Decisions

In accordance with the Localism Act 2011, the Director of Resources submitted a report reviewing the Council’s Pay Policy Statement.

 

Members were reminded that to ensure transparency as to how pay and remuneration was set by the Council, it was a legal requirement for public sector organisations to publish their Pay Policy Statement on an annual basis.

 

The Pay Policy Statement sets out the existing approach to the remuneration of all posts within the Council. It specifies certain mandatory requirements that must be detailed within the policy. Members were informed that minor corrections would be made to the Statement before it is submitted for approval at the Council meeting on 1 March 2022.

 

*** RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE

 

1.    Received the Report.

 

2.    Authorised the Chief Executive to submit the Pay Policy Statement for 2022/23 to the Full Council at its meeting on 1 March 2022 for approval.

The Director of Resources submitted a report asking committee to agree a revised revenue budget for 2021/22 for this committee.

 

She reminded committee that at this time of year the estimates are revised for the current financial year in order to predict the likely outturn on the budget. The budget this year had been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Whilst committee income and expenditure may increase or decrease at the revised estimate, items such as budgeted core government funding and council tax precept remain fixed. As a result, any compensating movement is within earmarked reserves and general fund balances. Decisions and actions required as a result of committee meetings have been incorporated into the budget setting process.

 

She informed committee that the difference between the revised and original estimate was an increase in net expenditure of £138,750, or £140,590 after allowing for movements on earmarked reserves. A number of substantial movements were summarised for members’ information.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Approve the revenue revised estimate for 2021/22.

 

The Director of Resources submitted a report asking committee to approve the 2021/22 revised estimate for this committee’s capital programme.

 

Five schemes totalling £1,555,000 had been approved by Special Policy and Finance committee and full Council in February and March 2021 respectively. This included three new schemes and two that had been moved from the 2020/21 capital programme to the 2021/22 capital programme.

 

During the year there had been several budget changes resulting in a capital programme of twelve schemes totalling £1,808,900. These had been revised to reflect their progress and estimated full year expenditure for 2021/22 which resulted in a proposed revised estimate of £591,360 for twelve schemes, a reduction of £1,217,540 from the total approved budget. The reasons were highlighted for committee’s information with the main one being the Installation of a Second Parking Deck on Chester Avenue Car Park scheme (£1,215,000) being moved to the 2022/23 financial year.

 

Of the twelve schemes in the proposed revised capital programme:

 

·         Two were complete,

·         Nine were currently expected to be completed in-year (with four being weather dependent), and

·         It was unclear whether one scheme would be completed in-year.

 

Members discussed the Installation of a Second Parking Deck on Chester Avenue Car Park scheme in detail and agreed the scheme should be renamed Clitheroe Town Centre Car Park scheme.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.    Approve the 2021/22 revised estimate of £591,360 for this committee’s capital programme as set out, and

 

2.    Approve the transfer of £1,215,000 budget from 2021/22 to 2022/23 for the Clitheroe Town Centre Car Park scheme.

 

The Director of Resources submitted a report outlining the draft revenue budget for approval by committee and then consideration at Special Policy and Finance committee.

 

The Council’s three-year budget forecast had been presented to Policy and Finance committee in September 2021 when it predicted that there would be the following budget gaps: £82k in 2022/23, £139k in 2023/24 and £230k in 2024/25, after allowing for use of general fund balances.

 

Since that time there had been a number of significant changes affecting the budget. These included significant rises in inflation, an increase in national insurance contributions and implementation of a new pay line. Therefore, the budget gap for 2022/23 was estimated to increase to around £497k.

 

The provisional local government finance settlement announced in December 2021 was for just one year, with a national increase of 6.9% in Council’s core spending power in cash terms between 2021/22 and next year. This is the fourth one-year settlement in a row.

 

Headlines for Ribble Valley include

 

·         Core spending power set to increase by only 0.2% (£11,000) next year from £6.849m to £6.860m;

·         Business Rate Baseline funding level is £1.354m which is the same as the current year, however £111k compensation will be received due to the loss of income received by freezing the business rate multiplier;

·         An allocation of Revenue Support Grant (RSG) of £215 despite RSG increasing nationally by 3.1% for inflation;

·         Rural Services Delivery Grant of £113,250 – same as the current year;

·         Lower Tier Services Grant of £60,754 up from £57,696;

·         A new one off 2022/23 Services Grant has been announced worth £822m in recognition of services and includes costs of the increase in NI contributions. Ribble Valley will receive £93,368;

·         New Homes Bonus (NHB) – the Government have allowed a new round of NHB allocations for 2022/23 which will not attract any legacy payments. They have also allowed the one remaining legacy payment of £464k which has been allowed for. Next year there will be a payment of £741k for 2022/23 along with the legacy payment of £464k = £1.2m;

·         The Lancashire Business Rate Pool has received designation to continue; and,

·         The Council Tax can be increased by £5

 

Taking these things into account reduces the budget gap from £497k to £233k.

 

The Director of Resources reminded members that the fees and charges for this committee had been approved at their last meeting, and the consequential impact had been incorporated into the service budgets.

 

Once all committees had approved their detailed estimates, the overall position would be considered by the Budget Working Group and recommendations in order to produce a balanced budget would be made to Special Policy and Finance committee, before being presented to Full Council, at which point the Council Tax for 2022/23 would also be approved.

 

The draft proposed budget for 2022/23 was set out for each service area, built up over a number of stages including inflation, movements in expenditure, income, support services and capital, culminating in a draft original estimate.

 

In the original estimate for 2021/22 it was planned that this committee take £32,430 from earmarked reserves to support its expenditure in future years. It was now proposed to take £55,330 in 2022/23. The reasons for this were outlined.

 

The net expenditure for this committee has increased from £4,134,740 by £371,750 to £4,506,490 after allowing for associated movements on earmarked reserves. The main reasons were summarised for committee’s information.

 

There had also been 14 requests for growth items totalling £104,640. Committee were asked which they felt they supported to be put forward for further consideration by Policy and Finance committee.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.    Approve the revenue original estimate for 2022/23 and submit this to the Special Policy and Finance committee, and

 

2.    Support the growth items as set out in the report with the addition of Apprentice Mechanic at the Depot.

 

The Director of Community Services submitted a report providing members with an update on recycling performance.

 

Performance on recycling of paper and cardboard had decreased particularly in the months either side of the Covid lockdown. Reasons for this were suggested. It was felt by officers that a new promotion of the paper collection would help reinstate the levels before Covid.

 

Members discussed the decline in paper recycling and how it might be increased again.

 

Councillor Berryman was given permission to speak on this item and commented upon the excellent recycling performance of green waste which had increased to 40% for the first half of 2021/22.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.    Ask officers to implement a strategy to promote the collection of paper to the levels before Covid and discourage the disposal of contaminants in the recycling stream, and

 

2.    Ask officers to implement within the current financial year.

 

The Director of Community Services submitted a report updating members on current car parking issues and electric charging.

 

He reminded members that the Car Park working group had received a study outlining the position with capacity on short stay car parks in Clitheroe Town Centre, which was close to capacity at peak times.

 

Possible options had been discussed and a feasibility study carried out on the provision of a deck on Chester Avenue car park. This had since been discarded as a suitable site, and another site was now being considered and a feasibility report prepared.

 

Regarding electric charging points, 14 had been installed on council car parks and officers were in the process of investigating the introduction of charging points at the council offices and depot.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.    Ask officers to continue to investigate how additional parking can be delivered for Clitheroe, and ask Policy and Finance committee to retain provision in the capital programme for new parking facilities (although not on the Chester Avenue site), and

 

2.    Support officers in pursuing the introduction of more charging points in the council car parks.

 

The Director of Community Services submitted a report asking committee to consider a scheme of delegation for the delivery of the project and commissioning of services from Together an Active Future (TaAF) funding to facilitate development of the work.

 

He reminded committee of the background to the TaAF funding and the approach to it and purpose of it. The objective of the pilots being to change thinking and develop new ways of working, with sustainability being a requirement.

 

For Ribble Valley, the themes are Mental Well-being, Rural Impact on Physical Activity, Schools and how they can help Physical Activity and Creating Connection Between Partners.

 

There is a requirement from Sport England that each area has a mechanism by which funding decisions can be made. It was suggested that the Health and Wellbeing Partnership, chaired by Cllr Hindle would be a suitable vehicle to provide the governance for the project. This group would consider the schemes for commissioning that arise from the consultation work in the Pathfinder and Accelerator phases of TaAF, with the approval of these decisions being delegated to the Director of Community Services in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of Community Services committee and reported retrospectively to committee.

 

Councillor Berryman was given permission to speak on this item.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Approve the delegation for project commissioning to the Director of Community Services in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of Community Services as outlined.

 

The director of Community Services submitted a report seeking a recommendation from committee for the control of activities on and above the Council’s open space areas. This included the use of drones, metal detecting and personal trainers running their own exercise classes on Council land.

 

Where formal permission is sought for an activity on Council owned land a contract is issued, with insurance cover and agreement to conditions of use. This is not usually the case with the activities mentioned, and no provision is made, therefore, to mitigate or eliminate any impact on other users of the open space, and upon the Council’s insurance liability.

 

Officers therefore proposed the limited circumstances when these activities would be acceptable and what would be required for them to be allowed.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.    Approve the proposals set out in the report with regard to use of drones, metal detecting and fitness classes on Council owned land; and

 

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Community Services to prepare and carry out the relevant consultation upon the above policies.

 

The Chief Executive submitted a report reminding members that a petition had been received at Full Council on 12 October 2021 on behalf of the Clitheroe Town Wells group where it had been requested that three steps be taken, namely

 

1.    To refer the petition to Community Services committee at the next available opportunity;

 

2.    Consider two possible legal bases for making valid the ownership of the Heald and St Mary’s wells; and

 

3.    Consider the economic, community, heritage and tourism benefits of adopting the three wells.

 

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services informed committee that Council had resolved to refer the petition to this meeting of Community Services committee for further consideration as requested.

 

However, the Council had since been contacted by representatives of the Wells group who had confirmed that they had compiled further significant historical information that they would wish to be considered before any decision was made. They had therefore requested that the matter be deferred to the Community Services committee in March 2022 to allow sufficient time for consideration and legal advice sought upon any implications the additional information might have in terms of ownership of the wells.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Defer consideration of the petition presented by Clitheroe Town Wells Group to Full Council on 12 October 2021 until the next meeting of the Community Services committee.

 

The Director of Resources submitted a report asking committee to consider the future capital programme for this committee following a review of the existing capital programme with proposed amendments and the submission of new scheme bids.

 

For this committee there had originally been 23 schemes approved for the financial years 2022/23 to 2024/25, totalling £1,833,900. Following a review of these schemes proposed amendments to 9 had been identified, totalling £77,000. These were outlined for information.

 

New capital bids had been put forward for 2025/26 and 2026/27. For this committee there had been 32 new bids including one for 2022/23, totalling £10,580,950. Any bids going forward would be considered alongside all other committee bids by the Budget Working Group and Policy and Finance committee.

 

External funding would be sought wherever possible.

 

Councillor Berryman was given permission to speak on this item and encouraged committee to support the provision of decent facilities.

 

Members particularly supported the bid for the replacement of Ribblesdale Pool, and acknowledged that officers would be prudent when it came to replacing vehicles.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.    Confirm the schemes in the existing capital programme;

 

2.    Request £77,000 of additional funding from Policy and Finance committee for those schemes where estimates have changed; and

 

3.    Approve all the new capital bids as outlined in the report to be forwarded to Policy and Finance committee to be considered as part of the Overall Capital Programme.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the application be deferred and delegated to the Director of Economic Development and Planning for approval following the satisfactory completion of a Legal Agreement, within 3 months from the date of this Committee meeting or delegated to the Director of Economic Development and Planning in conjunction with the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of Planning and Development Committee should exceptional circumstances exist beyond the period of 3 months and subject to the following conditions:

 

Plans

 

1.         Unless explicitly required by condition within this consent, the development hereby permitted shall be carried out in complete accordance with the proposals as detailed on drawings:

 

            Plans

            Location Plan AA7403-2001 Rev C

            Materials layout AA7403C 2012 Rev F

            Materials schedule AA7403 – 01-13 001

            Site layout AA7403C 2010 Rev F

            Proposed Unit Mix AA7403C 2011 Rev U

            Proposed Boundary layout: AA7403 2015 Rev: C

            Proposed Boundary Treatments: AA7403 2014 Rev: C 

 

            Supporting Documents

            Wildlife Movement Report

            Bat Roost Assessment

            Bat Emergence Survey

            Breeding Bird Check

            Biodiversity Enhancement

            House Types

            House Type C, D, E and K

 

            REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and to clarify which plans are relevant to the consent hereby approved.

 

Materials

 

2.         The materials to be used on the external surfaces of the development hereby approved shall be implemented as per approved on the material schedule re AA7403 – 01-13 001  as follows:

 

Forticrete Anstone Walling - Olde Heather Black

Forterra Light Buff Brick - Cathedral Cream

Dark Brick - Michelmerch - Blockleys Synthesis S09

Through Coloured White Render

Mid-Grey Windows (Upvc)

Dark Grey Rainwater Goods

 

            REASON:  In order that the Local Planning Authority may ensure that the materials to be used are appropriate to the locality and respond positively to the inherent character of the area.

 

 

Boundary Treatments

 

3.         The boundary treatments to be used in the development hereby approved shall be implemented as per the approved plans

 

            REASON:  In order that the Local Planning Authority may ensure that the materials to be used are appropriate to the locality and respond positively to the inherent character of the area.

 

Landscape and Ecology

 

4.         Notwithstanding the submitted details, the first dwelling on the site shall not be occupied  until full details of the timings and phasing of the equipping of the public open space provision, play areas and delivery of the trim-trail/cycle-ways have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. 

 

            For the avoidance of doubt the submitted details shall provide the details of the numbers of dwellings, within a phase, to be constructed/occupied prior to each area of usable public open space becoming fully equipped/available for use.  The provision and equipping of such areas shall thereafter be carried out in strict accordance with the approved details including the agreed timetable for implementation.

 

            REASON:  To ensure the adequate provision for public open space and play areas is brought forward in an appropriate phased manner to serve occupiers/residents of the development and wider community.

 

5.         The landscaping proposals hereby approved shall be implemented in the first planting season following occupation or use of the first dwelling, whether in whole or part and shall be maintained thereafter for a period of not less than 10 years to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority. 

 

            All trees/hedgerow shown as being retained within the approved details shall be retained as such in perpetuity.

 

            REASON: To ensure the proposal is satisfactorily landscaped and trees/hedgerow of landscape/visual amenity value are retained as part of the development.

 

6.         The provisions for building dependant species shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details as follows:

 

            REASON: In the interests of biodiversity and to enhance nesting/roosting opportunities for species of conservation concern and to minimise/mitigate the potential impacts upon protected species resultant from the development

 

7.         During the construction period, all trees as shown to be retained within the submitted Tree and hedgerow Survey Report (August 2018 18-0886.02) shall be protected in accordance with British Standard BS 5837 (2012) or any subsequent amendment to the British Standard.

 

            All protective fencing shall be in accordance with BS5837 (2012): 'Trees in Relation to Construction' and be erected in its entirety prior to any other operations taking place on the site.  The agreed tree protection shall remain in place and be maintained for the duration of the construction phase of the development.  For the avoidance of doubt no vehicle, plant, temporary building or materials, including raising and or, lowering of ground levels, shall be allowed within the protection areas(s) specified.

 

            REASON: To protect trees/hedging of landscape and visual amenity value on and adjacent to the site or those likely to be affected by the proposed development hereby approved.

 

8.         No removal of vegetation including trees or hedges shall be undertaken within the nesting bird season (1st March - 31st August inclusive) unless a pre-clearance check on the day of removal, by a licenced ecologist, confirms the absence of nesting birds.  A letter from the ecologist confirming the absence of nesting birds shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority within one month of the pre-clearance check being undertaken. 

 

            REASON:  To ensure that there are no adverse effects on the favourable conservation status of birds, to protect the bird population and species of importance or conservation concern from the potential impacts of the development.

 

9.         Notwithstanding the submitted details, precise details including a long-term management plan and timings of planting of the landscape buffer margin to the west of plots 143-150 (Proposed Unit Mix Plan AA7403 2011 Rev: R) shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the construction of any of the aforementioned plot numbers.

 

            The development shall be carried out in strict accordance with the approved details/timings and the approved long-term management plan for the area shall be adhered to for the lifetime of the development.

 

            REASON: To ensure the proposal is satisfactorily landscaped and appropriate to the locality and to ensure that adequate landscape mitigation is provided at an appropriate stage in development to successfully minimise the impacts of the development upon existing neighbouring occupiers.

 

10.       No works to or within 5m of the tree identified as having bat roosting potential (Figure 5  - Ecological Appraisal September 2018)  shall be undertaken unless further surveys are undertaken, as specified in section 6.0 of the aforementioned report, have first been submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

The mitigation measures shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details as follows:

 

Wildlife Movement Report

Bat Roost Assessment

Bat Emergence Survey

Breeding Bird Check

Biodiversity Enhancement Measures

 

            REASON: In the interests of biodiversity and to enhance nesting/roosting opportunities for species of conservation concern and to minimise/mitigate the potential impacts upon protected species resultant from the development

 

 

Highways

 

11.       The development shall be carried out in strict accordance with the approved Construction Management Plan, Construction and Environmental management Plan Rev: A March 2021

 

            REASON: To limit the number of access points to the highway network and mitigate the potential negative impacts of construction traffic upon the safe operation of the immediate highway network within Whalley.

 

12.       There shall be no occupation of any of the approved dwellings within the development hereby permitted until such time as the parking and turning facilities have been implemented in accordance with PRP drawing number Rev H. Thereafter the onsite parking provision shall be so maintained in perpetuity.

 

            REASON: To ensure that adequate off-street parking provision is made to reduce the possibility of the proposed development leading to on-street parking problems locally, and to enable vehicles to enter and leave the site in a forward direction, in the interests of highway safety.

 

13.       Prior to the first occupation of any of the dwellings hereby approved, details of electric vehicle charging points for each dwelling shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority unless otherwise agreed. These shall be installed prior to the first occupation of each dwelling and thereafter retained as such.

 

            REASON: To support sustainable transport objectives and contribute to the reduction of harmful carbon emissions.

 

Water management

 

14.       There shall be no occupation of any of the approved dwellings within the development hereby permitted, until final details of the design, based on sustainable drainage principles, and implementation of an appropriate surface water sustainable drainage scheme have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Those details shall include, as a minimum:

 

a)   Information about the lifetime of the development, design storm period and intensity, temporary surface water storage facilities, details of the methods employed to delay and control surface water discharged from the site, details of any measures taken to prevent flooding and pollution of the receiving groundwater and/or surface waters, including watercourses, and details of flood levels in AOD;

b)   The drainage strategy should demonstrate that post development surface water run-off from the application site will not exceed a maximum rate of 57.7 L/s. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed;

c)   A site layout plan showing flood water exceedance routes, both on and off site;

d)   A timetable for implementation, including phasing as applicable;

e)   Details of water quality controls, where applicable.

f)    Details of an appropriate management and maintenance plan for the surface water drainage scheme for the lifetime of the development. This should also include details regarding the future management and maintenance of any ordinary watercourses located within or adjacent to the application site.

 

            The scheme shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details prior to first occupation of any of the approved dwellings, or completion of the development, whichever is the sooner. Thereafter the drainage system and ordinary watercourses shall be retained, managed and maintained in accordance with the approved details.

 

            REASON:  To ensure that the proposed development can be adequately drained, to ensure that there is no flood risk on or off the site resulting from the proposed development, to ensure that water quality is not detrimentally impacted by the development proposal and to ensure that appropriate maintenance mechanisms are put in place for the lifetime of the development.

 

15.       Notwithstanding the submitted details, there should be no occupation of the first dwelling until the means of ensuring the water mains that are laid within the site boundary are protected from damage as a result of the development have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in writing.  The details shall outline the potential impacts on the water mains from construction activities and the impacts post completion of the development on the water mains infrastructure that crosses the site and identify mitigation measures to protect and prevent any damage to the water mains. Any mitigation measures shall be implemented in full in accordance with the approved details.

 

            REASON: In the interest of public health and to ensure protection of the public water supply.

 

16.       The drainage for the development hereby approved, shall be carried out in accordance with principles set out in the submitted Foul & Surface Water Drainage Design Drawing D0102, Rev P2 - Dated Aug 18 which was prepared by Civic Engineers. For the avoidance of doubt no surface water will be permitted to drain directly or indirectly into the public sewer.   The development shall be completed in strict accordance with the approved details.

 

            REASON: To ensure a satisfactory form of development and to prevent an undue increase in surface water run-off and to reduce the risk of flooding.

 

17.       The development shall be carried out in strict accordance with the approved details of the pumping-station/sub-station and/or all utility-structures/buildings and their precise location as follows:

 

            APT-ED revision 05

 

            REASON: In order that the Local Planning Authority may ensure that the detailed design of the proposal is appropriate to the locality and responds appropriately to the character of the area.

 

(Members queried resuming the provision of paper copies of the plans displayed at Committee which was noted for consideration by the Director of Economic Development and Planning)

 

 

Withdrawn from the agenda.

 

The Director of Resources submitted a report outlining the draft revenue budget for approval by committee and then consideration at Special Policy and Finance committee.

 

The Council’s three-year budget forecast had been presented to Policy and Finance committee in September 2021 when it predicted that there would be the following budget gaps: £82k in 2022/23, £139k in 2023/24 and £230k in 2024/25, after allowing for use of general fund balances.

 

Since that time there had been a number of significant changes affecting the budget. These included significant rises in inflation, an increase in national insurance contributions and implementation of a new pay line. Therefore, the budget gap for 2022/23 was estimated to increase to around £497k.

 

The provisional local government finance settlement announced in December 2021 was for just one year, with a national increase of 6.9% in Council’s core spending power in cash terms between 2021/22 and next year. This is the fourth one-year settlement in a row.

 

Headlines for Ribble Valley include

 

·         Core spending power set to increase by only 0.2% (£11,000) next year from £6.849m to £6.860m;

·         Business Rate Baseline funding level is £1.354m which is the same as the current year, however £111k compensation will be received due to the loss of income received by freezing the business rate multiplier;

·         An allocation of Revenue Support Grant (RSG) of £215 despite RSG increasing nationally by 3.1% for inflation;

·         Rural Services Delivery Grant of £113,250 – same as the current year;

·         Lower Tier Services Grant of £60,754 up from £57,696;

·         A new one off 2022/23 Services Grant has been announced worth £822m in recognition of services and includes costs of the increase in NI contributions. Ribble Valley will receive £93,368;

·         New Homes Bonus (NHB) – the Government have allowed a new round of NHB allocations for 2022/23 which will not attract any legacy payments. They have also allowed the one remaining legacy payment of £464k which has been allowed for. Next year there will be a payment of £741k for 2022/23 along with the legacy payment of £464k = ££1.2m;

·         The Lancashire Business Rate Pool has received designation to continue; and,

·         The Council Tax can be increased by £5

 

Taking these things into account reduces the budget gap from £497k to 233k.

 

The Director of Resources reminded members that the fees and charges for this committee had been approved at their last meeting, and the consequential impact had been incorporated into the service budgets.

 

Once all committees had approved their detailed estimates, the overall position would be considered by the Budget Working Group and recommendations in order to produce a balanced budget would be made to Special Policy and Finance committee, before being presented to Full Council, at which point the Council Tax for 2022/23 would also be approved.

 

The draft proposed budget for 2022/23 was set out for each service area, built up over a number of stages including inflation, movements in expenditure, income, support services and capital, culminating in a draft original estimate.

 

In the original estimate for 2021/22 it was planned that this committee take £23,500 from earmarked reserves to support its expenditure in future years. It was now proposed to take £23,610 in 2022/23. The reason for this was outlined.

 

The net expenditure for this committee has increased from £563,260 by £8,370 to £571,630 after allowing for associated movements on earmarked reserves. The main reasons were summarised for committee’s information.

 

There had also been two requests for growth items

 

·         Ash Die Back Management Plan - £7,000

·         Planning Applications; Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments - £4,100

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.    Approve the revenue original estimate for 2022/23 and submit this to the Special Policy and Finance committee, and

 

2.    Support the identified growth items set out in the report.

 

The Director of Resources submitted a report asking committee to agree a revised revenue budget for 2021/22 for this committee.

 

She reminded committee that at this time of year the estimates are revised for the current financial year in order to predict the likely outturn on the budget. The budget this year had been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Whilst committee income and expenditure may increase or decrease at the revised estimate, items such as budgeted core government funding and council tax precept remain fixed. As a result, any compensating movement is within earmarked reserves and general fund balances. Decisions and actions required as a result of committee meetings have been incorporated into the budget setting process.

 

She informed committee that the difference between the revised and original estimate was a decrease in net expenditure of £54,750, or £33,270 after allowing for movements on earmarked reserves. A number of substantial movements were summarised for members’ information.

 

Members asked questions with regard to staff recruitment and the effect on the planning service.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Agree the revenue revised estimate for 2021/22.

 

The Director of Resources submitted a report asking committee to approve the 2021/22 revised estimate for this committee’s capital programme.

 

One scheme totalling £26,420 had been approved by Special Policy and Finance committee and full Council in February and March 2021 respectively. The scheme had been moved from the 2020/21 capital programme to the 2021/22 capital programme.

 

As there would be no spend on the Introduction of Planning Portal Link to the Planning Application System and Planning System Update scheme in 2021/22, it was proposed to move it forward to 2022/23 and reduce the 2021/22 budget to nil.

 

A wider capital bid had been proposed ‘Software Upgrade for Regulatory Services’ which would include an upgrade to the planning system if approved.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.    Approve the 2021/22 revised estimate of nil for this committee’s capital programme, and

 

2.    Approve the move of £26,420 capital budget from 2021/22 to 2022/23 for the Introduction of Planning Portal Link to the Planning Application System and Planning System Update scheme.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the application be refused for the following reason:

 

The proposed development would result in a significant encroachment of built form into undeveloped agricultural land to the south of the existing caravan park and would be an unacceptable intensification of the use which fails to acknowledge the historic rural character of the surrounding area due to its scale and siting. The economic benefits of the scheme are not considered to outweigh the harm. As such the proposal is considered to be contrary to policies DMG2 and DMB3 and EN2 of the Core strategy for the Ribble Valley.

 

(Simon Pemberton spoke in favour of the above application. Stella Rosthorn spoke against the above application)