Cabinet - Tuesday, 2nd May, 2017 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 4th April, 2017 (copy attached).

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 4th April, 2017 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

To consider the Head of Financial Services’ (Amanda Fahey) Report No. FIN1718 (copy attached), which gives details of two applications for discretionary rate relief.

The Cabinet considered the Head of Financial Services’ Report No. FIN1718, which set out details of applications for rate relief from the Aldershot Town FC Community Trust (Unit No. 3, No. 48 Camp Road, Farnborough) and Places for People Leisure (Farnborough Leisure Centre, Westmead, Farnborough and Aldershot Pools Complex, Guildford Road, Aldershot).

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           20% top-up discretionary relief be awarded to the Aldershot Town FC Community Trust from 12th December, 2016 to 31st March, 2022; and

(ii)          100% discretionary relief be awarded to Places for People Leisure from 1st April, 2017 to the end of the current contract, due to expire in February 2019.

To consider the Head of Community and Environmental Services’ (Peter Amies) Report No. COMM1711 (copy attached), which requests additional resources to provide increased levels of monitoring of street cleansing and weed control.

The Cabinet considered the Head of Community and Environment Services’ Report No. COMM1711, which set out a request for additional staff resources to provide an increased level of monitoring of street cleansing and weed control. Members were informed that the new waste, recycling, street cleansing, public conveniences and grounds maintenance contract would provide for a specification for street cleansing that was based on performance as opposed to frequency, as with the previous contract. It would also include the treatment of weeds on the public highway and both of these elements would require a greater level of monitoring than previously.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)            the staffing proposals, as set out in the Head of Community and Environmental Services’ Report No. COMM1711, be approved; and

(ii)          a supplementary estimate of £12,000 per annum be approved.

To consider the Head of Planning’s (Keith Holland) and Head of Environmental Health and Housing’s (Qamer Yasin) Joint Report No. PLN1709 (copy attached), which proposes a response to the consultation by the Government on the Housing White Paper ‘Fixing our broken housing market’.

The Cabinet considered the Head of Planning's Report No. PLN1709, which had been prepared jointly with the Head of Environmental Health and Housing and sought agreement to submit comments on the Government’s Housing White Paper: Fixing our broken housing market. Appendix A to the Report set out the proposed detailed response and Appendix B set out a proposed response to: Planning and affordable housing for Build to Rent which, although part of the White Paper, was subject to a separate consultation. Members heard that the White Paper was intended to provide a long term strategy to build the homes needed nationally and to address people’s housing needs and aspirations in the shorter term.

The Cabinet was in broad agreement with the proposed response but made a number of suggestions of where the response should be altered. These were mainly around whether the previous track record of developers should be considered when dealing with planning applications and it was agreed that the response should be altered to state that the Council would be open to this, subject to the mechanism by which this would be delivered. Members also discussed the issue of classifying starter homes as affordable housing.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the Council make representations on the Government’s Housing White Paper: Fixing our broken housing market as set out in Appendix A to Head of Planning’s Report No. PLN1709 (as amended at the meeting) and the Planning and affordable housing for Build to Rent consultation, as set out in Appendix B.

To consider the Head of Environmental Health and Housing’s (Qamer Yasin) Report No. EHH1717 (copy attached), which sets out a proposal for the adoption of Public Spaces Protection Orders in respect of Aldershot and Farnborough.

The Cabinet considered the Head of Environmental Health and Housing’s Report No. EHH1717, which proposed the adoption of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) for Aldershot and Farnborough, following a period of public consultation. Members were reminded that the purpose of the Orders was to control individuals or groups committing anti social behaviour in a public space. It was explained that the consultation had generated 225 responses and that any concerns raised during the process had been addressed in the preparation of the draft Orders. Responses showed a high level of general support for the proposals.

The Cabinet asked several questions in relation to the proposed Orders and discussed issues including how the effectiveness of the Orders would be scrutinised, residents’ perception of current crime levels and whether the Police and the Council currently had sufficient expertise and capacity to enforce the Orders effectively.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the Public Spaces Protection Orders, as set out in the Head of Environmental Health and Housing’s Report No. EHH1717, be approved.

To consider the Head of Planning’s (Keith Holland) Report No. PLN1708 (copy attached), which sets out a proposal for the adoption of an Article 4 Direction Order for employment land within the Borough.

The Cabinet considered the Head of Planning's Report No. PLN1708, which sought approval to confirm a non immediate Article 4 Direction to withdraw permitted development rights related to the change of use of offices, light industrial units and storage or distribution units to residential use within the Strategic Employment Sites and Locally Important Employment Sites identified within the draft Rushmoor Local Plan, following a period of public consultation. The Direction would require developers to make a planning application for the conversion of offices, light-industrial units and storage or distribution units to residential use.

The Cabinet was supportive of protecting strategic employment land in the Borough, especially in light of local businesses reporting a shortage of suitable, available commercial space.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the confirmation of the Article 4 Direction, under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended), as set out in the Head of Planning’s Report No. PLN1708, be approved.

To consider resolving:

That, subject to the public interest test, the public be excluded from this meeting during the discussion of the undermentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraphs of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against such item:

Item                Schedule      Category

No.                  12A Para.

                        No.

8                      3                      Information relating to financial or business affairs

RESOLVED: That, taking into account the public interest test, the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the under mentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against the item:

Minute           Schedule      Category

No.                  12A Para.

                        No.

128                 3                      Information relating to financial or business affairs

To consider the Head of Financial Services’ (Amanda Fahey) Exempt Report No. FIN1719 (copy attached), which gives details of an application for the remission of non-domestic rates due to hardship.

The Cabinet considered the Head of Financial Services’ Exempt Report No. FIN1719, which set out an application for the remission of non-domestic rates on the grounds of hardship.

Members assessed the application from Dr. Hema Rajah, North Lane Dental Surgery, No. 38 North Lane, Aldershot, taking into account the evidence of financial hardship supplied and whether it was in the interests of local taxpayers to subsidise the business. The Cabinet took into account the nature and circumstances of the business and the availability of alternative facilities in the area.

The Cabinet Member for Concessions and Community Support and the local Ward Councillors had visited the premises to discuss the application with Dr. Rajah. The Cabinet discussed the application and, taking into account that the applicant was currently in the process of bidding for NHS contracts that would make the business financially sustainable in the future, felt that support should be offered for a period of six months. The Cabinet also discussed what other support might be offered, such as the services of a business mentor.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that 50% hardship relief be granted to Dr. Hema Rajah of North Lane Dental Surgery for a period of six months.