Agendas, Minutes and Reports

Contact: David Jellings

Direct Dial: 01275 884219

E-mail: david.jellings@n-somerset.gov.uk

Date: 29th August 2003

** ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND

FOR ITEM 7.1, PRESENTATION BY

THE SAFETY CAMERA PARTNERSHIP

Dear Sir or Madam

StratEGIC PlanNING AND EconOMIC DevELOPMENT Policy AND

Scrutiny Panel - Monday 8th September 2003, 3.30 p.m., New Council Chamber, TOWN HALL

A meeting of the Panel will take place as indicated above. The agenda is set out overleaf.

Yours faithfully

Solicitor to the Council

To: Members of the Panel

Councillors:

Elfan Ap Rees (Chairman), Mark Canniford (Vice-Chairman), John Clark, Bob Cook, John Crockford-Hawley, Derek Kraft, David Shopland, Clive Webb

All other Members of the Council (for information)

AGENDA

1 Apologies for Absence and Notification of Substitutes

2 Public Discussion (Standing Order SSO 9)

To receive and hear any person who wishes to address the Panel. The Chairman will select the order of the matters to be heard.

3 Declarations of Interest by Members

4 Minutes

4.1 Meeting of the Strategic Planning and Economic Development Policy and Scrutiny Panel held on 21st July 2003 (page 4) – to be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman).

5 Matters referred by Council, the Executive, other Committees and Panels (if any)

None.

6 Report of the Chairman

6.1 Updated Work Plan (page 7)

7 Matters for Consideration

A Policy Related Matters

None.

B Scrutiny Related Matters

7.1 Presentation by Safety Camera Partnership

It is proposed that in view of the interest in this item, and with all Members of the Council invited to attend, to take this item immediately after Item 4.1.

C Performance Related Matters

7.2 Performance Monitoring (page 12)

____________________________________

EXEMPT ITEMS

Should the Panel wish to consider a matter as an Exempt Item, the Panel will be invited to pass the following resolution –

“(1) That the press, public, and officers not required by the Members, the Chief Executive or the Director, to remain during the exempt session, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the ground that its consideration will involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972.”

Also, if appropriate, the following resolution should be passed –

“(2) That members of the Council who are not members of this Panel be invited to remain.”

MOBILE PHONES, PAGERS AND SIMILAR CALLING DEVICES

All persons attending this meeting are requested to turn off these devices in accordance with the Council’s statement concerning disturbance caused by such apparatus. The Chairman may approve an exception to this request in special circumstances.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

ON HEARING THE ALARM – (a continuous two tone siren)

Leave the room by the nearest exit door. Ensure that windows are closed.

Last person out to close the door.

DO NOT stop to collect personal belongings.

DO NOT use the lifts.

FOLLOW the green and white exit signs and make your way to the assembly point.

DO NOT re-enter the building until authorised to do so by the Fire Authority.

GO TO ASSEMBLY POINT D – THE CAR PARK OPPOSITE MAIN RECEPTION

AGENDA CONFERENCE

The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Officers

The agenda conference will be held on Wednesday, 3rd September 2003 at 4.00 p.m. in the Kenn Room, Town Hall.

ITEM 4.1

MINUTES

OF THE MEETING OF THE

StratEGIC PlanNING AND EconOMIC DevELOPMENT Policy AND Scrutiny Panel

Monday 21st July 2003

HELD AT THE TOWN HALL, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, SOMERSET.

Meeting Commenced: 6.00 p.m. Meeting Concluded: 7.20 p.m.

PRESENT: Councillors Elfan Ap Rees (Chairman), Mark Canniford (Vice-Chairman), John Clark, Bob Cook, John Crockford-Hawley, Glyn Duck (substitute for Councillor Derek Kraft), David Shopland, Clive Webb

APOLOGY FOR ABSENCE: Councillor Derek Kraft

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Councillor Peter Burden

SPE

Work Plan (Agenda Item 5.1)

The Chairman presented the Work Plan report that gave guidance on the consideration of a draft Work Plan. The Chairman suggested several topics for inclusion in the Work Plan, and invited Members of the Panel to comment.

(1) Current Issues Identified

(a) Local Development Plan.

(b) Traffic growth, management and congestion issues.

(d) Weston Visioning.

(e) Second Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) and budget input.

(2) Future Issues Identified

(a) Regional Rail Strategy – Impact on continuing residential growth and economic development.

(b) Local Transport Plan.

(d) Community Strategy Plan.

(e) General Performance Monitoring.

(3) Issues and Comments Raised:

(a) The Panel had a wide remit, and it was important that its Work Plan was not overloaded.

(b) The Local Development Plan was a key topic. It was proposed that the LPP be considered on a themed basis at five Working Party meetings having regard to objections received. Other Members of the Council would be invited to attend. An interim report would be presented to the Panel on 3rd November 2003, and a finalised report setting out proposed recommendations to the Executive Member for Strategic Planning would be submitted to the Panel on 5th January 2004.

(c) The objections to the Local Development Plan would be made available to the Members of the Panel as hard copies. It was understood that it was not available on the Web because of technical problems.

(d) A member with a specific objection to the Local Development Plan would have to declare an interest if and when that matter arose.

(e) Other Members could be co-opted onto Working Parties set up by the Panel.

(f) Traffic growth was too big an issue for the Panel to consider at the same time as the Local Development Plan. Possible traffic issues could include traffic calming, stoppages on the motorway, and problems at motorway junctions.

(g) It was noted that whilst some traffic calming measures were local rather than strategic matters, their wider impact made them strategic and therefore, possibly worthy of the Panel’s attention.

(h) The Camera Safety Partnership was a current issue, of great public concern regarding the methodology employed. It was suggested that the Panel receive a presentation by the Partnership at its next meeting on 8th September 2003 (with all Members of Council invited to attend). This would help the Panel to formulate ideas and decide on issues to investigate, following which the Partnership would be invited back to a future meeting to answer questions, and the Panel would then make recommendations as necessary to the Executive Member for Strategic Planning.

(i) Weston Visioning was a large-term topic. Issues would arise from looking at the Local Development Plan.

(j) The possibility of inviting the Strategic Rail Authority to a future meeting to discuss their policies.

(k) The need to address the Local Transport Plan.

(l) The importance of the Economic Development Strategy, and the need to attract jobs to North Somerset. This topic should be held over until early 2004 when the Director of Development and Environment had taken up post, and an Economic Development Officer had been appointed.

(m) Issues would emerge from the Community Strategy Plan which would need to be addressed.

(4) Performance Related Issues

Shane Trevett, Scrutiny and Performance Team Manager, explained the terms on the agenda identified as policy-related matters, scrutiny-related matters and performance-related matters. He added that the Panel would be consulted on the second Medium Term Financial Plan as part of the input to preparing the Budget. In addition, a quarterly report on performance-related issues would be submitted to the next meeting of the Panel in respect of services that came within its remit.

CONCLUDED:

(1) that the following be as current topics:-

(a) Local Development Plan.

(b) Traffic growth, management and congestion issues.

(d) Weston Visioning.

(e) Second Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) and budget input.

(2) that the following be considered as future topics:-

(a) Regional Rail Strategy.

(b) Local Transport Plan.

(d) Community Strategy/Plan.

(3) that a Working Party be set up to consider and comment on the Local Development Plan, comprising the eight members of this Panel, and that meetings of the Working Party take place as follows, with all Members of the Council invited to attend:- 12th September, 3rd October, 17th October, 27th November and 15th December 2003 (all at 10.30 a.m.)

(4) that the Camera Safety Partnership be invited to give a presentation to the Panel at its meeting on 8th September 2003; and

(5) that a formalised Work Plan, and a quarterly report on performance-related issues be submitted to the meeting of the Panel on 8th September 2003.

SPE

Times and Venue of Future Meetings 2003-2004

RESOLVED: that future meetings of this Panel commence at 3.30 p.m., and be held in the Kenn Room.

________________________________

Chairman

________________________________

ITEM 6.1

NORTH SOMERSET COUNCIL

REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN TO THE

strategic planning & economic development Policy & Scrutiny Panel MEETING ON 8th September 2003

MEMBERS NAME:	Councillor ap rees – panel chairman
SUBJECT:	Updated Work Plan
KEY DECISION:	No

1. SUMMARY

This report provides an update on the Panel's Work Plan following the first meeting of the Panel on 21st July 2003.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Panel notes the items on its work plan, but is also aware that it will be constantly reviewed and may be subject to change.

3. PROPORTIONALITY ISSUES

None

4. HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES

None

5. FUNDING IMPLICATIONS

	Approved Budget	Extra Bid?	Recurring/Base Budget?
Revenue
Capital

6. OTHER/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

Legal	Crime & Disorder	Health & Safety	Equal Opportunities	Trades Unions	Youth Voice	Other

Approved Budget