Agenda item

To discuss the following matters raised by Local Council’s:

(a)  Town and Police Clauses Act 1847 for Providing Local Means of Road Closures for Temporary Events. To consider the attached report.

At 4^th July EFDC Local Council Liaison Committee meeting, the Committee made a formal recommendation asking that Epping Forest District Council consider the possibility of taking on the powers under Town Police Clauses Act 1847 to provide local means of road closures for temporary events.  At this stage, no update on progress has been received.  Branch would like to receive an update on this issue, together with an explanation as to why Epping Forest District Council currently have chosen not to use their powers in enacting this legislation.

(Assistant Director of Corporate Support Services) To consider the attached report, page 13 of the agenda.

(b)  Parish Support Grant

Branch would like to express their extreme concern regarding the decision taken by EFDC to pass on the reduction in support grant to both Parish and Town Councils, and request that in addition to the presentation by Bob Palmer, a detailed explanation is given as to the effect this will have on councils with both higher and lower numbers of benefit claimants.

(Director of Finance and ICT) To consider the attached report, page 15 of the agenda.

(c)  Local Plan

Branch would like to invite members of the Forward Planning department to attend the EF Branch of EALC meetings to work with Parish and Town Councils and gain input at a local level with the creation of leaflets / publications / materials associated with the Local Plan process. 

(d)  Planning Consultations

Following a number of issues regarding recent consultations issued by EFDC, Branch would like to receive an update from Nigel Richardson, EFDC Principal Planning Officer, as to the methodology used for consultation with Town and Parish Councils.

(e)  Planning Enforcement

Principal Planning Officer (Enforcement) will be present. Branch formally request that District Councillors are permitted to call-in decisions made by the planning department on enforcement issues.

(a)          Road Closures

The Assistant Director of Corporate Support Services (Legal) presented a report to the committee regarding Road Closures. This committee, at its meeting on 4 July, had made a recommendation asking that the District Council consider taking on the powers  under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 for providing local means of road closures for temporary events. The Licensing Committee considered this in October 2013. A town Council had made an application for a temporary road closure to Essex County Council but had been referred to the District Council. This council did not have the ability to make such orders.

Officers were negotiating with the County Council to continue this service for a few more months until the District Council were able to take over this role. The committee requested information on the number of applications for road closures received by the County Council. It was advised that this was not known.

(b)          Parish Support Grant

The committee received a report from the Director of Finance regarding Local Support for Council Tax. It was advised that there would be significant grant reductions for 2014/15 and 2015/16 for parish and town councils of 13.6% and 14.1% respectively.

At the start of this financial year Council Tax benefit was replaced by Local Support for Council Tax, under the new local council tax reduction scheme, the council tax base was affected by whether persons living in a dwelling were in receipt of a council tax reduction awarded under the scheme.

For the 2013/14 financial year the District Council decided to pay town and parish councils an amount of support grant compensating them for the reduction in their tax bases. In total, the value of the grants paid out was £320,272 which was £7,460 more than the Department of communities and local Government (DCLG) stated as being the allocation for local councils.

It was not possible to confirm the amount of support grant until the DCLG provided the final settlement figures for the year. Consequently this had delayed the budget setting process for many authorities. However the district council had determined all precepts in time and had set the district wide charges. Out of the 24 local councils, only 5 increased their band D charge by more than 3.4%.

The reductions indicated earlier of 13.6% and 14.1% had been considered by a Cabinet Committee in September, members felt the amount given to local councils in support grant should reduce by the same percentage as the Council’s overall funding reduced.

The final settlement figures were unlikely to be available until late December or possibly January, it was advised that it was prudent for budgets to be based on a reduction in support grant of at least 13.6% in 2014/15.

(c)          Local Plan

The Director of Planning and Economic Development updated the committee on progress with the Local Plan. The latest public workshop considering population and housing issues had taken place. The Cabinet in December was examining evidence from Edge Analytics for population forecasting. The Portfolio Holder for Planning had recently met with East Hertfordshire local authority, the Corporation of London and English Nature.

(d)          Planning Consultations

The local councils had requested an update on the methodology used for consultation on planning applications. The Director of Planning and Economic Development advised that the District Council’s Weekly List informed local councils of upcoming planning applications.

(e)          Planning Enforcement

The local councils requested that District Councillors were permitted to call-in decisions made by planning officers on enforcement. The Director of Planning and Economic Development advised that enforcement notices were placed in the Bulletin, and members were informed if action was not being taken. Any concerns in this area should be passed to the Enforcement Team. Further Member training on enforcement could be provided.

Members advised that some Parish and Town Councils had not received copies of the Weekly List. The Director of Planning and Economic Development confirmed that he would investigate.