Consideration was given to the approval of Character Area Appraisals for Tonbridge, Hildenborough and Hadlow for the purposes of public consultation which would take place in the autumn.

A supplementary report presented an appraisal of the Albion Close area which had been omitted from the Hadlow Character Area Appraisal.

RECOMMENDED: That the draft Character Area Appraisals for Tonbridge, Hildenborough and Hadlow be approved for the purposes of public consultation, subject to any typographical and local factual amendments notified by Members, and the Appraisal of the Albion Close Character Area be included in the Hadlow document prior to the consultation.
PE 10/016 Conservation Area Appraisals for Hildenborough and Hadlow
 
Decision Notice D100088MEM

Consideration was given to Conservation Area Appraisals prepared for Hildenborough and Hadlow as an integral part of the Character Area Appraisals process. It was noted that the Appraisals incorporated revised Conservation Area boundaries, including a proposed new Conservation Area at the Freehold, Hadlow (recommended by the Area 1 Planning Committee at its meeting on 22 July 2010) and would be subject to public consultation in the autumn prior to final adoption.

RECOMMENDED: That the Conservation Area Appraisals for Hildenborough and Hadlow, including the revised boundaries and new Conservation Area, be adopted for the purposes of public consultation subject to the addition of the words 'where appropriate' in respect of grouping of street furniture on page 24 of the Hildenborough document.
PE 10/017 Tunbridge Wells Borough Transport Strategy
 
Decision Notice D100089MEM

The joint report of the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure and Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation provided a broad assessment of consultation documents issued by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on its draft Transport Strategy and evolving Town Centres Area Action Plan and Allocations Development Plan Documents. It was noted that all the transportation issues of mutual importance to the two authorities had been covered in the documents and consideration was given to a draft response to the consultation.

RECOMMENDED: That the response to the draft Tunbridge Wells Strategy set out at Annex 1 to the report be endorsed.
PE 10/018 Emerging Changes to the Planning System
 
Decision Notice D100090MEM

The report of the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure gave details of some key changes to the planning system which had occurred since the formation of the new Coalition Government. It also outlined a number of other areas that might feature in the Localism Bill due to be published later in the year, based upon ministerial statements and the Conservative Party's Planning Green Paper published before the Election. Particular reference was made to the revocation of regional spatial strategies and changes in respect of private garden land, local development and gypsy and traveller provisions.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1) the key changes made to the planning system primarily at the regional and national scale and the likely further initiatives to be brought forward in the Localism Bill be noted;

(2) the sound and up to date position of the Council's Local Development Framework be recognised and endorsed subject to the changing picture being kept under review; and

(3) a training and awareness session for Members be held on 8 September 2010.
PE 10/019 The Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010
The joint report of the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure and Director of Finance advised that the Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010 required a new charges scheme to be in place by 1 October 2010 and explained the reasons for its introduction. The key principles of the new regime were highlighted including the opportunities for increased flexibility. A draft charging scheme based on a national model together with possible categories for standard charges was set out at Annex 1 to the report.

Members were advised that due to the lateness of issue of guidance on the new regulations, much work remained to be done in terms of establishing hourly rates and safeguarding the Council's position during the current economic climate. It was therefore proposed that further work be undertaken in consultation with other Kent authorities to ensure a smooth transition to the new format by the commencement date of 1 October.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1) the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure and the Chief Building Control Officer, in consultation with the Director of Finance, develop and implement a new scheme of charges together with any consequential adjustments to building control policy in compliance with the new regulations to be implemented by 1 October 2010; and

(2) due to the timescale for implementation, authority be given for (1) above to be implemented in advance of formal approval by the Cabinet following agreement of the Leader of the Council, Chairman of Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet Members for Planning and Transportation and Finance.
*Referred to Cabinet
PE 10/020 Parking Management
 
Decision Notice D100091MEM

Consideration was given to the introduction of a new method of paying for parking by mobile phone as an alternative option and to proposals for a minor change to the management of Ryarsh Lane Car Park, West Malling. Members suggested that a pre-paid parking card system also be investigated as a further option.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1) approval be given for the invitation for quotations for providing a payment option in the Council car parks using mobile phone, together with investigation of a pre-paid card system and the results be reported back to the next meeting of the Advisory Board; and

(2) the time for non-permit use of Ryarsh Lane Car Park be altered to 3 pm.
PE 10/021 CCTV
 
Decision Notice D100092MEM

The Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure presented the draft annual report on the Borough Council's CCTV operations for 2009/10 together with an update on how best to plan for essential upgrades to the current system in the light of other potential operational developments, possible alternative service options and the increasing pressures on budgets. Members suggested that the feasibility of achieving economies of scale by incorporating the independent systems run by parish councils also be included in the review.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1) the CCTV Report for 2009/10 be endorsed for publication; and

(2) the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation and the Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board and in accordance with the details of the report, be authorised to appoint a specialist independent consultant to advise on options to continue with the CCTV service as described in the report.
PE 10/022 Bus Shelters - Deed of Variation
 
Decision Notice D100093MEM

Consideration was given to the joint report of the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation on the extension of the ten year agreement with Adshel, now trading as Clear Channel UK Ltd, to provide and maintain bus shelters at nominated sites around the Borough.

RECOMMENDED: That the five year extension to the current bus shelter agreement with Clear Channel UK Ltd be approved and a Deed of Variation be agreed accordingly.
PE 10/023 West Kent Local Investment Plan
 
Decision Notice D100094MEM

A supplementary report of the Director of Health and Housing and Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure, circulated in advance of the meeting, sought endorsement of projects to be submitted to the Homes and Communities Agency as priority projects for future funding. The Chairman accepted this matter as an urgent item of late business due to the recent announcement that updated details of such schemes were required by August 2010 in order to inform the Comprehensive Spending Review in the autumn.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1) the shared objectives outlined in the West Kent Local Investment Plan - Draft Working Paper 3, set out in Annex 1 to the report, be endorsed;

(2) the suggested priority affordable housing schemes identified for funding through the West Kent Local Investment Plan, summarised in Annex 2 to the report, be endorsed;

(3) the other priorities for investment within the West Kent Local Investment Plan outlined in paragraphs 1.2.2 to 1.2.6 of the report be endorsed; and

(4) in making the submission, attention be drawn to the fact that the listed schemes are not in order of priority and the Council would expect to have the opportunity of formally endorsing the final version of the Local Investment Plan.
MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION IN PRIVATE
PE 10/024 Exclusion of Press and Public
No items were considered in private.
The meeting ended at 2136 hours

Attendance Details

Present:
Cllr D W Smith (Vice-Chairman in the Chair), Cllr P F Bolt, Cllr D A S Davis, Cllr Mrs F A Kemp, Cllr R D Lancaster, Cllr M R Rhodes, Cllr H S Rogers, Cllr A K Sullivan, Cllr D Thornewell and Cllr L A Withey.
In attendance:
Councillors Aikman, Mrs Anderson, Balcombe, Baldock, Balfour, Chartres, Mrs Luck, Miss Moloney, Mrs Murray and Worrall were also present pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 15.21.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors C Brown (Chairman) and Mrs Simpson.