Agenda and minutes

No disclosures were made.

No announcements were made.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11th April 2019 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The deadline for questions is noon on Wednesday, 29th May 2019. 

Mr M. Hunt – Low Carbon Heating Systems in New Developments

Noting that the Chancellor has directed that no gas heating boilers should be installed in new developments from 2025 and further noting that current large scale developments in the Borough are likely to extend beyond that date, does the authority have powers in law or by planning conditions to require low carbon heating systems earlier in current long term developments, such as West of Loughborough, or future developments prior to 2025?

The Leader referred to the following response, which had been published prior to the meeting:

The Chancellor’s Spring Statement 13th March 2018 indicated that the Government will introduce a Future Homes Standard, mandating the end of fossil-fuel heating systems in all new houses from 2025. There is currently no information about the means by which this Future Homes Standard will be introduced, although if it is a mandatory requirement, it is likely to be through The Building Regulations rather than through the planning system.

The Authority does not have any powers in law to require low carbon heating systems irrespective of the size of development.  Planning conditions can be imposed where they meet certain legal tests, one of which is that a condition is ‘reasonable’, and in this regard, it is important to have regard to the Development Plan.  Policy CS16 encourages “developments to, where viable, exceed Building Regulations for carbon emissions by prioritising measures that reduce the need for energy and secure residual need for energy through low carbon or renewable resources”.

This is reflected in the policy approach for West of Loughborough Urban Extension outlined in Policy CS22 of the Charnwood Local Plan Core Strategy (2011 – 2028) is to “[encourage] development to, where viable, exceed Building Regulations for carbon emissions”.

The authority can support developments to exceed requirements of Building Regulations but in doing so it would have to balance against the viability implications for other policy requirements such as affordable housing or infrastructure provision.

The Leader stated that Mr Hunt was unable to attend the meeting, but had thanked the Cabinet for its response.

A report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services to consider applications received for funding in round one of the Community Facilities and Community Development and Engagement Grants schemes for 2019/20. 

Key Decision

Considered a report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services to consider applications received for funding in round one of the Community Facilities and Community Development and Engagement Grants schemes for 2019/20 (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Neighbourhoods and Partnerships Manager assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the following Community Facilities Grants be awarded:

·         £1,500 to Seagrave War Memorial Hall towards the installation of LED lighting;

·         £2,500 to Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society towards the Watermead Wet Reed Bed project;

2.      that the following Community Development and Engagement Grants be awarded:

·         £1,600 to TS Sabre and TS Cutlass Navy Cadet Force towards First Aid training and kit;

·         £1,200 to Birstall Methodist Lunch Club towards running costs;

·         £3,500 to Age UK Leicestershire and Rutland towards the Men and Women in Sheds project;

·         £10,000 to Falcon Support Services towards their Sex Workers support project (£5,000 to be funded through the Community Development and Engagement Grant scheme, and £5,000 to be funded through the Loughborough Community Grants scheme);

·         £2,200 to Fibromyalgia Friends Together Leicestershire towards a development project;

3.      that the following Community Development and Engagement Grant application be deferred:

·         Loughborough Generator CIC - £10,000 requested – applied for funding towards the cost of the development phase of the project;

4.      that the following Community Development and Engagement Grant applications be declined:

·         Quorn in Bloom - £2,000 requested – applied for funding towards a garden watering facility;

·         Hathern Village Association - £10,000 requested – applied for funding towards equipment for community events;

·         Rothley Community Library - £750 requested – applied for funding towards the production of Walk booklets;

5.      that the Head of Neighbourhood Services be given delegated authority to finalise the terms and conditions of the awarded Community Facilities and Community Development and Engagement Grants.

Reasons

1.      To provide financial support to organisations which meet the criteria of the Community Facilities Grants scheme in terms of community and organisational need.

2.      To provide financial support to organisations which meet the criteria of the Community Development and Engagement Grants and Environmental schemes in terms of community and organisational need and to use funding provided through the Loughborough Grants scheme to support projects in Loughborough.

3.      To enable further work to be undertaken with the applicant to see whether the application can be improved and strengthened.

4.      To decline to provide financial support to organisations which do not meet the criteria for the award of a grant under the Community Development and Engagement Grants scheme.

5.      To enable the grants awarded to be finalised and appropriate information to be supplied to the Council about the outcomes of the project.

A report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services seeking Cabinet approval for the Quorn Neighbourhood Plan to be ‘made’ as part of the statutory development plan for the Neighbourhood Area.

Considered a report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration seeking approval for the Quorn Neighbourhood Plan to be ‘made’ part of the statutory development plan for Charnwood (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Planning and Regeneration assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED that the Quorn Neighbourhood Plan is ‘made’ part of the statutory development plan for Charnwood, in accordance with the provisions of Section 38(A) (4) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Reason 

To fulfil the legal duty to make the Quorn Neighbourhood Plan part of the development plan for Charnwood.

A report of the Head of Strategic Support to appoint Council representatives to outside bodies, including partnership bodies, charities and management committees.

Considered a report of the Head of Strategic Support to appoint Council representatives to outside bodies, including partnership bodies, charities and management committees (item 8 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Strategic Support assisted with consideration of the report.

It was noted that the nomination to the John Storer Foundation Management Committee for 2019/20, set out in Appendix 2 to the report, should read Councillor J. Bokor (title omitted in the report).

RESOLVED

1.      that appointments be made to the outside bodies as listed in Appendix 1 to the report of the Head of Strategic Support for the Council year 2019/20, but with the following amendments:

(i)            Charnwood Talking News – Councillor Bokor to be added as a representative for 2019/20;

(ii)          Holocaust Memorial Day Organising Committee – Councillor Harper-Davies to be added as a representative for 2019/20;

2.      that appointments be made to the charitable organisations as listed in Appendix 2 to the report of the Head of Strategic Support for the Council year 2019/20;

3.      that the Head of Strategic Support be given delegated authority, in consultation with the Cabinet Lead Member for Equalities, Member and Strategic Services and the relevant Group Leader where appropriate:

(i)      to make appointments to any outside bodies and charitable organisations where nominations have not been received prior to or at the Cabinet meeting on 6th June 2019;

(ii)     to find an alternative nominee, where the original nominee does not accept the appointment;

(iii)    to make appointments to any outside bodies and charitable organisations for which the appointment was made in previous years for more than a year and the current appointee no longer wishes to continue in that role;

(iv)    to reinstate appointments to outside bodies and charitable organisations which restart meetings;

(v)     to withdraw appointments to any outside bodies and charitable organisations where it is determined that the body or organisation is no longer meeting;

(vi)    to make appointments when new bodies are identified to which the Council can make appointments.

Reasons

1.      To ensure that the Council is represented appropriately on outside bodies.

2.      To ensure that the Council is represented appropriately on charitable organisations.

3.      To ensure that appointments can be made without unnecessary delay and to end appointments which are no longer required.

It is recommended that members of the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item on the grounds that it will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that members of the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and it was considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Democratic Services Officer stopped the sound recording of the meeting.

An exempt report of the Head of Customer Experience to review the future service delivery options for the Revenues and Benefits Service and approve a final option to be implemented, circulated to members.

Notification was given on 8th May 2019 that the public could potentially be excluded during this item since exempt or confidential information could be considered.  No representations regarding considering this item in exempt session have been received.

Key Decision

Considered an exempt report of the Head of Customer Experience to review the future service delivery options for the Revenues and Benefits Service and approve a final option to be implemented (item 10 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Hunt, Chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented an exempt report detailing the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and recommendation (copy filed with these minutes). 

The Scrutiny Commission was thanked for its valuable pre-decision scrutiny work.

The Strategic Director of Corporate Services assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.         that decisions be made as detailed in the exempt minute (Cabinet Minute 9E 2019/20);

2.         that the exempt report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons

1.         As set out in the exempt minute (Cabinet Minute 9E 2019/20).

2.         To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.