To
select appropriate items from the Cabinet Board agenda for pre-decision
scrutiny (reports enclosed for Scrutiny Members)
Minutes:
The
committee considered the following matters:
Neath
Port Talbot Local Development Plan (LDP) 2011-2026 – Consideration of : Draft LDP Review
Report; and the publication/ consultation procedures to be implemented
Officers
highlighted that the first stage of the review was to prepare and publish a “Review
Report” which identified key issues to be considered when taking the existing
LDP forward, this set out areas where the current LDP was delivering and
performing well, in addition to those areas where changes may be required.
Members
questioned if we would continue with the economic-led growth strategy or would
there be alternatives. Officers
explained they would continue to look at an economic led strategy, it was noted
that other alternatives were not yet clear as were are at the early
stages. It was highlighted that the
Decarbonisation Agenda was being pushed, and officers would hold a number of
stakeholder / public engagement events and develop the alternatives for the Preferred
Strategy stage.
Members
questioned the increasing concern of land viability as the viability was only
accurate at the time of the assessment.
Officers explained that a new regional viability study/ model was
currently being developed with local authority colleagues within the Mid and South West Wales region. It was noted that we need to do things
differently at the Candidate site stage, sites would not go into the plan
without sufficient evidence (including viability assessments).
Officers
explained that there was a lack of expertise in regard to the historic
environment and there was a need for a more collaborative approach, it was
highlighted that this was a good policy and we need to identify resources to
deal with these issues moving forward.
Officers explained that there was a LDP reserve available, and the LDP
was put in the budget as a pressure every year. It was noted that three senior posts had gone, therefore the reserve was
used to buy in expertise to fill the gap.
Members
were pleased that the issues currently surrounding Houses of Multiple
Occupation (HMO) would be assessed as part of the preparation of the
Replacement Plan which would not have any weight until it is adopted in
2024. Officers highlighted that a
seminar would take place on 12 February, 2020 and members were encouraged to
attend.
A
discussion took place on the valleys, members agreed that it was good to see a
focus on the Valleys, officers commented that it was something we need to
continue to look at and possibly do more.
Tourism would be brought through as part of the valleys, although
proposal were already in place in certain areas.
Members
queried what would happen with the LDP with the change of councillors in a new
election (scheduled in 2022) and how this would deliver what we want. Officers explained that it is an issue as
2026 is the end date, and the LDP covers a 15 year period. At 2022 the Plan
would have gone through the first formal stage of plan preparation: the
‘Preferred Strategy’. Once we get to the second formal stage: the ‘Deposit’
stage (scheduled for 2023) it cannot be changed as the Council are saying that
this is the plan we want. Officers had to deal with this as part of the first
LDP where there was a change in administration; where officers did an all Members’
Seminar discussing issues at spatial area and ward level and set out what had
been done before based on evidence. Officers would engage with members
throughout, all decisions taken as a council would be backed with evidence.
It
was noted that there is a new joint committee being set up to deal with
transport issues in South West Wales, the Chief Executive would lead and Head
of Engineering and Transport would support.
The opening of valley line would have a huge cost.
Following
scrutiny, the committee was supportive of the proposals to be considered by
cabinet board.