Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Town Hall - Bridge Street, Bideford, EX39 2HS. View directions

Contact: Sandra Cawsey  Email: dem.services@torridge.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

417.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence from the meeting.

Minutes:

No apologies were received.

418.

Minutes of the Community & Resources Committee meetings pdf icon PDF 98 KB

Minutes of the following meetings –

 

·         Budget Special meeting held on 29 February 2024 and

·         Meeting held on 4 March 2024

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was proposed by Councillor C Leather, seconded by Councillor R Lock                    and -

 

Resolved:   That the Minutes of the meeting held on 29th February 2024 be signed as a correct record.

 

(Vote:  For – 8, Against – 0, Abstention – 1)

 

 

It was proposed by Councillor C Leather, seconded by Councillor J Whittaker                    and -

 

Resolved:   That the Minutes of the meeting held on 4th March 2024 be signed as a correct record.

 

(Vote:  For – 7, Against – 0, Abstention – 2)

 

 

419.

Action List pdf icon PDF 44 KB

Minutes:

No actions were outstanding.

420.

Public Contributions

Public contributions in accordance with the current scheme (The deadline for registering  to speak is by 2pm Thursday 11th April 2024. To register please email dem.services@torridge.gov.uk).

 

Minutes:

There were no public contributions.

 

421.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Minutes:

The Forward Plan was noted. 

 

422.

Declarations of Interest

Members with interests to declare should refer to the Agenda item and describe the nature of their interest when the item is being considered.

Minutes:

Declarations of interest were made when the specific agenda items to which they related were under discussion.

423.

Agreement of Agenda between Parts I and II

Minutes:

It was proposed by Councillor R Lock, seconded by Councillor K James and –

 

Resolved:    That the Agenda as circulated be agreed.

 

(Vote: For - unanimous)

 

 

424.

Urgent Matters of information to be brought forward with the permission of the Chair and the Committee

Minutes:

There were no urgent matters brought forward.

425.

The Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Adaptation Strategy pdf icon PDF 288 KB

To receive the report of the Sustainability & Climate Officer.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved:

 

That The Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Adaption Strategy be noted.

Minutes:

The Chair introduced the report, the purpose of which was to inform the Committee of the publication of a Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Adaptation Strategy.

 

The Chair asked Members for any questions or comments.

 

A lengthy discussion proceeded where Members expressed their thoughts on the Strategy.

 

In response to a query regarding the Comms post at Devon Climate Emergency Partnership, the Sustainability & Climate Officer advised this was recently agreed at the Councillor Climate Working Group to be funded through their budget. The post is currently going through the recruitment process and once developed more information would be reported back. The Sustainability & Climate Officer also advised she could return to a future meeting to give an update on the actions.

 

The Sustainability & Climate Officer confirmed TDC’s focus would be on the 6 action points listed in the report.

 

It was proposed by Councillor James, seconded by Councillor Dart and –

 

Resolved:

 

That Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Adaption Strategy be noted.

 

(Vote: For 5, Against 4)

 

The motion was carried.

426.

Biodiversity Net Gain - Habitat Banks & Biodiversity Net Gain Monitoring Fees pdf icon PDF 225 KB

To receive the report of the Planning Manager.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved:

 

That

·         the Council does seek, in principle, to enter into agreement with Habitat Bank providers to secure Habitat Bank sites through s106 agreements.

·         That any such Habitat Bank proposals be subject to rigorous assessment before entering into a s106, by reference to the DCC checklist (contained at Appendix 1) and seeking guidance from DCCs Biodiversity Net Gain Officer.

·          That authority for approving a Habitat Bank site to enter into a s106 be delegated to the Head of Communities and Place in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning and relevant ward councillors. However, those Habitat Banks graded 1, 2 & 3 will be brought back to Community & Resources Committee for approval.

·         That the DCC derived S106 monitoring fees be adopted as set out above, but

subject to ongoing review.

Minutes:

The Planning Manger presented the report, the purpose of which was to consider approval to accept habitat banks within Torridge District and to seek agreement to s106 monitoring fees for biodiversity net gain.

 

A discussion followed where some concern was raised to the loss of land in the area however Members recognised other benefits to the scheme.

 

It was confirmed that following the end of the 30-year lease, the habitat bank would be well established. The s106 monitoring fees are secured upfront which mitigates the risk if developers were to fold.

 

The Planning Manager advised the scheme is in its infancy, more would be learnt as it progresses and there are provisions in National Policy to protect agricultural land. 

 

Advice was given that TDC could apply further criteria to the scheme and there would be a service agreement between TDC and DCC. It was confirmed that enforcement would become the responsibility of TDC which raised concern with some Members due to the current workload and resources to manage additional work.

 

The Planning Manager confirmed how the scheme would be implemented and monitored.

 

The Chair proposed an addition to the recommendations, that those Habitat Banks graded 1, 2 & 3 be brought back to Community & Resources Committee for approval.

 

It was advised that the fees would be kept under regular review and that amendments and/or additional conditions could be brought back to the Community & Resources Committee for approval.

 

The Chief Executive advised that the Community & Resources Committee are responsible for setting the fees and charges and this could be incorporated into the annual report. 

 

It was proposed by Councillor C Leather, seconded by Councillor L Piper and –

 

Resolved:

 

That

·         the Council does seek, in principle, to enter into agreement with Habitat Bank providers to secure Habitat Bank sites through s106 agreements.

·         That any such Habitat Bank proposals be subject to rigorous assessment before entering into a s106, by reference to the DCC checklist (contained at Appendix 1) and seeking guidance from DCCs Biodiversity Net Gain Officer.

·         That authority for approving a Habitat Bank site to enter into a s106 be delegated to the Head of Communities and Place in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning and relevant ward councillors. However, those Habitat Banks graded 1, 2 & 3 will be brought back to Community & Resources Committee for approval.

·         That the DCC derived S106 monitoring fees be adopted as set out above, but subject to ongoing review.

 

(Vote: For – 7, Against – 1, Abstentions – 1)

427.

Exclusion of the Public

The Chair to move:

 

That the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting because of the likely disclosure of exempt information by virtue of paragraph   XXXXXX   of Part I and paragraph 10 of Part 2 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

It was proposed by Councillor K James, seconded by Councillor L Piper and –

 

Resolved:

 

That the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting because of the likely disclosure of exempt information by virtue of paragraph 2 of Part 1 and paragraph 10 of Part 2 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

 

(Vote:  For – unanimous)

 

428.

PART II (CLOSED SESSION)

429.

Landlord Consent Matters on Land Owned by Torridge District Council

To receive the report of the Estates Manager.

Decision:

Resolved:


That the recommendations in the report be approved.

Minutes:

The Estates Manager presented the report, the purpose of which was to report to the Community & Resources Committee in relation to matters relating to activity on a Council owned asset and to seek Committee approval to proceed per the recommendations in the report.

 

A brief discussion took place where the Estates Manager and the Head of Legal & Governance (Monitoring Officer) responded to questions raised by Members.

 

It was proposed by Councillor R Hicks, seconded by Councillor A Dart and –

 

Resolved:


That the recommendations in the report be approved.

 

(Vote: For – 8, Against – 0, Abstentions – 1)

 

 

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 (AS AMENDED)

 

It was proposed by Councillor R Hicks, seconded by Councillor C Leather and –

 

Resolved: That the press and public be readmitted.

 

(Vote: For – Unanimous)