PUBLIC
1
SEDERUNT AND APOLOGIES
15 Members present, 3 apologies and 1 not present at the start of the meeting
2
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
2.1 Brian Collins declared an interest in item 12 by virtue of the fact that he was Chairman of SWestrans and had determined that his interest was such that there was no requirement for him to leave the meeting for consideration of this item.
2.2 Ian B Carruthers, Peter Diggle and Denis R Male declared an interest in item 12 by virtue of the fact that they were Members/Substitute Members of SWestrans and had determined that their interest was such that there was no requirement for them to leave the meeting for consideration of this item.
3
MINUTE OF HOUSING SUB COMMITTEE MEETING OF 25 APRIL 2013
4
MINUTE OF MEETING OF 14 MAY 2013
Decision
NOTED .
MEMBER - Ronnie Nicholson entered the meeting - 16 Members present
PROCEDURE - The Chairman intimated that, with the agreement of Members, he intended to take an additional item of business regarding the Scottish Affairs Committee and a paper would be circulated.
FINANCE ITEMS
5
PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES BUDGET 2013/14 - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
5.1 RECEIVED and THANKED Alistair Speedie for his presentation on the Activity Based Budget information, and associated budget estimates, for Planning and Environment Services; and
5.2 REVIEWED and AGREED the Planning and Environment Services budget 2013/14.
Members to Receive Details on the length of core paths in the region and the costs to the Council per kilometer or mile to maintain the regions Core Path network, Countryside Services Manager
STRATEGIC ITEMS
6
SERVICE REVIEW - PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
6.1 REVIEWED and AGREED the detailed scope of the service reviews; and
6.2 AGREED the desired outcomes of the service reviews as detailed in Appendix .
members to receive details of costs of the panel consultant and include Annandale and Eskdale as a whole in Appendix 2 and Changes to Appendices 1-6, Director Planning Housing and Environment Services
7
DIRECTORS END OF YEAR ASSESSMENT OF BUSINESS PLAN PERFORMANCE - PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
AGREED
7.1 the overall summary of performance for Planning and Environment Services; and
7.2 the exception reporting actions proposed are adequate to improve performance and future monitoring of areas which have not met the target; and to recognise the areas of good practice/high performance;
7.3 the amendments to performance information.
8
REFRESHED BUSINESS PLAN FOR 2012-2015 - PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
8.1 APPROVED amendments to the Business Plan for Planning and Environment Services, and
8.2 NOTED the revised budget for 2013-14.
Members to receive details on the Dumfries Town Centre Action Plan through report to this committee, Director Planning Housing and Environment Services
FINANCE ITEMS
9
PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT SERVICES REVENUE BUDGET OUTTURN REPORT FOR YEAR 2012/13 - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
NOTED
9.1 the final outturn position for 2012/13, and that an underspend of £44k (equating to 0.1% of the budget) was achieved; and
9.2 that this underspend has been transferred to the Earmarked/Committed Funds.
Members to receive details on the budget adjustments, Finance Officer - Janet
10
PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES: CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROGRAMME 2012-13: OUTTURN AND PROGRESS REPORT - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
NOTED
10.1 the financial outturn position for agreed capital projects/programmes against the various funding streams;
10.2 the progress to the end of the financial year 2012-13 and spend against individual programmes/projects including accelerated spend against the Maintenance Block of £110,000; and
10.3 the carry forwards due to slippage of £1.949M (Development Block), £216,000 (Separate Programmes) and £202,000 (External Funding).
STRATEGIC ITEMS
11
ROADS MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SERVICE FUNDING - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES AND DIRECTOR DGFIRST
Decision
AGREED
11.1 to accelerate funding of £0.25m from the Infrastructure Asset Class Capital Programmes for 2014-15;
11.2 to re-allocate £0.5m to carriageway repairs from within the 2013-14 Roads Maintenance Management Service Revenue Budget; and
11.3 NOTED the current position with respect to the Roads Service submission for the Councils claim against the Bellwin Scheme.
12
GOSMART PROJECT REGIONAL ROLLOUT - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
12.1 NOTED the detailed monitoring provided on the GoSmart Dumfries project;
12.2 AGREED to receive a further detailed report on: the cost and impacts of the various GoSmart Project elements, including Bike 2 Go, Dumfries Car Club, DGTripshare and Park and Choose; and the proposed rollout programme for 2013/14 for all elements, including budget provision.
13
BURNS STATUE REGENERATION PROJECT - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
13.1 NOTED the issues and concerns raised in relation to the project;
13.2 CONSIDERED the recommendation from Nithsdale Area Committee (Business) meeting in relation to the project;
AGREED
13.3 for this project to be referred to the Scrutiny and Performance Committee with consideration being given to the delivery timescales, Elected Member involvement, stakeholder consultation, identification of learning points and improvement actions;
13.4 the project should continue to be reported to Nithsdale Area Committee (Business) for noting and performance monitoring; and
13.5 to proceed with the project.
ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 12.58pm for lunch and reconvened at 1.34pm with 11 Members present being:-
Ian B Carruthers, Jim McClung, Finlay Carson, Jim H Dempster, Jeff Leaver, Denis R Male, Ronnie Ogilvie, Craig Peacock, George N Prentice, Colin Smyth and Roberta Tuckfield.
14
STRATEGIC CONSULTATION ON WORKS ON SCOTTISH ROADS - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
AGREED to the responses indicated within the consultation document.
15
CANCELLATION OF ARTICLE 4 DIRECTIONS - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
15.1 APPROVED the cancellation of all householder development classes within extant Article 4 Directions that restrict permitted development rights relating to the conservation area of Moffat, Wigtown, Kirkcudbright, Gatehouse of Fleet and Annan; and
15.2 AGREED to pursue the request to Scottish Ministers to confirm an Article 4 Direction in the Whithorn conservation area specifically in relation to non-householder development.
16
HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY AND MERGER OF SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT KEY AGENCIES - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
16.1 NOTED the context of the Historic Environment Strategy and of the proposed Merger of Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland; and
16.2 AGREED the Councils response to the Consultations including the issues raised by Members.
MEMBER - Peter Diggle re-entered the meeting - 12 Members present
amendments at (1) Q4 (iii) to remove Stranraer and Kirkcudbright and leave to read "sheriff courts that are key listed buildings in the towns after closure?"; (2) Q7 (iv) remove "The Whithorn Trust, which works closely with Historic Scotland in respect of promoting joint assets is also currently facing closure", Head of Planning and Building Standards, Service Manager Development Planning and Environment
17
NATIONAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK 3 AND CONSULTATIVE DRAFT SCOTTISH PLANNING POLICY - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
AGREED
17.1 the Council response to National Planning Framework 3 including the issues raised by Members; and
17.2 the Council response to Consultation Draft Scottish Planning Policy including the issues raised by Members.
MEMBER - Jeff Leaver left the meeting - 11 Members present
amendments at NPF3 Question 15: the Council Response should strengthen the importance of the A76 rather than focus solely on the developments at and around the airport; SPP question 16 Heat and Electricity: to add the word "topography" and to strengthen the wording on the 2.5km; SPP question18 Heat and Electricity, Community Benefit: to remove the word "strongly" and to write to all PHES Members with an explanation of the statutory basis for the Council policy requiring community benefit to be paid through the use of s.75 legal agreements to be issued from Legal Services, Head of Planning and Building Standards, Service Manager Development Planning and Environment
18
CONSULTATIVE DRAFT LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDANCE - DUMFRIES CONSERVATION AREA CHARACTER APPRAISAL AND FORESTRY AND WOODLAND STRATEGY - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
AGREED
18.1 for public consultation the new Supplementary Guidance on the Dumfries Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Dumfries and Galloway Forestry and Woodland Strategy, including the issues raised by Members; and
18.2 to receive a report back to this Committee with the outcome of the public consultation along with proposed changes before adopting the Supplementary Guidance.
amendment to include an illustration of the revised Burns Square proposals agreed under item 11 within the Dumfries Conservation Area Character Appraisal ACA and photography of Robert Burns statue, Head of Planning and Building Standards, Service Manager Development Planning and Environment
19
CONSULTATION RESPONSE - EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL FUNDS PROGRAMMES 2014-2020 - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
AGREED the consultation document response to be submitted to the Scottish Government.
20
CONSULTATION RESPONSE - SCOTTISH RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUND PROGRAMME 2014-2020: STAGE 1 INITIAL PROPOSALS - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
AGREED the consultation document response to be submitted to the Scottish Government.
21
EUROPEAN FUNDING PROJECT APPLICATIONS - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
AGREED
21.1 the Head of Economic Development accept any offer of grant from the Scottish Government made in relation to the Business Gateway Plus (D&G) and Youth Employment Scotland (D&G) project applications; and
21.2 the recruitment of one full time administrative support post on a fixed term basis to 31 March 2015.
22
INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE - ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: 19-20 SEPTEMBER 2013 - REPORT BY DIRECTOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Decision
AGREED the attendance of Councillor Andrew Wood at the Industrial Communities Alliances Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting on 19-20 September 2013 in Wakefield.
23
ANY OTHER BUSINESS DEEMED URGENT BY THE CHAIRMAN DUE TO THE NEED FOR A DECISION
NOTED that there was an item of urgent business and the Chairman intimated that with the agreement of Members, he intended to take this as Item 24 - SCOTTISH AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
24
SCOTTISH AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - REPORT BY DIRECTOR CHIEF EXECUTIVE SERVICE
Decision
24.1 NOTED the Director Planning and Environment Services will attend to give oral evidence in public at the Scottish Affairs Committee inquiry into power outages in the west of Scotland on 10 July 2013; and
24.2 AGREED that the Chairman of Planning, Housing and Environment Services Committee should also attend the inquiry on 10 July 2013 to give oral evidence in public.