Archived decisions

AT A MEETING of the ENVIRONMENT POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE held on Monday 15 July 2002 at The Castle, Winchester.

PRESENT:

Councillors: J.K. Glen (Chairman); Mrs P.G. Banks; Mrs E.S.M. Barron; F.J. Bright; Mrs E.M. Byrom; J.E. Coles; A.P. Collett; Mrs P.M. Devereux; M.S. Geddes; K. House; R.J. Kimber; T.G. Knight; P. Luffman; R.C. McIntosh; R.H. Price JP; M.J. Roberts; J.K. West; Miss J.D. Wride.

Also in attendance: Councillor K. B. Estlin

70. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5 June 2002 (Item 1 in the Minute Book) were confirmed by the Committee as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Arising thereon:

    (i) In respect of Minute 62 (ii), the County Planning Officer confirmed that a briefing seminar on the Minerals and Waste Local Plan Review would be held on Wednesday 17 July 2002 upon the rising of the Regulatory Committee.

    (ii) In respect of Minute 65, Councillor M.J. Roberts asked if a further report would be submitted to the Committee on affordable housing in light of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) announcement made by central Government. The County Planning Officer responded that this would be dependent upon the outcome of his consideration of the announcement.

    (iii) In respect of items that the Committee had recommended for decision:-

    Item 65     - would be considered by the Executive Member for Environment on 16 July 2002.

    Item 66     - decision made by the Executive Member for Environment on 18 June 2002.

71. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

      (i) The Chairman welcomed Councillor Mrs E.S.M. Barron who had been appointed to the Committee in place of Councillor A.G. Dowden who would now be serving on the Policy and Resources Policy Review Committee.

      (ii) Upon conclusion of the Committee's formal business, a presentation would be given to Members in respect of the Best Value Review of Development Control.

      (iii) Provisional dates for meetings of the Committee for 2003 were discussed. A calendar of meetings for next year would be issued in due course.

      (iv) Members were asked if they would prefer to bring forward the commencement time of future meetings to 9.30am. However, following discussion it was agreed to remain with a 10.00am start.

      (v) In order to assist the Best Value Team with their timetable, an item on the Review of Policy Development in the Environment Grouping would be added to the agenda for the Committee's meeting on 16 October 2002.

      (vi) In respect of Project Connaught, a meeting of the working group was anticipated for September 2002.

72. MEMBERS' QUESTION TIME

No questions were received.

73. DEPUTATION

The Committee received a deputation from Mrs Anna Dale-Harris calling for the inclusion of Greatham village in the proposed South Downs National Park.

74. A SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK: LOCAL AUTHORITY CONSULTATION

The Committee considered the report of the County Planning Officer (Item 5 in the Minute Book) the purpose of which was to detail the key issues for Hampshire outlined in the Countryside Agency's local authority consultation document and to recommend to the Cabinet the County Council's response.

The County Planning Officer drew attention to paragraph 2.7 of the report and in particular the Review of National Park Authorities. A report had just been published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) containing in excess of 50 recommendations. The report would be studied in detail, however some points worth noting were:-

    (i) it proposes a limit of 25 members for the largest Park Authorities and 20 for the smallest;

    (ii) it proposes an increase in the proportion of members appointed by the Secretary of State;

    (iii) it recommends Park Authorities receive 100% funding by direct grant from DEFRA as opposed to 75% which was the current practice; and

    (iv) it proposes that the statutory responsibility for rights of way be passed to Park Authorities.

    The County Planning Officer agreed to send a letter to all Cabinet and Environment PRC Members detailing the main findings of the Review.

    The Chairman reported that he had received a letter from Councillor M. Cartwright detailing his support for the inclusion of Woolmer Forest in the South Downs National Park, which was distributed. Paragraph 4.11 of the report refers.

    A presentation by Councillor Mrs E. M. Byrom was received at this point of the proceedings in order to aid discussion prior to consideration of the report's recommendations. Councillor Mrs Byrom requested the support of the Committee for the inclusion of the whole of the parish of Rowlands Castle in the South Downs National Park.

    Following a wide-ranging debate, a number of amendments to the report's recommendations were agreed as reflected in the resolutions.

    RESOLVED:

    That the Cabinet on 22 July 2002 be recommended that the Countryside Agency be informed that:

      1. Part A - Administrative Arrangements

        Issue 1 (Membership)

        (i) The County Council objects to the lack of democratic accountability associated with National Park Authorities.

        (ii) In the absence of special arrangements to address the lack of democratic accountability, the Countryside Agency's proposed advice to Government to establish a National Park Authority based on the model set out in the Environment Act 1995 is supported.

        (iii) The apportionment of individual County Council seats on the National Park Authority should be based upon the geographical area and population within the National Park. Local authority representatives should be drawn both from locally elected members and from executive members with specific portfolios of relevance to national park purposes.

        (iv) The County Council would support a proposal to form a decision-making executive or Cabinet supported by topic sub-committees, in the interests of achieving effective decision-making and subject to suitable representation of the County Council.

        (v) The Agency should include landscape management as an essential area of expertise in its appointees and that professional institutions should be consulted to assist the Secretary of State in securing the range of identified professional skills on the National Park Authority.

        Issue 2 (Forward Planning and Development Control)

        (i) The Agency's proposed advice to Government that a Unitary Development Plan be prepared for the national park be rejected for the reasons stated in the report.

        (ii) The County Council supports the original preferred option of three joint Structure Plans and three joint Minerals and Waste Plans, with each local planning authority preparing its own Local Plan, with all plans to include a chapter relating to national park purposes.

        (iii) Formal joint working arrangements are essential to ensure the integration of strategic land use planning issues between a National Park Authority and adjoining authorities.

        (iv) The County Council re-iterates its previous position that in the interests of democratic accountability all development control decisions should be made by existing local authorities.

        Issue 3 (A Role in Land Management)

        (i) In its advice to Government the Agency stresses the important role of the local authorities in the management of landscape and cultural heritage, in terms of expertise and action.

        (ii) A National Park Authority should promote and participate in the development of land management planning tools such as the Land Management Information System, to support the concept of a first-stop shop for landowners.

        (iii) A National Park Authority should promote activities which further the knowledge of the landscape and cultural heritage of the national park.

        Issue 4 (A Role in Visitor Management)

        (i) The County Council's statutory responsibilities for access and rights of way should continue in their present form to prevent fragmentation of the network..

        (ii) Transport: the proposal for the active involvement of the National Park Authority in the preparation of the Local Transport Plan be supported. The proposal that the National Park Authority should prepare a park-wide traffic strategy and deliver and implement parts of the transport plan be rejected.

        (iii) The Agency's proposed advice to Government on countryside management, site ownership and management, tourism, education and interpretation be supported

        Issue 5 (A National Park Management Plan)

        (i) The Agency's proposed advice to Government be supported, particularly with reference to the clarification of the role and importance of the management plan.

        (ii) The Government secures flexibility in the use of European funds and application of European policy to enable National Park management objectives to be delivered.

        Issue 6 (Working in Partnership)

        (i) The Countryside Agency's proposed advice be supported.

        (ii) The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is an active participant in future meetings leading to designation of the national park.

        Issue 7 (Involving Local People)

        (i) The National Park Authority should be a Local Strategic Partner in the preparation, review and delivery of Community Strategies.

        Financial Resources

        (i) The Agency secures from Government a firm commitment to a level of funding that ensures that both existing standards are exceeded and that there is no top slicing of the settlements for existing local authorities which will continue to deliver services not only across the remainder of their areas but also in partnership with any National Park Authority in the new area.

        The Countryside Agency

        (i) The County Council appreciates the work of the Agency and its staff in involving the public and local authorities in the consultation processes.

      2. Part B - Proposed Boundary

        The proposed boundary of the South Downs National Park as defined by the Countryside Agency be supported with the exception of:-

        (i) the areas referred to in paragraphs 4.6 to 4.12 and paragraph 4.20 of this report;

        (ii) the village of Greatham, where it is considered that the whole of the parish should be included; and

        (iii) Rowlands Castle, where it is considered that the whole of the parish should be included.

        Also that the Countryside Agency be informed of the concerns regarding the sand deposits of long term strategic importance referred to in paragraph 4.24.

      3. Part C - Revocation of East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

        The proposed revocation of the East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is supported.

      NB: With regard to resolution 2 (ii) and (iii) above, the Committee asked that it be recorded that a minority of Members voted against the proposals to include the whole of Greatham and Rowlands Castle Parish Council areas and there were also a number of abstentions.

75. BEST VALUE REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL

      The Committee considered the report of the County Surveyor (Item 7 in the Minute Book) outlining the reasons for the delay in progressing the proposed Best Value review of Development Control services in the Environment Grouping. Members were invited to put forward their views to the advance service improvement review of the development control functions relating to highways and an informal presentation would be given at the conclusion of the Committee's formal business.

      It was noted that Councillors Glen, Price and Roberts had taken part in a stakeholders workshop in February and they would continue to be the Committee's representatives for this Review.

      RESOLVED:

      That Members noted the actions made on the proposed Best Value Review of Development Control.

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