Archived decisions

REPORT OF THE

ENVIRONMENT POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE

1. The Environment Policy Review Committee has continued to adopt a positive and proactive approach to its three main areas of work: policy development, scrutiny and best value, during what has been a period of some change with the restructuring of the former County Surveyors and County Planning Departments to the Environment Department.

2. The Committee has continued to identify items in the County Council's Forward Plan, consider the issues and give advice to the Executive Member for Environment prior to key decisions being made. In addition, the Committee has been asked for its advice by the Leader or the Cabinet on a number of matters. The Leader and the Cabinet has taken into account the advice and comments of the Committee and reached similar conclusions prior to making their decisions. The Committee has advised on the following:-

(i) Test Valley Borough Local Plan - Initial Deposit Draft Plan - Conformity with Hampshire County Structure Plan Review (Executive Member);

(ii) Basingstoke and Deane Borough Local Plan Review - First Deposit Plan (Executive Member);

(iii) Strategy for the New Forest: Working Draft for Consultation (Executive Member);

(iv) Household Waste Recycling Centre Service, Winchester (Executive Member and Leader);

(v) A Service Strategy: Household Waste Recycling Centre Service (Executive Member);

(vi) Alton Materials Recovery Facility (Executive Member and Leader);

(vii) Review of Cycling Policy and Strategy (Executive Member);

(viii) South East England Regional Transport Study - Regional Ports Study (Executive Member);

(ix) The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation (Cabinet);

(x) Revenue Budget 2003/04 & Capital Programme 2003/04 to 2006/07 (Executive Member and Cabinet);

(xi) Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan Review (Executive Member);

(xii) Parish Lengthsmen (Executive Member);

(xiii) Sustainable Communities: "Building for the Future" - Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister (Executive Member and Cabinet);

(xiv) Waste and Natural Resources Business Plans 2003/04 (Executive Member);

(xv) Bus Strategy: Consultation (Executive Member);

(xvi) Blackwater Valley Sub-Regional Study (Executive Member).

3. With regard to the Committee's scrutiny function, the main thrust of its business at its meeting on 16 October 2002 was to review local bus services funding. A detailed programme was prepared and a number of organisations involved in the delivery of bus services namely, Stagecoach, Southern Vectis plc, National Federation of Bus Users and the Transport Advisory Service (TAS), were invited to give a presentation to the Committee and address their concerns. The meeting was very successful and demonstrated the County Council's commitment to working in partnership with other organisations to ensure that the best possible services within the resources available are provided for the people of Hampshire.

4. The Committee has advised the Executive Member to implement the Best Value Review outcome of:-

· Policy Development in the Environment Department

The Committee will receive a progress report on the Improvement Plan for this Review in March 2004. In the meantime, an Implementation Monitoring Group has been established comprising Councillors Mrs Devereux, Kimber, Roberts and Shaw, to become involved in overseeing the implementation of the Improvement Plan.

5. The Committee has been updated on the progress of a number of Best Value Reviews, including Passenger Transport, Road Safety and Transport Network Improvements reviews, the actions plans for which have continued to be implemented. A further update was received in respect of a cross-cutting review of Passenger Transport, undertaken in partnership with Education and Social Services, to examine the use of the transport services procured by the County Council to facilitate its other front line services. The working group overseeing the development and implementation of the improvement plan had been strengthened by the addition of Councillors Filer and Knight and work seeking future improvements was continuing with their involvement. A Best Value review had also been scheduled for the Development Control Service but had been replaced by two separate initiatives. The service dealing with highways related development control issues has been reviewed, using Best Value principles, which was undertaken in close cooperation with the District Councils. During the course of the review, a Members' sub-group was established to consider various issues raised by the District Councils, comprising Councillors Coles, Davidovitz, Geddes, Kimber, Price, Luffman and J.K. West and the Executive Member for Environment was advised of the conclusions of the sub-group. The remainder of the Development Control Service has undergone a scoping exercise to consider whether its issues may be best tackled in association with other reviews within the Council. It was therefore considered that a full Best Value review was inappropriate until such time that options have been fully explored.

6. In addition to the sub-groups that have been detailed elsewhere in the report, sub-groups have been established in respect of measuring performance in the Environment Department and a Bus Priority Policy. These sub-groups have met on several occasions, with a view to reporting back to the Committee at its meeting on 29 October 2003.

7. The Committee operates a forward plan of matters to be considered at future meetings, which currently includes reports on the following:-

· South Hampshire Study

· Flooding in Hampshire and other environmental issues and risks caused by Climate Change

· The Equality Standard for Local Government

· Assessment of Schemes for 2004/05 Capital Programme (including A3 Priority Transport Corridor);

· Bus Strategy - Outcome of Consultation;

· Consideration of the impact the statement made by the Secretary of State on 9 July 2003 will have on airports, ports, the Communities Plan and the County of Hampshire;

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