Agenda, decisions and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast.

The Chairman will read the following announcement:

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

By being present at this meeting, it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in your image becoming part of the broadcast.

You should be aware that this may infringe your human and data protection rights. If you have any concerns then please speak to the Webcasting Officer.

Please could I also remind Members to activate their microphones before speaking.”

The Chairman made a short address to remind everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the internet, and would be capable of repeated viewing, which could infringe their human and data protection rights.

To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Cabinet Committee noted that there were no substitute members present at the meeting.

To declare interests in any item on the agenda.

The were no declarations of interest pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Cabinet Committee held on 14 June 2021 as attached.

(1)        That the minutes of the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee held on the 14 June 2021 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Resolved:

(1)        That the minutes of the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee held on the 14 June 2021 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

That the Housing Services Manager – Development to present a report to the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee with regard to updating the Committee on the progress of the Council House Building Programme, Phases 3 to 5.

(1)        That the contents of the Progress Report on Phases 3 to 5 of the Council House Building Programme be noted and presented to the Cabinet in line with the Terms of Reference of the Council House Building Cabinet Committee; and

(2)        That members considered and agreed that new development names, where required between reporting periods, could be agreed through the Portfolio Holder as and when needed.

Rochelle Hoyte, Service Manager, Housing Development presented a report to the Cabinet Committee and recommended that the Council House Building Progress Report - Phases 3 to 5 be noted. She advised that the report set out the progress that had been made across Phases 3 to 5 of the Council House Building Programme and that they were either completed, on-site or were currently being procured.

The report was as set out in the Agenda on pages 15-88. There was an update to the report which had arisen since the agenda had been published:

Phase 4.3

Woollard Street, Waltham Abbey

The report stated that: ‘Woollard Street start on site was expected September 2021 following contract signing, however this was now delayed due to pre-start planning conditions for landscape and materials. Rear access options under review, alternative options being agreed and costs to be confirmed which are expected to be circa £50-60k. Start on site now potentially December 2021 – January 2022.’

She confirmed that the alternative arrangements had now been agreed and the costs had been confirmed at £41k which was considerably less than the expected cost of £50-60k. The drawing and plans for this site were now being detailed.

Financial Reporting

The Service Director for Housing Services, Deborah Fenton has met with the Council’s Finance department concerning the HRA Business Plan and would be discussed with the Portfolio Holder in the next couple of weeks.

Councillor Wixley asked if Service Manager could give some more information on the Homes England audit with regard to the Kirby Close site in Loughton.

R Hoyte advised that Homes England were governed by the Government body who provide funding for housing, therefore the Phase 4.2 sites were awarded grant funding of around £1.7m, grant funding meant that the Council did not have to pay anything back to Homes England. Throughout this process, Homes England would inspect and review, at random, some of the different schemes that had been awarded grant funding and Kirby Close was chosen as one of the schemes that they would inspect. The inspection and audit of Kirby Close had taken place an there were two queries that they asked for a response to, we were now waiting for Homes England to come back and give the result of the audit. Once received I will share with the Portfolio Holder to pass the information on.

Councillor A Patel referred to page 33 of the agenda, Key Dates Milestones Summary and asked about the last column headed, Comments – Change Since Last Report where it stated ‘Progress slow due to resource availability’ and advised that at the last meeting he had suggested that the Council could consider having a storage depot to store the materials so that it wouldn’t impinge upon the delivery of the sites and asked where we were with that suggestion as this was going to be an ongoing concern specifically over the next two to three years. He then went on to ask if the contractors were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

That the Housing Services Manager – Development to present a report to the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee seeking approval for parking requirements to be determined on a case by case basis for new developments and Housing Estates parking management.

(1)        That members considered and agreed approval for parking requirements to be determined on a case by case basis for new developments as well as Housing estates parking management.

The Chairman advised that parking was always a contentious issue when delivering new developments and she had been particularly conscious of the Council’s responsibilities within the Local Plan.

Rochelle Hoyte, Service Manager, Housing Development presented a report to the Cabinet Committee and advised that there were no updates to the report on pages 89-100 of the agenda and recommended that members of the Cabinet Committee considered and agreed approval for parking requirements to be determined on a case to case basis.

The report had come about by the way the Council had tried to manage parking within existing estates and thinking about parking in the new developments going forward. There were issues with the Local Plan in terms of how the Council mange parking and how much parking was to be provided for the new developments. Every site was different so the need for a blanket approach was not the way forward.

Councillor A Patel stated that he was seeking reassurance that where there were bungalow sites would there be allocated parking for those bungalows because the likelihood was that the bungalow would have a disabled person residing there.

R Hoyte stated that all bungalow sites or bungalow units on development sites would have allocated parking, part of the problem had been within the Estates and Land team actually allocating parking spaces for residents had been something that wasn’t on the plan before. She advised that she had highlighted this problem in the report on page 89-90.

Councillor A Patel asked if there was a policy or a clause set for the number of electrical charging points per development or dwelling.

R Hoyte stated that the Council did not have an electrical charge point policy per se, but as part of becoming more carbon neutral, the Council were looking at, within our developments, of putting in the infrastructure and the electrical charging parking points. Discussions were presently taking place around how that was charged back and how they would operate and from what company. It was discussed and agreed that the infrastructure for charging points would always be installed on new developments and at a later date, if it was required, the installation of the charging points could be added.

Councillor J Philip advised that the Council did have a policy on electrical charging points for new development which was very clearly set out in the Local Plan. As we go through planning that should be a condition on all planning permissions issued.

He stated that we had to make sure when we are doing things in our housing estates that we don’t overly favour people more than we would a non-housing residents. When you buy a house and there was a space outside on the road that the space does not belong to you, anyone can park there and we have to be careful that we don’t overrule and give particular preference to some. When people need a space from an ability point of view that makes complete sense,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, together with paragraphs 6 and 25 of the Council Procedure Rules contained in the Constitution require that the permission of the Chairman be obtained, after prior notice to the Chief Executive, before urgent business not specified in the agenda (including a supplementary agenda of which the statutory period of notice has been given) may be transacted.

In accordance with Operational Standing Order 6 (non-executive bodies), any item raised by a non-member shall require the support of a member of the Committee concerned and the Chairman of that Committee. Two weeks’ notice of non-urgent items is required.

The Cabinet Committee noted that there were no other matters of urgent business for consideration.

Exclusion

To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Background Papers

Article 17 - Access to Information, Procedure Rules of the Constitution define background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)        disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

The Council will make available for public inspection one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers for four years after the date of the meeting. Inspection of background papers can be arranged by contacting either the Responsible Officer or the Democratic Services Officer for the particular item.

The Cabinet Committee noted that there was no business for consideration which would necessitate the exclusion of the public and press from the meeting.