Agenda item

To receive reports and any announcements from the Leader and members of the Cabinet on matters falling within their area of responsibility:

(a)        Report of the Leader;

(b)        Report of the Assets and Economic Development Portfolio Holder (attached);

(c)        Report of the Environment Portfolio Holder (attached);

(d)        Report of the Finance Portfolio Holder (attached);

(e)        Report of the Housing Portfolio Holder (attached);

(f)        Report of the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(g)        Report of the Planning and Governance Portfolio Holder (attached);

(i)         Report of the Safer, Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder (attached); and

(j)         Report of the Technology and Support Services Portfolio Holder (attached).

(a)          Leader of the Council

The Leader advised that there had been fewer official meetings, although business for the Council had continued at a pace. At the forefront of Council business had been transformation and looking at the Civic building, footprint and best use of the building for the future.

He informed Members that he had recently attended meetings with the local MP Eleanor Laing, to discuss the Council’s Budget, Local Plan, Transformation, parking issues and the national Government’s stand point on housing. Furthermore, he had met with Essex Leaders and Chief Executives to discuss issues that affected the whole of Essex, in particular emergency planning. The West Essex Leaders from Uttlesford, Harlow and Brentwood had updated each other on the progress of their Local Plans.

Finally, he had attended a joint meeting with Chief Officers and Essex County Council on how to achieve the best value for money and ideas for shared services.

(b)          Planning & Governance Portfolio Holder

Councillor J Philip advised that on 14 September 2017, further announcements were made on the white paper “Fixing our broken housing market”; He advised that the content had been significantly different to what had been expected. The changes that had been made to the objectively assessed housing need for each planning area reflected a rise in targets for new dwellings from 540 to 923 per year equating to an overall increase from 11,400 to over 20,000 houses for the Council. The Local MP, Eleanor Laing had written to the Secretary of State and had met with him to discuss the situation. The only alternative was to accelerate the Local Plan and submit it to the inspector before 31 March 2018, which would enable the Council to continue with the current figures. An update would be coming forward at the next Cabinet meeting in October.

(c)          Housing Portfolio Holder

Councillor S Stavrou advised that the Communities Select Committee on Monday 9 October 2017 had been cancelled. Members would be notified when a new date had been scheduled.