Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 October 2014.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2014 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Leader.

To remind Members of the need to record the existence and nature of any Personal, Disclosable Pecuniary or other interests in items on the agenda, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest received.

Members of the Executive to answer questions submitted by members of the public in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules contained in the Council’s Constitution. (Note: There were no questions submitted relating to items not included on this Agenda.)

“What can be done to ensure that cyclists behave in a more responsible way on the tow path between Newbury and West Fields area?”

A question standing in the name of Mr. Dan Maskell on the subject of cyclists on the tow path between Newbury and the West Fields area received a written response from the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Transport (Policy), Culture, Customer Services and Countryside.

“If it currently takes the dog warden service contracted by West Berkshire Council two hours to respond to a stray dog, how can the local authority in future hope to provide a consistent and effective approach to tackling irresponsible dog ownership and anti-social behaviour given that legislators themselves have stressed that the police and local authorities must have sufficient resources at their disposal in order to be able to enforce the range of orders the latest legislation puts at their disposal?”

A question standing in the name of Mrs. Lilian El-Doufani on the subject of the dog warden service was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Cleaner & Greener, Waste, Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Thatcham Vision, Licensing.

“In light of the recent announcement, by the mental health charity MIND, that local authorities in England spend an average of 1.36 per cent of their public health budget on mental health, can the Portfolio Holder tell the West Berkshire public how much was spent on our Mental Health in 2013-14?"

A question standing in the name of Mrs. Judith Bunting on the subject of West Berkshire spend on mental health in 2013-14 was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care.

“Could the Portfolio Holder tell us what percentage of the total health budget for West Berkshire was spent on Mental Health in 2013-14?.”

A question standing in the name of Mrs. Judith Bunting on the subject of the percentage of the total health budget spent on mental health in 2013/14 was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care.

“Could the Portfolio Holder tell us how the 2013-14 figures compare with spending on mental health, so far, in 2014-2015?"

A question standing in the name of Mrs. Judith Bunting on the subject of how the 2013/14 figures compared with spend on mental health so far in 2014/15 was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care.

Councillors or Members of the public may present any petition which they have received. These will normally be referred to the appropriate Committee without discussion.

There were no petitions presented to the Executive.

Members of the Executive to answer questions submitted by Councillors in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules contained in the Council’s Constitution.

“Several planning applications for conversion of offices to residential accommodation have attracted nil s106 contributions for Open Spaces. This is due to a Council approved formula that calculates the number of previous office workers in a particular development with the planned numbers of residents.

This formula needs reviewing urgently. Will the portfolio holder responsible for planning agree to do so and suggest ways this situation can be resolved as soon as possible?”

A question standing in the name of Councillor David Allen on the subject of planning applications for conversion of office accommodation to residential which had attracted nil S106 contributions for open spaces was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Transport (Policy), Culture, Customer Services and Countryside.

“Could the Executive member please give an update on progress of the investigation into points raised by people who responded to the consultation on the preferred option sites in the Housing Site Allocations DPD?”

A question standing in the name of Councillor Alan Macro on the subject of an update on progress of the investigation into points raised by people who responded to the consultation on the preferred option sites in the Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Transport (Policy), Culture, Customer Services and Countryside.

RECOMMENDATION: That members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information of the description contained in the paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 specified in brackets in the heading of each item. Rule 8.10.4 of the Constitution refers.

Resolved that the recommendations set out in the exempt report be approved.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 27 November 2014, then it will be implemented.

(Paragraph 3 – information relating to the business affairs of a particular person)

(Paragraph 5 – information relating to legal privilege)

The Executive considered an exempt report (Agenda Item 8) concerning the London Road Industrial Estate (LRIE) Development Agreement between St. Modwen Developments Limited and West Berkshire Council, in order to acknowledge the contents of the agreement and for the Council to enter into contract with St. Modwen.

RESOLVED that the recommendations in the exempt report be agreed.

Reason for the decision: as set out in the exempt report.

Other options considered: as set out in the exempt report.