Infrastructure, Housing & Economic Development Committee - 22 June 2021

NOTICE AND AGENDA

For a meeting to be held in the Penn Chamber, Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth, WD3 1RL on Tuesday 22 June 2021 at 7.30pm.

Members of the Infrastructure, Housing and Economic Development Committee:-

Councillors:-

Stephen Giles-Medhurst (Lead Member Transport and Economic Development)

Matthew Bedford (Lead Member Infrastructure and Planning Policy)

Andrew Scarth (Lead Member for Housing)

Joanna Clemens

Alex Hayward

Tony Humphreys

Joan King

Paul Rainbow

Reena Ranger OBE

Ciaran Reed

Stephanie Singer

Joanne Wagstaffe, Chief Executive

14 June 2021

Lead Member Responsibilities:

Transport and Economic Development – Community Toilet Schemes, Cycling Policy and Cycleway Provision, Economic Development, Highways, Parking, Public Transport, Rivertech, Town and Village Centre Improvements

Infrastructure and Planning Policy – Brownfield Register, Building Control, Conservation Areas and Local Listing, Community Infrastructure Levy, Development  Management Policy, Heritage, Infrastructure Schemes, Land Charges, Land Drainage, Listed Buildings, Neighbourhood Planning, Right to Build Register, Tree Protection

Housing – Housing Policy, Homelessness and Housing Advice, Housing and Disabled Facilities Grants, Management of Traveller Sites, Private Housing and Houses in Multiple Occupation, Residential Environmental Health, Temporary Accommodation.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public to aid discussions on agenda items at the Infrastructure, Housing and Economic Development Committee meetings. Details of the procedure are provided below:

For those wishing to speak:

Members of the public will be entitled to register and identify which item(s) they wish to speak on from the published agenda for the meeting.  Those who wish to register to speak must do so by notifying the Committee team by e-mail ( CommitteeTeam@threerivers.gov.uk ) 48 hours before the meeting. The first 2 people to register on any report (one for and one against) will be sent details on the requirements for attending the meeting.  Registering 48 hours before the meeting will allow the Committee Team time to prepare the speaker sheet in advance of the meeting. Owing to the need to make Covid/Health and Safety preparations for the meeting we are not able to accept speaker registrations after 2pm on the day of the meeting (Tuesday 22 June 2021).

Please note that contributions will be limited to no more than three minutes.

Please note that, in the event of registering your interest to speak on an agenda item but not taking up that right because the item is deferred, you will be given the right to speak on that item at the next meeting of the Committee.

For those wishing to observe the meeting:

Due to Coronavirus restrictions the Council are limited on the number of people who can attend the meetings in person.  To secure one of the limited places as an observer, please contact the Committee Team by email at CommitteeTeam@threerivers.gov.uk  48 hours in advance of the meeting taking place.  Owing to the need to make Covid/Health and Safety preparations for the meeting we are not able to accept registrations to observe the meeting after 2pm on the day of the meeting (Tuesday 22 June 2021).

In accordance with The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 any matters considered under Part I business only of the meeting may be filmed, recorded, photographed, broadcast or reported via social media by any person.

Recording and reporting the Council’s meetings is subject to the law and it is the responsibility of those doing the recording and reporting to ensure compliance.  This will include the Human Rights Act, the Data Protection Legislation and the laws of libel and defamation.

The Committee meeting will not being broadcast/livestreamed but a recording of the meeting will be made.

1.  APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2.  MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Infrastructure, Housing and Economic Development Committee meeting held 16 March 2021.

3.  NOTICE OF OTHER BUSINESS

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency. The Chairman to rule on the admission of such items.

4.  DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

To receive any declarations of interest.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING POLICY

5.  REVISED PLANNING ENFORCEMENT PLAN

To consider the adoption of a revised version of the Council’s Planning Enforcement Plan.

The current plan was initially adopted by Full Council in May 2013 and sets out what the members of the public can expect from the Council when dealing with complaints relating to alleged breaches of planning control. It also assists in setting out the general course of an enforcement investigation and the types of action the Council may take to remedy a breach of planning control.

As part of the 2019/20 Final Internal Audit Report (Development Management – Enforcement) the Management Action Plan identified that the Enforcement Plan should be reviewed (classed as low priority).

Officers commenced a review of the plan last year and this is now subject to Member agreement. The main changes are summarised at section 3 below

6.  MOTIONS UNDER PROCEDURE RULE 11 - the motion has been deferred for debate at the meeting on 21 September 2021

The Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council under Rule 11(5) have agreed that the following motion be referred to the Infrastructure, Housing and Economic Development Committee.  The proposer and seconder of the motions have been invited to the meeting to present the motion under Rule 11(11).

Motion proposed by Councillor Alex Michaels, seconded by Councillor Joanna Clemens

TRDC currently charges £175 per annum to be on our right to build register and a £200 one off fee to those which are added successfully. This register enables residents to build their own homes which in turn diversifies and increases the housing supply and increases consumer choice. Studies show that self built properties often have higher success proving low carbon living (1). This register is a government requirement (2). Council agrees these fees are excessively high and not in keeping with our peer Districts in Hertfordshire. These fees may be suppressing interest for residents to express an interest in the scheme and stopping TRDC from developing a planning policy fit for all residents. Any housing allocated to our local plan as a result of this will encompass our existing housing targets and not increase our total housing numbers. Existing planning policy applying thus not contributing to over development of green belt. This motion resolves to reduce this fee to £25 annually and require any further increase to be approved via a multi party committee as a standing agenda item.

Fees charged by other Hertfordshire Local Authorities:

TRDC £175 + £200 one off fee with 74 on the list

Dacorum No fees 150 on list

St Albans No fees 515 on list

Hertsmere No fees with 65 on list

Sources

1: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/self-build-and-custom-housebuilding

2: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/45267066_Eco-Self-Build_Housing_Communities_Are_They_Feasible_and_Can_They_Lead_to_Sustainable_and_Low_Carbon_Lifestyles

The motion has been deferred for debate at the meeting on 21 September 2021

7.  WORK PROGRAMME

To agree the Committee’s work programme.

8.  OTHER BUSINESS – if approved under item 3 above.

9.  EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

If the Committee wishes to consider the remaining item in private, it will be appropriate for a resolution to be passed in the following terms:-

“that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under Paragraphs 1 to 7 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

(Note: If other confidential business is approved under item 3, it will also be necessary to specify the class of exempt or confidential information in the additional items.)

1.  OTHER BUSINESS – if approved under item 3 above.

A recording of this meeting can be accessed via this link: (Archived)

General Enquiries: Please contact the Committee Team at  committeeteam@threerivers.gov.uk