Archived decisions

REPORT OF THE

ENVIRONMENT POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE

1. The Environment Policy Review Committee has adopted a pro-active approach in respect of its three main areas of work: policy development; scrutiny and best value.

2. The Committee has advised the Executive Member for Environment and the Leader of the County Council on a number of key policy development areas:-

    (i) Proposed National Parks for the New Forest and South Downs;

    (ii) Planning Green Paper and proposals for reforming planning obligations;

    (iii) Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan Review;

    (iv) Review of the adopted Hampshire County Structure Plan;

    (v) New Parliamentary procedures for processing major infrastructure projects;

    (vi) Passenger Transport and in particular local bus services;

    (vii) Hampshire Parking Strategy and Standards;

    (viii) Project Connaught - draft Supplementary Planning Guidance for the redevelopment of Aldershot military town; and

    (ix) Waste - Project Integra Business Plan incorporating the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy and a Strategy for the Household Waste Recycling Centre Service.

    The Committee has taken the opportunity to form small working parties to work with officers in respect of a number of the areas detailed above, in addition to Members' involvement in seminars and workshops. At the Committee's meeting on 16 October 2002, the main topic for discussion will be local bus services, a significant area of policy development for the County Council. The Review of the Hampshire County Structure Plan is ongoing and this will continue to be a major area of work for the Committee. A number of presentations have been received by the Committee including sustainable development, the outcomes of the Down to Earth 2 Conference and waste - the continued drive to encourage the recycling of domestic waste to meet tough Government targets and to increase public awareness of the importance of recycling.

3. Pursuant to Part 3D of the County Council's Constitution, the Committee called-in and reviewed the decision of the Executive Member for Environment concerning the Project Integra Interim Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy and the associated funding bid to the Government. The Committee had requested to consider this item before a decision was made but this proved to be impossible due to a change to the Government's bidding timetable. The Committee acknowledged the circumstances which had led to the Executive Member taking the decision earlier than anticipated and endorsed the action taken.

4. A significant part of the workload of the Committee has been in the area of Best Value and a number of reports relating to five Best Value reviews being conducted in the Environment Grouping have been considered:-

    (i) Transport Network Improvement;

    (ii) Environment Grouping Policy Development;

    (iii) Passenger Transport;

    (iv) Road Safety Services; and

    (v) Highways Development Control

    A number of these Reviews are ongoing and there is considerable scope for future involvement by all Members of the Committee in the quest for best value.

    5. An exciting and challenging period of development lies ahead. The Environment Policy Review Committee will continue to exercise its threefold responsibilities actively and positively in order to achieve best value and the provision of high quality services for the people of Hampshire.

                    JONATHAN K. GLEN

                    Chairman

    8ER25702