Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

Councillor D Mellor declared an interest in Minute No. 6(a) and 6(b) and left the room for the discussion and voting thereon.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 9 November 2022, reconvened on the 5 December 2022.

A query was raised in relation to the length of the minutes with a request that consideration be given to providing more detail within the minutes particularly in relation on this occasion to the submitted petition.

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2022 were confirmed as a correct record.

To receive any announcements or introductions from the Chairman.

The Chair informed Council of the recent passing of four former Councillors, former Councillor and Mayor of Poole Les Burden, former Bournemouth Councillor Roger West, former Bournemouth Councillor Barbara Smith and former Bournemouth Councillor David Clutterbuck.

Following members relaying their personal experiences working with the former Councillors Council was upstanding for a period of respectful silence.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of a public questions is 4 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a public statement is midday the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.

A – Public Questions

Public Question from Sean Mills

BCP Council has declared a climate emergency and committed to transition the entire region to zero carbon by 2050. Buildings and constructions account for around half of our emissions and fuel bills are rarely out of the news. Many authorities set planning policy to ensure new buildings are zero carbon which London has been doing since 2016. Government research confirms that this does not deter house building nor add significant costs, instead it avoids the far greater expense of improvement later on. 85% of local plan consultation respondents last year agreed BCP should “set a local standard how soon will this happen?

Response by the Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration, Councillor Philip Broadhead

We are currently exploring the policy options surrounding sustainability and zero carbon for new building through our BCP council's new local plan which will be hopefully agreeing later on this year. I wholeheartedly agree with Mr Mills that new buildings along with retrofitting existing buildings is a huge part of ensuring that we meet our carbon reduction aspirations. Our job is to make sure that we get these policies right especially for something this important, we understand and Mr Mills has mentioned that there are wide-ranging support from the community and that this would indeed help meet our sustainability objectives we've also heard concerns from others that pursuing a zero carbon building ahead of National Building regulation targets has concerns for them as well. Therefore we in order to properly explore and consider in the round with a number of other development outcomes we'd like to see such as affordable housing and infrastructure delivery we've commissioned our own study to explore the impacts of all of these issues on development viability, this will then provide evidence to support the resulting policies for that draft local plan later on this year which will be worked up cross party.

Public Question from Frank Ahern

In July, the revised Local Development Scheme and amended timetable were unanimously approved by Cabinet, who stated: “We are keen to continue to engage our communities and stakeholders in the BCP Local Plan in order that they can influence the plan. Appropriate time is therefore set out within the LDS to continue to actively engage our communities before the draft of the Local Plan is published.”

The BCP Local Plan Update states that “face-to-face engagement will be an important component of our ongoing approach” (para 26) and identifies Autumn 2022 for the “Further engagement”.

This has not happened. Why not?   

Response by the Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration, Councillor Philip Broadhead

We received a large amount of incredibly useful feedback to the response to the comprehensive issues and options consultation which ran from January to March last year and indeed it was one of the largest and most successful consultations ever done by this Council.

Since July the Cabinet have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Please refer to the recommendations detailed below.

The Chairman advised that it was proposed that items 6a and 6b be taken together.

Item 6a – Cabinet 23 November 2022 – Minute No 79 – Finance Strategy Update Report

Councillor Philip Broadhead, the Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration presented the Finance Strategy Update Report and outlined the recommendations as set out on the agenda. In doing so the Portfolio Holder advised that a proposed amendment to the recommendations had been circulated to all members by email and requested that this be taken as the substantive recommendation.

It is RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(d)        approves the disposal of Non-Strategic Asset Sales as set out in confidential appendix A, subject to achieving the estimated sales value for each lot, with the decision delegated to the Director of Finance in consultation with the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Council as appropriate;

(e)        agrees that, in respect of the properties listed as a), b) and c) in the confidential Appendix A to this report, that the sales of these properties proceed by way of sealed bids to be opened in the presence of the Monitoring Officer and observed by Group Leaders;

(f)          approves the establishment of a cross-party Councillor Working Group to review the Council’s capital disposal strategy for 2023-2024 with an initial item of business to review the current process for capital disposal with a view to strengthening public trust and transparency in the process; and

(g)        approves a pooled budget arrangements in relation to section 117 aftercare as set out in appendix B.

Note – resolutions (a), (b) and (c) were resolved matters by the Cabinet.

A proposition to move the meeting into exempt session was made, this was seconded but fell upon being put to the vote with only 14 members in favour.

Councillor Farquhar requested that his vote against the proposition to move into exempt session be minuted.

The meeting adjourned at 9.07pm and reconvened at 9.26pm.

At the request of the required number of members Council then took a recorded vote collectively on recommendations (d), (e) and (f) which was carried as follows:

For – 37

Against – 29

The Highcliffe & Walkford Neighbourhood Plan has been subject to independent examination between November 2021 and July 2022. The examiner’s report concluded that subject to modifications, the neighbourhood plan meets basic and legal conditions. Cabinet on 26 October 2022 agreed the examiner’s report and modifications, together with the council’s decision statement and modified neighbourhood plan and approved the plan for referendum.

The Council held a referendum on 15 December within the Highcliffe & Walkford Parish Council area. The referendum question asked:

‘Do you want BCP Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Highcliffe & Walkford to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’ 

The turnout for the referendum was 1,955 (representing 16.89% of the electorate in the Highcliffe & Walkford Parish area). Of these voters, 86% voted in favour of the plan and the council must now bring the plan into force so that it forms part of the statutory development plan for the Highcliffe and Walkford neighbourhood area. It will be used alongside the Christchurch Local Plan to determine planning applications in the Highcliffe & Walkford Parish Council area.

Councillor Brooks, Lead Member for High Street Renaissance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Members were advised that the Highcliffe & Walkford Neighbourhood Plan had been subject to independent examination between November 2021 and July 2022, and that the examiner’s report concluded that subject to modifications, the neighbourhood plan meets basic and legal conditions. Cabinet on 26 October 2022 agreed the examiner’s report and modifications, together with the council’s decision statement and modified neighbourhood plan and approved the plan for referendum.

In relation to this Members were advised that the Council held a referendum on 15 December within the Highcliffe & Walkford Parish Council area, and that the referendum question had asked:

‘Do you want BCP Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Highcliffe & Walkford to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’ 

The turnout for the referendum was 1,955 (representing 16.89% of the electorate in the Highcliffe & Walkford Parish area), and of these voters, 86% voted in favour of the plan and the council must now bring the plan into force so that forms part of the statutory development plan for the Highcliffe and Walkford neighbourhood area.

Members were advised that the plan will be used alongside the Christchurch Local Plan to determine planning applications in the Highcliffe & Walkford Parish Council area.

RESOLVED that Council: -

(a)            Note the results of the Highcliffe & Walkford Neighbourhood Plan referendum held on 15 December 2022 (Declaration of Result of Poll - Appendix 1 and Ballot Box Verification Record – Appendix 2);

(b)           Agree to make the Highcliffe & Walkford Neighbourhood Plan (Appendix 3), that was subject to referendum on 15 December 2022, part of BCP Council’s statutory development plan so that it can be used alongside the Christchurch Local Plan to determine planning applications in the Highcliffe & Walkford neighbourhood area.

(c)            Approve the Local Planning Authority’s Decision Statement (Appendix 4) and delegate publication and circulation of the Decision Statement to the Interim Director of Planning in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration.

Voting: Unanimous

No motions have been received in accordance with the Constitution for this meeting.

The Chairman advised Members that there had been no notices of motion submitted on this occasion.

The deadline for questions to be submitted to the Monitoring Officer is 30 December 2022.

Question from Councillor Andy Martin

The Local Plan Issues and Options document published earlier this year says the council plans to be proactive about supporting a change of character in a number of specific areas including the central part of Highcliffe from Lymington Road to the seafront.

Given that the document also outlines a commitment to preserving the character of, I quote “our locally valued coastal areas” could the deputy leader outline what the document is referring to as a change of character for Highcliffe in the context of planning for urban intensification, or what he thinks it might be referring to?

Response by the Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration, Councillor Philip Broadhead

The local plan issues and options consultation document formed part of a huge consultation setting out the issues for the new BCP local plan alongside ideas from residents as we move forwards to the next stage of creating a draft plan. Its purpose was to gather views about idea rather than present any definitive proposals. I’m proud of the impact of this consultation and its focus on asking the public for their views before we do the bulk of any work – very different to how many authorities prepare their local plans.

The option for considering potential areas of change in the urban area sought people’s opinion about whether our future policies should be more proactive about supporting a change in character in these locations, especially as some of these changes are already occurring, for such characteristics such as urban form, type of development and the scale of development. As set out in the document this could involve proactively supporting modest increases in scale in some of these areas, for example from two storeys to four or five storeys along key retail streets. Some of these changes have already been happening in an ad hoc manner and this approach would allow it to be properly planned for.?

If we took this idea forward, we would seek to bring forward design codes for these areas to explore the options in more detail. While we wouldn’t want to prejudge this process for Highcliffe, it could explore things like setting maximum building heights for Lymington Road, where intensification has already been occurring, or considering options for higher density proposals in highly sustainable locations within proximity to the range of services and facilities within the shopping area, instead of more residential areas.

It is important to note that the areas of change were included as one option to respond to the many issues we face to ensure enough homes are built as currently there are significant issues with housing supply, including providing affordable and family homes, and homes that in turn support the economic growth of the area. More people living in these kinds of areas could help support the vitality of our high streets and centres, placing people near facilities and services, and help secure the infrastructure needed to support growth.? 

As  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To consider any urgent decisions taken by the Chief Executive in accordance with the Constitution.

The Chief Executive advised that there were no urgent decisions to be reported on this occasion.