Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall - Maidenhead

Contact: Nabihah Hassan-Farooq  01628 796345

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dr L Evans.

2.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 217 KB

To receive any declarations of interest.

Minutes:

None.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 65 KB

To confirm the Part I minutes of the meeting of 29th January 2019.

Minutes:

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY; That the minutes of the last meeting on the 29th January 2019, were approved as a correct and true record.

4.

Borough Wide Heritage Strategy

To receive a report relating to the above titled item.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Jenifer Jackson outlined the above titled item. The report sought the agreement of a brief for the development of a Borough wide Heritage Strategy and Action Plan Supplementary Planning Document as part of the Local Plan and emerging Borough Local Plan. The documents sought to identify and celebrate the importance of the Borough’s heritage, provide strategies for its protection and enhancement and consider how best to interpret and harness this special resource for the benefit of the community, visitors and the local economy. Members were informed that a key element of the Council’s future approach to the Borough’s historic environment was contained within para 11.2.1 of the Borough Local Plan Submission Version and that this advised a Heritage Strategy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) be produced and adopted to guide the implementation of the Council’s Historic Environment Policies.

 

The Panel was informed that the SPD would intend to set out a clear strategy for the borough to guide conservation and heritage activities. The Borough has a unique and distinctive heritage which should be preserved and enhanced for present and future generations. Members were told that the historic environment was a valuable asset which had contributed to a broader strategic objective including economic development, good urban design and planning, provision of informal and formal education, development of skills and achieving sustainable development. It was noted that the strategy would flow from the development plan it will not be a planning policy document. The Heritage Strategy should provide a vision and key aims and objectives for the borough’s heritage; it should be supported by a detailed Background and Action Plan document. It was highlighted that many local authorities already have Heritage Strategies, these tend to be varied in their approach and content and include lists of formally designated assets- listed buildings, conservation areas and scheduled ancient monuments. It was hoped that interested parties, local people, groups and other stakeholders together to generate a shared vision for the future of the borough’s heritage and to provide priorities and proposals for how these would be implemented. Key aims of the Heritage Strategy would be to promote partnership and collaborative working between the councils, its partners and key stakeholders and to generate educations, cultural and economic benefits for the Borough as whole.

 

Members were informed that an appointed consultant would be required to provide a community led strategy document, and it was anticipated that it would cover a 15 year period although it would be designed so that it can be reviewed by the Council as part of a rolling programme. The issues and priorities identified will then be addressed through a number of agreed actions, such as projects, improvement schemes, guidance and events that would form part of the overall Action Plan. It was suggested that this would be designed to be reviewed and updated annually and that progress would be monitored through a steering group made up of stakeholders. The Panel was informed that it would be likely that in the long term the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Q3 2018/2019 Performance Report pdf icon PDF 122 KB

To receive a report on the above titled item.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Anna Robinson, Strategy and Performance Manager outlined the above report. Members were told that the report sought to provide a summary of the Quarter 3 2018/19 performance of the council’s performance management framework (PMF). It was noted that five of the six measures reported to the Planning and Housing Overview & Scrutiny Panel had met or exceeded their target ( including one measure reported biannually) and one measure had fallen just short of target but remained within acceptable tolerance levels. It was highlighted that no measures had been reported as below target or outside of tolerance thresholds. Members were informed that in November 2017 that Cabinet had approved the council’s performance Management Framework (PMF) of 25 key measures aligned to its refreshed Council Plan with six strategic priorities over the plan period 2017-2021.

 

Members were shown the performance measures through the PMF system and were taken through each measure. The measures reported to the Planning and Housing Overview & Scrutiny Panel were as follows:

 

·         3.4.1. Number of Affordable homes- Green

·         3.5.1 Number of homeless preventions through council advice and activity- amber

·         3.5.2 Number of homeless households placed in temporary accommodation- green

·         4.1.3 Percentage of Major planning applications processed in time- green

·         4.1.4 Percentage of Minor planning applications processed in time- green

·         4.1.5 Percentage of “other” planning applications processed in time- green

 

The Panel was told that green meant that targets had been exceeded and performance was good, whilst red or amber meant that there were areas for improvement or that targets had not been met. Members discussed the amber measure for the number of homeless preventions through council advice and activity. Anna Robinson informed the Panel that Maggie Nelson, Interim Head of Housing Services was unable to attend and relayed information on her behalf which had been provided ahead of the meeting. Members were advised that the prevention numbers for Q1, 2 & 3 had all been slightly lower than the target set and were assessed as underperforming (amber).  It was outlined that the target had not been met as the highest reason for homelessness approaches across the borough was the ending of assured short hold tenancies by private landlords. Members were informed that in accordance with the Homeless Reduction Act 2017, that the housing options officer’s first aim in every case was to attempt to prevent the homelessness by speaking with the landlord to establish the reason behind the issuing of the notice and wherever possible, negotiate with them for the tenant to remain in the tenancy. It was highlighted that this would include assisting the tenant to make a payment arrangement if rent arrears had been accrued, acting as an intermediary for any tenancy related issues that the landlord may have been unhappy about, for e.g. the property not being properly looked after, garden being unkempt, delayed rent payments or the housing benefit not being in place.

 

The Panel was also informed that there had been changes in terms of statutory function by the HRA 2017 and that there was now  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Vote of thanks

Minutes:

A vote of thanks was placed on record by the members of the Planning and Housing Overview & Scrutiny Panel for Councillor Richard Kellaway in his role as Chairman. Members thanked him for his contribution and commitment over the years and wished him success as he would not be standing for re-election in the upcoming elections.

 

A vote of thanks was placed on record for Councillor Malcolm Beer who had been an active member of the Planning and Housing Overview & Scrutiny Panel and would not be standing for re-election again at the upcoming elections.