Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2020 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in the agenda.

There were no declarations of pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest.

There was no public participation.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed

1.    APPLICATION REF: 3/2020/0078 (PA)

GRID REF: SD 374270 441665

DEVELOPMENT DESCRIPTION:

ERECTION OF TWO SETS OF GALVANISED AND POWDER COATED RAILINGS TO MATCH EXISTING RAILINGS ADJACENT TO DAWN REDWOOD TREE AT WAR MEMORIAL CLITHEROE CASTLE, CASTLE GATE, CLITHEROE

APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1.         The development must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

            REASON:  Required to be imposed by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

2.         The permission shall relate to the development as shown on Plan Reference:

            Railing Specification

            Railings Sheet 1

            Arboricultural Method Statement

3.         Notwithstanding that shown in the submitted information, precise specifications of the location and means of fixture of the railings to the historic boundary walling shall have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority before implementation in the proposed works.

            REASON:  In order to safeguard the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building, the setting of listed buildings and the character and appearance of Clitheroe Conservation Area in accordance with Policies DMG1 and DME4 of the Ribble Valley Core Strategy.

2.    APPLICATION REF: 3/2020/0873 (LBC)

GRID REF: SD 374270 441665

DEVELOPMENT DESCRIPTION:

ERECTION OF TWO SETS OF GALVANISED AND POWDER COATED RAILINGS TO MATCH EXISTING RAILINGS ADJACENT TO DAWN REDWOOD TREE AT WAR MEMORIAL CLITHEROE CASTLE, CASTLE GATE, CLITHEROE

APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1.         The development must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

            REASON:  Required to be imposed pursuant to Section 18 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

2.         The permission shall relate to the development as shown on Plan Reference:

            Railing Specification

            Railings Sheet 1

            Arboricultural Method Statement

3.         Notwithstanding that shown in the submitted information, precise specifications of the location and means of fixture of the railings to the historic boundary walling shall have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority before implementation in the proposed works.

            REASON:  In order to safeguard the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building, the setting of listed buildings and the character and appearance of Clitheroe Conservation Area in accordance with Policies DMG1 and DME4 of the Ribble Valley Core Strategy.

Report of the Director of Resources enclosed.

The Director of Resources submitted a report outlining the revised revenue budget for 2020/21 for this committee. She reminded members that at this time of year the estimates are revised for the current financial year in order to predict the likely outturn. This also assists in preparing the original estimates for the coming financial year.

The budget this year had been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and any impacts on fees and charges had been included within the estimates, along with the estimated part funding towards these losses from the Government.

The original budget for 2020/21 included provision for pay increase at 3% and price increase at 2%. As well as using data on past performance there had been detailed discussions with budget holders and heads of service on past service provision and on future plans which played an integral part in the budget setting process.

She informed committee that the revised budget for 2020/21 showed a decrease in net expenditure of £111,630 less than the original estimate after allowing for transfers to and from earmarked reserves.

A comparison between the original and revised budgets for each cost centre was included for committee’s information and the key movements were highlighted.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE

Approve the revenue revised estimate for 2020/21.

Report of Director of Resources enclosed

The Director of Resources submitted a report seeking member approval on proposals to increase this committee’s fees and charges with effect from 1 April 2021.

These proposals were the first stage in the review of this committee’s budget for the forthcoming 2021/22 financial year.

The council’s latest budget forecast allows for the 2% inflationary increase in the level of income raised from fees and charges and the review aims to increase the budgeted income for 2021/22 by this amount when compared to last year’s original budget estimate.

After applying this percentage increase, proposed charges had generally been rounded up or down to minimise any problems with small change. This inevitably impacts on the individual percentage rise for each separate charge, particularly when the current charge is low.

Members were reminded that the planning application fees were set by Central Government, and that pre-application fees were set by ourselves. Building control fees were based on achieving full cost recovery.

There were extremely high levels of uncertainty around income levels from the council’s fees and charges in light of Covid-19 and the impact this was having on use of the council’s services and facilities. In the current financial year the government is partly compensating the council for lost income at 75% of lost sales, fees and charges income – after first adjusting for 5% of total budgeted income. It was on the continuation of this, or alternatively the recovery of income levels, that the fees and charges had been set.

Following discussions with financial services, heads of service and budget holders a proposed set of fees and charges for implementation from 1 April 2021 had been produced for this committee for members to consider.

The Head of Planning Services explained to committee that as the post of pre-application advice officer had been vacant for some time with no immediate plans to recruit, the fast track service for minor and intermediate developments had been removed to ensure that resources could be directed at maintaining and efficient service.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE

Approve the proposed fees and charges as set out in Annex 1 of the report.

Report of the Director of Resources enclosed.

The Director of Resources submitted a report asking committee to agree the draft revenue budget for 2021/22 for this committee for consideration at Special Policy and Finance committee.

With regard to the council’s overall financial position, she reminded members that in February the 3-year budget forecast had predicted the following budget gaps: £281 in 2021/22, £206 in 2022/23, £377k in 2023/24, after allowing for the general fund balances.

At the time of producing the February forecast, the outcome of the Fair Funding Review, the potential changes to the New Homes Bonus Scheme and the implications of Business Rate Retention Reforms were unknown. The forecast was also made before the extent of the impact of Covid-19 in the current financial year was known.

In the light of Covid-19 the government had scrapped its plans for a multi-year spending review, and instead conducted a one-year review for 2021/22. The key messages were highlighted to committee.

At the Policy & Finance committee in November 2020, members had agreed with the conclusion of the Budget Working Group that the Council should prepare its budget on the base budget plus inflation and on the expectation that any variance due to Covid would be made good by the government.

The Budget Working Group would consider the overall position once all committees had approved their detailed estimates and would then make recommendations to Special Policy and Finance committee on 2 February 2021 in order to achieve a balanced budget.

The proposed fees and charges for 2021/22 had been considered by committee earlier in the agenda and had already been incorporated into the service budgets on the assumption that they would be approved without material change.

Estimates had been prepared on current levels of service allowing for pay increase at 2% and price increases at 2%. The budget for each cost centre within the report was presented individually showing the original estimate, inflation, movements in expenditure, income, support services and capital which then culminated in the draft original estimate for 2021/22.

The report detailed individual budget areas under this committee and comments were provided on the key variations.

The net expenditure for this committee had increased by £8,870 from £554,390 to £563,260 after allowing for associated movements on earmarked reserves. The main reasons for the net increase were summarised for committee’s information.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE

Approve the revenue original estimate for 2021/22 and submit it to Special Policy and Finance committee.

Report of Director of Resources enclosed.

The Director of Resources submitted a report seeking committee’s approval of the revised estimate for this committee’s capital programme for the current financial year. The original estimate for 2020/21 has been approved by Policy and Finance committee in February 2020.

In February 2020, two capital schemes with a total approved budget of £40,920 had been approved. These had been moved from the 2019/20 capital programme to the 2020/21 capital programme. In addition to this one capital scheme was not completed by 31 March 2020 and had unspent budget available at that date. The total unspent balance of £48,680 on the scheme, known as slippage had been moved into the 2020/21 capital budget, after a slippage request from the budget holder was approved by the Director of Resources.

As a result of the above, the total approved budget for this committee’s capital programme of three schemes was £89,600.

Following discussions on each of the schemes in the capital programme with budget holders, the proposed revised estimate for two schemes was £61,870 a reduction of £27,730 from the total approved budget. The reasons for this reduction were outlined to committee.

The Director of Resources reported that at the end of November 2020 both of the schemes in the revised capital programme for this committee had been completed.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE

1.    Approve the 2020/21 revised estimate of £61,870 for this committee’s capital programme as set out in Annex 1 of the report, and

2.    Approve the move of £26,420 capital budget from 2020/21 to 2021/22 for the Introduction of Planning Portal Link to the Planning Application System and Planning System Update scheme.

Report of Director of Resources enclosed.

The Director of Resources submitted a report asking members to consider the proposed future four-year capital programme (2021/22 to 2024/25) for this committee for recommendation to Policy and Finance committee.

The future capital programme is reviewed and updated each year. In recent years, the council has been setting a proposed and fully funded five-year capital programme each year. However, given the additional burdens caused by and priority focus on Covid-19 issues throughout 2020, Budget Working Group and streamlined the capital programme budget update process for this year. This involved moving to a four-year capital programme only, covering 2021/22 to 2024/25, and there being no new capital bids for 2025/26 (year five).

For this committee, there were no schemes in the previously approved four-year capital programme 2021/22 to 2024/25, and only one proposed change from the review of the current year’s 2020/21 capital programme.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE

1.    Approve the proposed four-year capital programme (2021/22 to 2014/25) of £26,420 for this committee, and

2.    Recommend to Policy and Finance committee the same proposed four-year capital programme of £26,420 for this committee.

1.    3/2020/0288 – conversion of an existing agricultural building to provide 1no. dwelling and associated works at Bay Gate Farm, Barret Hill Brow, Bolton-by-Bowland – appeal dismissed. Copy enclosed for information.

3/2020/0288 – conversion of an existing agricultural building to provide 1no. dwelling and associated works at Bay Gate Farm, Barret Hill Brow, Bolton-by-Bowland – appeal dismissed.

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There were no reports from representatives on outside bodies.

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None.