held at Ryedale House, Malton
on Thursday, 2 April 2009
Present
Councillors Wainwright (in the Chair), Acomb, Aslett, , Mrs Burr Cottam, Keal, Knaggs and Maud
Substitutes: Councillors Cowling and Hope
Overview & Scrutiny Committee Observers: Councillors Raper and Shields
By invitation of the Chairman: Cllr Andrews
In attendance
P Cresswell, Mrs E Hayes G Housden, Mrs M Jackson, D Summers, Mrs J Thompson, D Wheelwright, Miss J Waggott, A Winship
Minutes
387 Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Arnold and Legard
388 Minutes of meetings of the Policy & Resources Committee held on 5 February 2009 and 19 February 2009
The Minutes of meetings of the Policy & Resources Committee held on 5 February 2009 and 19 February 2009 were submitted (previously circulated)
Resolved
That the minutes of meetings of the Policy & Resources Committee held on 5 February 2009 and 19 February 2009 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
389 Urgent Business
The Chairman reported that there were no items to be considered at the meeting
390 Declarations of Interest
In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct the following declarations of interest were made:
Cllr Mrs Burr declared a personal interest in item 8 (Report of the Malton Town Centre Strategy and Accompanying Development Briefs) as a business owner in the Town.
391 Minutes of a Meeting of the Constitution Review Working Party held on 11 March 2009
The minutes of a meeting of the Constitution Review Working Party were presented (previously circulated). It was proposed by Councillor Knaggs and Seconded by Councillor Keal that minute number CRWP 31, Councillor Call in Action should read Councillor Call For Action. On being put to the vote, the amended minutes were received.
Resolved
That the amended minutes of a meeting of the Resources Working Party held on 11 March 2009 be received
392 Review of the Constitution – Councillor Call for Action
Members considered a report (previously circulated) submitted by the Chief Executive which outlined changes to the Council’s Constitution relating to the Councillors Call for Action, as recommended by the constitution Review Working Party meeting held on 11 March 2009.
The report outlined that the Councillor Call for Action was a mechanism for enabling elected Members to bring matters of ward concern to the attention of the Council, via the Scrutiny process. It was noted that the Council’s constitution already provided for the rights of Members to request that an item was placed on a Scrutiny agendas, and also the rights of Ward Members to speak at meetings as representatives of petitioners. Therefore, the protocol, as set out in the annex to the report was intended to ensure that the process was not abused, the fundamental principle being that the exercise of the Councillor Call for Action was an option of last resort.
Resolved
The Policy & Resources Committee makes the following recommendations to Full Council:
That the Councillor Call for Action set out in Annex 1 to the report be adopted and operative from the date approved by Council (21 May 2009).
393 Review of the Constitution – Substitutions for Policy committees from Overview and Scrutiny Membership
The Chief Executive submitted a report (previously Circulated) that asked Members to consider changes to the Council’s Constitution relating to Members of the Overview and Scrutiny committee being named substitutes for Policy Committees as recommended by the Constitution Review Working Party on 11 March 2009.
The report recommended that the Council’s Procedure Rules be amended to allow one Member from each political group, who was a Member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to substitute for a Member of the same group who had been appointed to the Membership of a Policy Committee
Resolved
The Policy and Resources Committee made the following recommendations to Full Council:
That the change to the Council’s Constitution as set out in annex A to the report be approved.
394 Review of the Constitution – Council Procedure Rules
The Chief Executive submitted a report (previously circulated) relating to changes to the Council Procedure rules. The changes had been considered by the Constitution Review Working Party at their meeting on 11 March 2009, and the annex to the report detailed the changes proposed.
Resolved
The Policy and Resources Committee made the following recommendations to Full Council:
That the Changes to the Council's Constitution as shown in Annex 2 to the report be approved, with the change to para 28.2 where the words after “substituting” on line 5 be removed.
395 Review of the Constitution – Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Community Services Committee Terms of Reference
The Chief Executive submitted a report (previously circulated) which sought changes to the Council’s Constitution relating to both the Overview and Scrutiny committee and the Community Services Committee, as recommended by the Constitution Review Working Party at their meeting on 11 March 2009. The Annex to the report outlined the changes to be made.
Resolved
The Policy and Resources Committee made the following recommendations to Full Council:
That the Council be recommended to adopt the change to the Council’s constitution as shown in annex 1 to the report.
There were no items referred from Council and/or Committees.
PART ‘A’ ITEMS - Matters to be dealt with under delegated powers or matters determined by Committee.
396 Proposed Re-Roofing of Former Town Hall, Malton (Malton Museum/Tourist Information Centre
The Head of Environment submitted a report (previously circulated) which sought Member approval to accept a tender for the re-roofing and repairs to the stonework at the former Town Hall Malton. Members were informed that the exact figure for the tender was £79,531.33 and not as stated in the report.
It has been agreed at the 31 July 2008 meeting of this Committee that the scheme for re-roofing of the Town Hall be bought forward from the reserve list and be included within the current Capital Programme. The requirement for the work was governed by the terms of the lease between the Council and the Malton Fitzwilliam Estate.
There was £145,000 included within the Council’s Capital Programme for the work. Due to the nature of the lease that the Council had, it was reported that the works were not eligible for grant. Members expressed concern that the work should be finished in time for Yorkshire Day on 1 August. They were informed that the work should take between 10 and 12 weeks. Due to their concerns it was proposed by Cllr Cowling and seconded by Cllr Knaggs that the decision when to commence the works be taken by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee after investigations had taken place as to whether the lease could be renegotiated in order to then take advantage of grants available.
Resolved
That the Chief Executive be given delegated authority in consultation with the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee to:
(i) accept the tender of Alan Shaw Roofing of York In the sum of £79,531.33 for the re-roofing works to the former Town Hall, Malton;
(ii) accept a suitable quotation be accepted for repairs to the exterior stonework.
PART B ITEMS – Referred to Council for a decision
397 Report of the Malton Town Centre Strategy and Accompanying Development Briefs
The Heads of Planning, Housing and Economy submitted the final report (previously circulated) and development brief of the Malton Town Centre Strategy.
The report outlined the background to the Strategy, the study purpose and aims. Members noted the key issues and opportunities identified and a full list of these was included within the report. WSP recommendations on the Livestock Market, Former Showfield on Pasture Lane, Wentworth Street Car Park, the Market Place, East Mount, the Mount Hotel, York House, Greengate and Highfield Lane were discussed at length in the report.
The work done had been around key development and enhancement opportunities. The recommendations involved land use change, and as a result they would need to be considered as part of the planning framework for the District.
Significant consultation and evidence work had been undertaken in the preparation of the strategy. It was appropriate that the study be considered as a material consideration in planning decisions in advance of the local Development Framework (LDF). It would itself form part of the evidence base for the preparation of the LDF. The costs of considering the sites through the LDF were accounted for as part of the Forward Planning budget.
Members were informed that this matter would be the subject of a Members’ Briefing Session on 7 May, in order that Members be fully informed on the matter prior to the Council meeting on 21 May when the matter would be voted upon.
Resolved
That the Policy and Resources Committee recommend the following to the Full Council meeting on 21 May 2009:
(i) Endorse the recommendations in the WSP report and take these forward for consideration and consultation through the LDF process.
(ii) Include Wentworth Street Car Park in the June consultation for redevelopment for food retail and parking through the LDF process.
(iii) Approve that the study and supporting technical work be a material consideration in the decision making process in advance of the LDF.
(iv) Fully investigate through the LDF process, the potential for a comprehensive approach to the redevelopment of Malton town centre.
398 Ryedale Local Development Framework Core Strategy – Regulation 25 Consultation Responses
The Forward Planning Manager submitted a report outlining the comments received as part of the latest consultation and to agree the Council’s response.
The report highlighted the changes to the production of Local Development Frameworks. These were the requirement to notify stakeholders of the subject of the Development Plan Document (DPD) that the Local Planning Authority planned to prepare and to invite representations about what a DPD of that subject ought to contain.
The consultation period had run for a period of 10 weeks to take into account the Christmas holidays. Over 800 organisations on the LDF database had been consulted, including statutory consultees, Parish, town and District Councils, local interest groups, developers and agents, utility providers local businesses and general consultees. In total, 71 organisations or individuals had responded to the consultation and summaries of the comments received were outlined in annex A to the report.
Resolved
That the Policy and Resources Committee recommend to the meeting of Full Council to be held on 21 May 2009:
That the Council’s responses to the comments received be approved.
The meeting started at 6.30pm and finished at 7.45 pm