Agenda and minutes

(Director of Governance) To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

It was reported that Councillor G Chambers was substituting for Councillor E Webster.

To agree the notes of the meeting of the Select Committee held on 21 November 2017.

            RESOLVED:

That the notes of the last meeting of the Neighbourhoods Select Committee held on 21 November 2018 be agreed, subject to Councillor B Rolfe having also given his apologies.

(Director of Governance). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a pecuniary or a non-pecuniary interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 9 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a non-pecuniary interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 9 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

There were no declarations of interest made pursuant to the Member’s Code of Conduct.

(Chairman / Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed the Terms of Reference of this Committee. This is attached along with an ongoing Work Programme. Members are asked at each meeting to review both documents.

(1)    Terms of Reference

These were noted by members.

(2)    Work Programme

On item (1) Neighbourhoods Directorate Business Plan 2018/19 – the Chairman advised that the relevant Portfolio Holders would give a presentation to members at the next meeting on 20 March 2018.

On items (3) KPIs 2017/18 and (4) Corporate Plan Key Action Plan – it was noted that the quarter 3 performance would be reported to the next meeting on 20 March 2018.

On items (6) Transformation Projects relevant to this Committee and (7) Transformation Projects closure and benefits – it was noted that there had been no upcoming reports.

On items (13) Yearly review of the Off-street Parking Service – an update would be provided at the next meeting as this was close to the end of the financial year. The full report would be reported at meetings of the Cabinet and then Council.

(Director of Neighbourhoods) To receive a presentation from the Council’s Engineering, Drainage and Water Team, which is comprised of two sections:

·         Land Drainage; and

·         Water Supply / Contaminated Land.

The Technical Services Assistant Director, K Durrani, introduced his officers – S Stranders (Land Drainage Manager), T Baker (Land Drainage Engineer) and S Bell (Land and Water Quality Officer).

Land drainage

The Land Drainage Engineer made a presentation on the work of the Engineering, Drainage and Water Team (EDWT). The EDWT was on call 365 days a year to provide a discretionary emergency flood response around the roads of the Epping Forest district. Officers would monitor and respond to incidents and worked closely with the Environment Agency (EA), Essex Fire and Rescue, Essex County Council (ECC) and relevant water companies.

Recent incidents had involved a burst water main in Loughton and Nazeing, a low lying area which was prone to flooding. The Council was proactive in investing in flood alleviation schemes. Examples given included Thornwood Brook (Thornwood Common), and Church Lane and Thornhill (North and South) in North Weald. This showed how contained water was let through in controlled flows. The rates at Thornwood and Thornhill were remotely monitored by telemetry and fixed image CCTV systems. Church Lane, North Weald worked by the use of a bypass channel alongside the road with a controlled runoff into the brook. Also Loughton Brook Reservoir, on City of London Corporation Land, had latterly passed to the EA.

The team also monitored and maintained 50 storm grilles, which helped to protect key surface pipes, and 2,500 kilometres of ordinary watercourses. The Council’s contractor checked this on a bi-monthly basis.

Since 1983 the Council had its own Land Drainage Byelaws to help control development along water courses, and was the only district within Essex to have such byelaws. The Council currently issued consents for this type of work (under the Land Drainage Act 1991 and delegated from Essex County Council), and charged an administration fee of £50. The Council also had enforcement powers under this Act, which were used when necessary.

The EDWT worked within the National Planning Policy Framework to reduce flood risk. It had assessed over 1,200 planning applications last year for flood risk and drainage concerns. It had also worked with Planning Policy during the draft Local Plan process to ensure policies on the management of flood risk and drainage were robust.

Members were also apprised of different ways that the EDWT used to manage flood risk as it was very proactive in the District. One way was through Surface Water Management Plans (SWMP). ECC had determined that Loughton was a ‘Tier 1’ location and in 2016 the Loughton, Buckhurst Hill and Theydon Bois SWMP was completed. This identified seven Critical Areas of Drainage to help manage predicted flood risk. Waltham Abbey (Tier 2) would be the next area for a SWMP. The Council uniquely had its own Flood Risk Assessment Zones (FRAZs). These were zones derived from the catchments of ordinary watercourses where there was a particular risk of flooding to help alleviate flood risk. The use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) was also explained as a way to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

(Director of Neighbourhoods) To consider the attached report on the current position of the Local Plan.

The Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Neighbourhoods, D Macnab, reported that there had been extensive consultation with local councils over the course of the draft Local Plan (LP). A database of respondents had built considerably and now numbered around 13,000. The Council had published the Submission version of the LP on 14 December 2017 to seek representations on its soundness and legal compliance. This consultation (Regulation 19) had received around 1,000 responses, which were currently being processed by officers, for the Inspector to consider. As the Government was proposing a new Housing Delivery Test, if the Council was to delay its LP submission for Independent Examination beyond the March 2018 deadline, it might have to build some 923 houses per annum instead of 518 – the quota currently identified as the District’s housing requirement. A programme officer to support the Inspector while the LP was undergoing examination, had been secured. This officer was familiar with the process and with the Epping Forest District area.

Moving forward from plan making to plan implementation, the Council had agreed to the production of ‘strategic masterplans’ and to the introduction of Planning Performance Agreements. It had also been agreed that additional staff resourcing would be required to implement the proposed new LP, specifically for the required growth in housing, employment and infrastructure. The Developer Forum, for sites around Harlow and the rest of the District, would hold its next meeting on 26 February 2018. The Planning Policy team was liaising with relevant landowners / developers through the Developer Forum and had commenced individual meetings on the masterplan areas. The Garden Town Forum specifically co-ordinated the sites in Harlow and East Herts Districts and a project director, C Hamilton, had now been appointed. She would be based here at Epping, and also partly at East Herts District Council. In terms of the Gilston Garden Town, the Council was still pursuing external funding for further work on the transport corridor. The Garden Town funding of £175,000 secured in 2017/18 had been ring-fenced to support the setting up of a Quality Review Panel. Consultants had been appointed to prepare a spatial vision and design charter. Also a pool of seventeen external professionals had been appointed to drawn on their expertise and advice would be sought when schemes were presented to the Review Panel.

Councillor A Patel queried the Government’s Housing Delivery Test and if there was under-delivery, would a presumption in favour of development apply.

Councillor J Philip, Planning and Governance Portfolio Holder, replied that the Council did not think this test was suitable but the presumption was that it was suitable. The planning committees were the only influence but they could decide that there were other mitigating factors and list them. There would also be training for members on the planning committees in February. Development Management colleagues must also give weight to the LP and where they could find arguments to support any development according to the LP.

Councillor G Chambers asked how the consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

(Director of Neighbourhoods) To note the report on the Corporate Green Working Party following its meeting on 5 December 2017.

The Corporate Green Working Party report was noted. The Director of Neighbourhoods advised members that he would ensure more information was provided in these reports so that members would be able to scrutinise the progress / work of Working Party.

Councillor J Jennings commented that she was pleased to see that water fountains were coming back and that carafes were being used at tonight’s meeting. This was a step forward to stop plastic bottle use.

Councillor J H Whitehouse asked if the full report could be circulated fairly soon, before the next meeting of the Neighbourhoods SC.

Councillor S Neville asked if the ‘actions spreadsheet’ could in future be part of the agenda report.

Agreed:

The Director of Neighbourhoods – to liaise with the Environmental Coordinator to receive a full report of the CGWP’s activities, including the actions spreadsheet in future agendas of the Neighbourhoods SC.

To consider which reports are ready to be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its next meeting.

It was noted that the Chairman would report to O&S that the Engineering, Drainage and Water Team had made a presentation to the NSC at its meeting on 30 January 2018 when members had scrutinised their work.

(Director of Neighbourhoods) To note the next meeting date of this Committee will be held on 20 March 2018.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Neighbourhoods SC would be held on 20 March 2018 at 7.30pm.