Agenda and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking. The Chairman will read the following webcasting announcement:

"I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing and copies of the recording could be made available for those that request it.

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if any member of the public wishes to avoid this they should move to the upper public gallery".

The Democratic Services Officer reminded everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the Internet, and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 29 March 2016 and any matters arising therefrom.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 29 March 2016 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(District Council) To receive a presentation on Community Resilience by the Council’s Emergency Planning Officer, Peter Charman.

The Committee received a report from the Chief Executive regarding the Civil Emergency Plans Review Workshop.

It was a requirement of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 that District Councils maintained Civil Emergency Plans and shared information  about such plans with partners.

Following changes to the way emergency planning was undertaken across the County and nationally, it was considered a good time to review the existing emergency plans and the roles that local councils had in them.

At the March meeting of the Essex Association of Local Councils (Epping), it was agreed that the District Emergency Planning Officer prepare a brief workshop for Parish and Town Council clerks to review the following:

(a)  Existing relevant emergency plans at District/County and National level.

(b)  Civil emergency risks across the District.

(c)  Community Resilience.

It was proposed that this workshop took place the week beginning 26 September or 3 October 2016. The Chief Executive requested that a suitable date, time and location during this period be identified by the local councils. |the workshop could be repeated at different locations and times to suit. The workshop was unlikely to take longer than two hours.

RESOLVED:

That officers source an appropriate date for a Community Resilience Workshop through liaising with local councils.

(District Council) A presentation will be delivered to members on the progress to date and future plans of the Rural Challenge Project fibre broadband rollout, part of the Superfast Essex broadband programme.

The Economic Development Officer gave a presentation to the Committee regarding the Rural Challenge Project of the Superfast Essex Broadband Programme, he was accompanied by Mr T Heath, Rural Challenge Project Manager, Gigaclear.

The Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) target was to deliver 95% superfast broadband coverage. The county was covered by Superfast Essex, phase 1 had been completed with 87% coverage with 24 Mbps. Phase 2 aimed to provide 95% coverage with a financial contribution from local district authorities. This authority was contributing £84,000 to the scheme.

Through procurement, Gigaclear had been awarded the contract. There would be an impact on 18 District parishes, although not all residents in these areas would have access. To date 84 km of network had been built with 1,100 connection points throughout the district. It was due for completion in early 2017. They could provide connection from the internet into the property and the resident could then take up the service. The connections were made from 11 cabinets which covered the whole of the district and were installed underground being immune to extreme weather events. This infrastructure would lead to disruption in terms of installation, however all areas would be reinstated afterwards. Mr T Heath advised the each cabinet could service 450 homes. He re-assured the committee that his company operated within a permit scheme, they get fined if they exceed this. They try and achieve first time reinstatement with a two year warranty and then go back to sites to make good. They notify residents when they are working in their area. They have contact telephone numbers if residents needed to contact them.

Some Members expressed concern that there were many residents not connected. The Economic Development Officer advised that the areas mentioned were not connected to this particular project. He said that he would contact the company involved and advise them of the issues raised and pass on the contact details to them of the various parish councils affected.

On 13 September 2016 there would be a business breakfast at Mulberry House in High Ongar talking to businesses on this service provision, the event would start at 7.00a.m.

The Economic Development Officer said that the approximate average cost of installation to the property by Gigaclear’s appointed contractor was £100.00 for installation, although residents can self install and the option also existed for a local handyperson to be trained by Gigaclear to undertake installations. He asked local councils to advise him of any business which may be interested in carrying out this service.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation regarding Superfast Essex Rural Challenge Project be noted.

(Local Councils) To consider the current position with regard to the review of the Local Charter.

The Local Charter had been drawn up jointly between the District Council and the Town and Parish Councils within the district. The Charter emphasised the importance attached by these bodies to working in partnership in the provision of public services. Also, it enhanced and enriched communications between these bodies to assist the exchange of information, the expression of views and the making of representations.

The Vice-Chairman advised that no further progress had been made since the last committee meeting where she had been asked to review the current charter, along with the Parish Clerk for North Weald Parish Council. Therefore it was proposed that the review should continue with the assistance of E Walsh, Town Clerk for Loughton Town Council. The finished review would then be referred to the Chief Executive for a consensus view.

RESOLVED:

That the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, the Parish Clerk for North Weald Bassett and the Town Clerk for Loughton complete the draft review of the Local Charter and submit the draft to the Chief Executive.

(District Council) To receive a report setting out the current position with regard to progress on the development of the new Local Plan for the Epping Forest District.

The Committee received a progress report regarding the Epping Forest District Local Plan from the Planning Policy Manager.

1.    Local Plan Timetable

An updated Local Development Scheme was due to be submitted to the Cabinet on 21 July 2016 to reflect the new timescale for the development of the Local Plan. The key milestones prior to consultation on the Draft Plan scheduled for the Autumn were:

(a)  6 October 2016 – Report to the Cabinet to consider draft plan for consultation.

(b)  18 October 2016 – Report to Full Council.

(c)  31 October 2016 – Start of 6 week formal consultation.

This schedule would tie in with the publication of draft plans by East Herts, Uttlesford and Harlow districts who have all been proposing to publish their draft plans in the Autumn for a 6 week period, seeking representations on their soundness.

The Government had made clear their expectation that all local planning authorities should have a post NPPF local plan in place. This included intervening where no local plan existed to arrange for the plan to be written. One penalty proposed for not having produced a plan, was the loss of New Homes Bonus finances. The Council needed to make good progress this year and it was therefore considered essential to have completed consultation on the Draft Plan Preferred Approach prior to anticipated end of March 2017 cut off date. Consultants NLP, in a report issued in April 2016, had identified 21 authorities most at risk of intervention and this authority had been named.

2.    Working with Neighbouring Authorities/Duty to Co-Operate

Further work was being undertaken for developing the housing target for the district and agree at the Co-Operation for Sustainable Development Board how the growth would be distributed across the Housing Market area. This work was being progressed with the 4 authorities within the Strategic Housing Market Area. The Board on 6 June 2016 was provided with an update on progress with the evaluation of the 5 spatial options previously agreed for testing. The Board also received three draft memoranda of understanding; from Highways England covering strategic transport matters, Natural England covering Air Quality and a third to set out the vision for the SHMA area. A final decision on the preferred strategic spatial option was expected on 18 July 2016.

3.    Member Workshops

Since the last Committee meeting in March 2016, further workshops had been held on climate change – 24 May 2016 and transport accessibility and parking standards – 31 May 2016. A further workshop was programmed for 16 July 2016 covering development management policies. A briefing on the proposals for the Local Plan consultation would be held on 28 July 2016.

4.    Key Local Plan Evidence

Work continued on finalising the evidence base reports which would be used to inform the policies included in the Draft Plan that the Council would be consulting on later this year.

(a)  Green Belt Review

A draft report had been received and officers were providing comments back to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

There was no other business for consideration.

To note that future meetings of the Committee will be held at 7.30pm on the following dates:

·         Monday 7 November 2016; and

·         Monday 6 March 2017.

The local councils have advised that they felt in would be better to move from 3 meetings per year to 2. If agreed this would commence in the next council year – 2017/18.

The Vice-Chairman asked the Committee about the following:

(a)          Reducing the number of Local Council’s Liaison Committee (LCLC) meetings

It was felt that the current number of Committee meetings should be reduced from 3 per annum to 2. Members suggested that officers should consult with all the Parish and Town councils to obtain a consensus view and report back to the Committee in November 2016.

RESOLVED:

That Democratic Services liaise with Parish and Town councils to enquire as to the feasibility of reducing the number of LCLC meetings during the year.

(b)          Moving the next Local Council’s Liaison Committee from 7 November 2016 to a week later

The next Committee meeting would clash with a North Weald Bassett Parish Council meeting, the Vice-Chairman requested that the meeting could be moved to Monday 14 November 2016.

RESOLVED:

That Democratic Services source a new date for the November 2016 meeting of the LCLC.