Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

However, the Advisory Board noted the following:

-        Councillor Balfour informed that he was the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport at Kent County Council.

-        Councillor Mrs Dean advised that she was a Member of Kent County Council and represented Malling Central division.  She was also Chairman of West Malling Parish Council. 

-        Councillor Mrs Luck informed that she was a member of the West Malling Chamber of Commerce.

To confirm as a correct record the Notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 8 September 2015

RESOLVED:  That the notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 8 September 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The joint report of the Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services and the Director of Finance and Transformation set out recommendations for car parking fees and charges for implementation from 1 April 2016.   In addition, the report identified a number of fees and charges for review over the forthcoming year and outlined the Borough Council’s ongoing investment in the parking service.

Careful consideration was given to the options set out and Members noted that, whilst the Council regularly reviewed its fees and charges for services provided for the local community, the last annual review of car parking charges in 2015 did not recommend any increases or other changes.  Consequently, there had been no increase in any parking charges in the Borough for the last two years.

Members were advised of a petition from West Malling Parish Council asking that short term parking remain free in the town.  The petition comprising over 2,500 signatures had been received immediately prior to the meeting and would be dealt with in accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme.

The views of the Tonbridge Sports Association regarding Lower Castle Fields car park, Tonbridge were referenced and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation offered to discuss how to minimise the effect on sports users with the organisation.

RECOMMENDED:  That the following proposals be approved by Cabinet with effect from 1 April 2016:

(1)             the schedule of charges for short and long stay parking in Tonbridge shown in Table 1 to the report be introduced;

(2)             the schedule of charges for parking in Lower Castle Fields car park shown in Table 2 be introduced;

(3)             the schedules of Peak and Off-Peak Season ticket charges in Tonbridge shown in Tables 3 and 4 be adopted;

(4)             the schedules of charges for short and long stay parking in West Malling shown in Table 6 be introduced, with the exception of the ‘over 3 hour’ option which would be deleted and having noted the receipt of a petition;

(5)             the schedule of charges for Blue Bell Hill car park shown in Table 7 be introduced, subject to reviewing levels of charging increase within the context of extending the charging period to include a charge for Saturday;

(6)             the schedule of charges for parking in Borough Green Western Road car park shown in Table 8 be introduced, subject to the introduction of a 30 minute tariff at 10p, 20p for 1 hour and 40p for 2 hours;

(7)             Residents permits be increased to £40 applied across the whole Borough and Officers investigate further options for the introduction of tiered pricing structure for parking permits for more than one vehicle per residential household;

(8)             the schedule of charges for business permits and dispensation shown in Table 9 be introduced, subject to clarification over the dispensation period and definition of the dispensations;

(9)             visitor permits be increased to £12 for a book of 10 permits;

(10)          the schedule of charges for Haysden and Leybourne Lakes country parks shown in Table  ...  view the full minutes text for item PE 16/3

The report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health presented a review of the procedures and practice adopted in providing advice and guidance in respect of planning matters, in particular assistance provided to those intending to submit planning applications.  Importantly, the report also reviewed the charges made for the service and recommended a new regime to reflect the costs and value of the advice provided.

Members recognised that there were significant costs involved in providing good quality pre-application advice and although this was highly beneficial to the planning application process and local communities it was now appropriate to critically review charges in the context of increasing focus on service efficiency.

A summary of the different charging regimens for all the local planning authorities in Kent was provided in Annex 1 to the report. Details of the proposed new pre-application protocol, together with the fee structure and pre-application form were set out in Annexes 2 and 3 respectively.

The financial and value for money considerations set out in the report were noted by Members.

RECOMMENDED:  That the following proposals be approved by Cabinet with effect from 1 April 2016:

(1)             the Protocol for providing Pre-application advice be adopted, as attached at Annex 2 to the report; and

(2)             the Pre-application Charging Schedule 2016/17 be introduced as attached at Annex 3 to the report

*Referred to Cabinet

Decision Notice D160005MEM

Details were provided of the progress made since the start of the Building Control Partnership with Sevenoaks District Council in October 2014.  A number of initiatives and benefits, which helped deliver improved ways of working and efficiencies, were outlined in the report and Members expressed satisfaction at the progress made.

Proposed service improvements for the next 12 months were also set out, together with an approach for reviewing building control fees and charges.

RECOMMENDED: that

(1)             the progress with the shared service arrangements be noted;

(2)             the proposed Service Improvements for 2016/17 be endorsed; and

(3)             the approach to reviewing fees and charges be approved

Decision Notice D160006MEM

The report provided an update on the ongoing programme of Government Planning Reforms and summarised the proposals put forward since the last meeting of the Advisory Board.

In addition, endorsement was sought of a suggested response, attached as Annex 1 to the report, to a Department for Communities and Local Government consultation on proposed changes to national planning policy published in December.

Members noted that the consultation response deadline had been extended to 22 February 2016.

Reference was made to initial proposals for a pilot scheme to outsource planning applications to third parties.  At the present time there was limited detail available.

The Housing and Planning Bill also introduced a new requirement on Local Planning Authorities to compile and keep up to date a Register of Brownfield land.  Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council was one of 20 local authorities in the country invited to participate in a pilot scheme.  It was suggested that the invitation be accepted subject to further information.

Members expressed concern about the reduced prospects of maintaining levels of provision of affordable rented housing as a result of the Government’s current policy. It was reported that the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment Services would be writing to Tom Tugendhat MP and Tracey Crouch MP outlining these concerns.   

It was also suggested that once the Housing and Planning Bill had been passed a joint briefing between the Planning and Transportation and Housing and Environmental Services Advisory Boards would be beneficial. 

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)             the content of the report be noted; and

(2)             the response, attached as Annex 1 to the report, be endorsed as the Borough Council’s response to the Department for Communities and Local Government consultation on proposed changes to national planning policy.

Members were provided with an update on the Local Plan progress including the assessments of the sites submitted as part of the Call for Sites exercise, the programme for preparing the Plan and Duty to Co-operate issues.

It was reported that work continued on the assessments and these were currently on schedule to be completed in the spring in accordance with the Local Plan programme.  However, it was noted that there remained a number of factors beyond the Borough Council’s control that might yet have an impact on the timetable.  These included the contribution of key infrastructure providers and statutory consultees to the assessment process and the ongoing Government planning reforms.

The Local Plan was being prepared in accordance with the Duty to Co-operate and the first formal request from a neighbouring authority in respect of unmet Gypsy and Traveller need from Maidstone Borough Council was received in December.  A response had been sent advising that it was not possible, at the current time, to confirm whether there may or may not be any allocations for this type of development in the emerging Tonbridge and Malling Local Plan.

The report provided an update on various transportation matters, including current and future consultations for alleviating the impacts of Operation Stack and proposals for a new Lower Thames Crossing.  It also provided a brief update on future airport capacity following the Airport’s Commission recommendations.

Members noted progress in respect of planned or desired strategic highway improvements including Tonbridge High Street, A21 dualling, M20 Junction 4 and M25 Junction 5 east facing slips roads. 

Members were advised that surveying along the A20 was due to commence in February 2016 as part of a study to assess the A20 corridor. This would form part of the evidence base for the Local Plan and the assessment of sites.   An update on progress would be made at the next meeting of the Advisory Board.

With regard to Operation Stack and the proposals for lorry parking areas, Members asked that consideration be given to having measures in place in the Blue Bell Hill area to prevent overnight parking for large vehicles.  It was also commented that the impacts of Operation Stack were wider reaching than reported and affected many routes into the Borough.

It was noted that the M25 Junction 5 study was underway and that officers would be monitoring progress.

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

There were no items considered in private.