Agenda Item no _________2________
CABINET
Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 31 October 2011 at the Council
Offices, Holt Road, Cromer at 10.00 am.
Members present:
Mrs H Eales (Chairman)
Mrs A Fitch-Tillett
Mr T Ivory
Mr K Johnson
Mr J Lee
Mr W Northam
Also attending:
Mrs A Claussen-Reynolds
Ms V Gay
Mr P High
Mr G Jones
Mr E Seward
Mr R Shepherd
Mr B Smith
Mr D Young
Officers in attendance:
The Deputy Chief Executive, the Strategic Director –
Information, the Coast and Community Partnerships Manager,
the Acting Financial Services Manager and the Technical
Accountant.
46
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Mr T FitzPatrick.
47
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 3 October 2011 were
approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
48
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
None.
49
ITEMS OF URGENT BUSINESS
None.
50
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Member(s)
Mr T Ivory
Cabinet
Minute
No.
51
Item
Interest
Planning Policy and Built
Heritage Working Party
Personal and nonprejudicial as a
Planning Lawyer.
1
31 October 2011
51
PLANNING POLICY AND BUILT HERITAGE WORKING PARTY
RESOLVED that
The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Policy and Built Heritage Working
Party held on 12 September 2011 be received the recommendations
contained therein adopted as follows:
a)
b)
MINUTE 16: CROMER CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT
PLAN
1.
That the Draft Cromer Conservation Area Management Plan,
incorporating proposed boundary changes be approved for
public consultation purposes.
2.
That following consultation, the final version of the Cromer
Conservation Area Management Plan, incorporating a
Character Appraisal, is brought back to the Working Party and
Cabinet for adoption by June 2012.
MINUTE 17: CRITERIA FOR LOCAL LISTING OF BUILDINGS OF
SPECIAL ARCHITECTURAL OR HISTORIC INTEREST
1.
2.
3.
52
Approve the criteria for the local listing of buildings and
structures of special architectural or historic interest as
contained in Appendix 1 to this report and that the criteria be
accordingly adopted.
Ratify the local listing status of all those buildings or structures
already considered eligible for local listing and included within
adopted Conservation Area Appraisals.
Confirm the process by which buildings will be identified for
local listing or assessment in cases where Policy HO9 applies
(as contained in Section 4 of this report).
HALF YEARLY TREASURY MANAGEMENT REPORT FOR 2011/12
The report set out the Treasury Management activities undertaken in the first
six months of 2011/12.
Mr W Northam presented the report and informed Members that Spanish
banks had now been suspended from the Council’s lending list. He
acknowledged the difficult financial climate in which the Council was
operating and thanked the Technical Accountant and Arlingclose, the
Council’s financial advisors, for their hard work.
In response to a question, it was explained that the Council’s capital
programme was funded by a range of different means, and details of the
Council’s investments in bonds were provided.
RECOMMENDED to Full Council to
approve the Half Yearly Treasury Management Report for 2011/12.
Cabinet
2
31 October 2011
53
BUDGET MONITORING 2011/12 – PERIOD 6
The report presented the budget monitoring position for the revenue account
and capital programme to the end of period 6 (30 September 2011) and also
included a review of the current capital programme.
Mr W Northam presented the report. It was hoped that any projected
overspend would be offset by savings. A revised budget report would be
made to the next meeting of the Cabinet.
In response to a question, it was considered that the Council could be
criticised if it decided to not heed advice in respect of lending but it was
explained that bank and building society ratings were reviewed regularly.
Mr E Seward, a local Member for North Walsham (North), thanked Members
and Officers for ringfencing funding for schemes in North Walsham.
RESOLVED to
a)
b)
54
note the contents of the report and the revenue account forecast for
the current financial year;
note the current position on the 2011/12 capital programme and
approve the amendments in relation to the revenue contributions to
capital for the additional costs in relation to the provision of electricity
at Holt Country Park and the capitalisation of the new evaporative
cooling system for the ICT server room.
ACTION ON EMPTY HOMES
At the present time there were over 1400 empty homes in North Norfolk as
classified on the Council Tax Register. A number of these homes had been
empty for many years and despite contact being made with owners no action
had been taken to either bring the properties back into occupation or sell
them. The report therefore sought authority from the Cabinet to pilot an
approach whereby the Council sought to take direct action to bring long-term
empty properties back into use through exploring the use of Compulsory
Purchase powers.
Mr K Johnson informed the meeting that the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government was to announce the abolition of
discount to second homes and that the Council would be looking into the
benefits that this could bring.
Concern was expressed over the number of empty properties in North
Norfolk. It was noted, however, that much effort had previously been put into
investigating this issue and an earlier report had suggested that taking action
on empty homes could incur a number of reputational risks to the Council. It
was explained that it was intended to pilot an approach to take direct action to
bring long-term empty properties back into use, beginning with three.
Progress would be reported back to Members.
Cabinet
3
31 October 2011
RESOLVED to
55
a)
agree to the use of the Housing Renewal Grant budget for 2011/12 to
pilot an approach / develop the Council’s understanding of exercising
Compulsory Purchase powers to acquire and sell on a long-term
empty property (ies) in the district so as to inform future policy
development and interventions to address an issue which generates
concern in local communities.
b)
approve the making of compulsory purchase orders (“CPOs”) under
Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 (as amended) on the land and
buildings described in the exempt appendix to this report and their
submission to the Government Office for confirmation.
EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
RESOLVED that
under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and
public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the
grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined
in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.
Definition of paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business
affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that
information).
56
COASTAL CHANGE PATHFINDER: PROJECT TO DEMOLISH
DWELLINGS AT BEACH ROAD, HAPPISBURGH AND REPLACE THEM
WITH A DEVELOPMENT ELSEWHERE IN THE VILLAGE
North Norfolk’s approach to managing coastal change included ‘roll-back’ or
replacement of properties that were most imminently at risk. One element of
the Pathfinder project for Happisburgh attempted to demonstrate how this
could be successfully achieved by purchasing cliff top dwellings, demolishing
them and facilitating a replacement development on a suitable site (or sites)
further inland. The report explored the issues and options associated with
implementing this project.
Mr G Jones read out a statement from the local Member, Mrs L Walker, who
was unable to attend the meeting. Mrs Walker declared an interest in this
matter. She paid tribute to all the hard work which had gone into making the
Pathfinder project a success and thanked all the Officers, Mr M Kerby of
CCAG (Coastal Concern Action Group) and the former Councillor, Mr C
Stockton for all their hard work. The demolition of the properties on Beach
Road had local support but should be carried out expeditiously, although
there would be the potential risk to the Council of loss of EN12 policy benefit.
There should also be consideration of the Council’s S17 obligations. There
was obvious local concern about the impacts of the replacement housing
development. Happisburgh residents were very grateful for all the support
and hard work carried out on their behalf.
Cabinet
4
31 October 2011
The Coast and Community Partnerships Manager clarified that the
redevelopment proposals were not for affordable housing. It was up to the
Development Committee to make a decision ultimately on the proposed site.
If a planning application was not approved on the suggested site, an
alternative site would need to be sought.
RESOLVED that
a)
b)
c)
Planning consent be sought as soon as possible for the replacement
development of the nine dwellings on the site identified in the exempt
Appendix 4 of this report.
Negotiations for a suitable consortium agreement take place in parallel
with the planning application.
Delegated authority be given to the Deputy Chief Executive, in
conjunction with the Cabinet Members with the Coastal portfolio and
the Corporate Assets portfolio (following discussion with the local
Member), to approve the demolition of the Beach Road Dwellings,
should it be necessary by virtue of their imminent risk of loss due to
coastal erosion, their dilapidation or other substantial risk to the
properties or unacceptable impact upon the local environment or
nearby residents, regardless of the status of the planning application
or consortium agreement.
The meeting closed at 10.35am.
_________________________
Chairman, 28 November 2011
Cabinet
5
31 October 2011