Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2015 having been circulated were signed as a correct record.

            The Board considered the Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board relevant to the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board.

            RESOLVED: That the Minutes be received.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which detailed the first quarter performance management report for 2015/16 on progress against service objectives/milestones and performance targets and provided information relating to key developments and emerging issues that had arisen in relation to:-

·         Development and Investment Services;

·         Open Spaces and Waste and Environmental Improvement;

·         Highways and Transportation, Logistics and Development Services; and

·         Housing Strategy.

RESOLVED: That the first quarter management report be noted.

The Board will receive a presentation from Merseytravel.

The Board received a presentation from Councillor Liam Robinson, Chairman of the Merseytravel Committee covering the following matters:

·       Transport Plan for Growth which had developed in 2014 and focused on the delivery of the transport network for the North West Region;

·       Long Term Rail Strategy which had been launched in August 2015.  There were 12 strands to the Strategy and Councillor Robinson outlined the areas relevant to Halton

o   Halton Curve;

o   Better standards of service in the evenings and weekends on the network;

o   Capacity at Liverpool City Centre rail network.

·       Procurement project for new rolling stock. This would be launched on 1 October 2015 for a new fleet in 2020 and beyond.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Robinson and David Brown, Chief Executive of Merseytravel for attending the meeting.

RESOLVED: That the presentation be noted.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, on the proposed reforms for the purpose of local plan making.

The Board was advised that Halton had an emerging Local Plan, called the ‘Delivery and Allocations Local Plan’.  This plan provided the detailed policies and identified specific sites that should deliver the overall quantum of development set out in the adopted Core Strategy. 

In April 2015 the Planning Advisory Service undertook a review of local plan making in Halton and the implications of this review were outlined to the Board.

The key messages from the local plan making agenda were as follows:

·       The focus on new house building remained strong;

·       The need for current and up-to-date local plans was a priority for the government and all political parties;

·       Resources needed to be made available to maintain momentum in statutory development plan making for Halton as plans could not be put into place overnight and many statutory requirements were burdensome; and

·       There was a risk that if local plans were not accelerated then the government would step in and impose a centrally created plan upon a local authority.

RESOLVED: That the recent and proposed reforms for the purposes of local plan making be noted.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which provided them with an overview of the most recent and proposed reforms to the town and country planning system.  The report illustrated the scale and pace of change within the Planning Service.

The key messages from the planning reform agenda were as follows:

·       The legislative basis within which planning professionals operated was changing almost daily. The general workload must be delivered expediently, but this must be done so against ever changing guidance;

·       The focus on new house building remained strong;

·       Automatic ‘permission in principle’ on brownfield sites maybe akin to outline consent or prior approvals, however the detail had yet to be published. Halton was likely to lose planning fee income as Government was looking to create a statutory register of brownfield land, and anything on the register would get approval in principle;

·       The need for up-to-date local plans was a priority for the Government and all political parties. Resources would need to be made available to maintain momentum in statutory development plan making for Halton as plans could not be put into place overnight and a March 2017 deadline was not far away in terms of the plan making process, which was cumbersome by virtue of legislation;

·       Halton’s speed of determination for major schemes was over 50%, and Halton would not become a designated authority in ‘special measures’ if a 50% target was adopted; and

·       Tension remained between the national pro-fracking agenda and concerns of local people, especially environmental impacts.

RESOLVED: That the reforms for the purposes of policy making and decision making be noted.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, on the consultation which had been carried out regarding the possible introduction of waiting restrictions in Parklands and Ash Priors, Widnes.

RESOLVED: That Executive Board be recommended to commence formal consultation to introduce a Traffic Regulation Order to implement ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions as follows:

·       Ash Priors: Both sides, for a distance of 100 metres measured along the centreline from the south kerb line of Parklands;

·       Parklands: Both sides from a point 10 metres west of the centreline of Ellerton Close, eastwards to the junction with Chapel Lane;

·       Clanfield Avenue: Both sides, from the north kerb line of Parklands northwards for a distance of 11 metres;

·       Ellerton Close: Both sides, from the south kerb line of Parklands for a distance of 10 metres;

·       Chapel Lane: Both sides, over a length of 50 metres centred on the junction with Parklands.