Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Planning and Regeneration

1.      Cabinet has noted the Government announcement following the Quinquennial Review of WNDC and welcomes the statement that the regeneration of Northampton remains a Government priority.

2.      Cabinet has noted that many points which were pressed by the Council through Scrutiny and Cabinet and Council have been accepted in whole or part by the Government.

3.      Cabinet has welcomed the commitment to return planning powers to the Borough Council and urges that this should happen as quickly as possible.

4.      Cabinet has welcomed the commitment to replace WNDC with a locally accountable delivery vehicle at the end of its life and urges that this should happen earlier if at all possible.

5.      Cabinet has reiterated this Council’s view that any replacement for WNDC must have a prime and clear priority focus on the growth and development of Northampton as a town.

6.      Cabinet has welcomed the Government’s commitment to operational efficiency and instructs Officers to create one of the most, if not the most, efficient and effective Planning and Regeneration services in the country.

7.      Cabinet has instructed the Chief Executive and the Director of Planning and Regeneration to work positively with WNDC and partners on the implementation of the conclusion of the Quinquennial Review and to report back to Cabinet and Scrutiny as required.

Councillor Church left the meeting for the duration of this item.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet and questioned the purpose of the WNDC. He commented that west Northants was not a geographical area and it therefore did not make sense to have a strategic body to manage it. He mentioned that NCC was to withdraw funding from the JPU and expressed concern that this would impact on the NBC contribution. He felt that the Council should be the drivers in this and should dictate change rather than wait for it to happen.

Councillor PD Varnsverry asked if Councillor Clarke had evidence regarding the NCC funding of the JPU.  Councillor Clarke responded that the matter had been set out in the County Council’s budget and spoken of at the County Council’s Cabinet meeting the previous day.

Councillor Mildren addressed Cabinet stating that the process to get planning matters back with the Borough Council by April 2011 was too slow. He pointed out that at some stage bigger and more crucial applications would come under control of democratically elected authority. He was not convinced that the regeneration Northampton remained a Government priority.

Councillor Hawkins addressed Cabinet and told of her disappointment in what she felt were bland recommendations.  She would prefer to see SMART recommendations with more detail.

In the absence for this item of the relevant Portfolio Holder, the Leader, Councillor B Hoare presented the report to Cabinet and referred to the Director of Planning and Regeneration for a fuller explanation. There was disappointment that timescales did not meet the ambition of the Council, but there was still a role for managing the development control powers earlier than set out and this was being worked on.  It was expected that Northampton would be at the heart and focus of future discussions and, far from being bland, the recommendations set levels of attainment and instructed officers to manage and seek early resolutions of issues.

It was made clear that any reduction in NCC funding would affect a reduction in all partners’ contribution, as they were calculated proportionally.  Such a reduction would not necessarily be an extra burden to the Council, but would make things harder for the JPU.

Cabinet was reminded that a motion had been passed by Full Council in December 2009 to call for the return of planning powers to the Council and the Council had been successful in achieving this.  It was further clarified that all partners had signed up for their financial commitment and South Northants was the main accountable body for this.

RESOLVED

1.      That Cabinet notes the Government announcement following the Quinquennial Review of WNDC and welcomes the statement that the regeneration of Northampton remains a Government priority.

2.      That Cabinet notes that many points which were pressed by the Council through Scrutiny and Cabinet and Council have been accepted in whole or part by the Government.

3.      That Cabinet welcomes the commitment to return planning powers to the Borough Council and urges that this should happen  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6