Agenda item

This report presents the final report on the scrutiny review relating to ‘Guidance for Sustainable Development’, which has been endorsed by the Scrutiny Management Committee for referral to the Executive.

Note:            Annexes B-I to the above report are available to view on-line along with the agenda for this meeting but have not been included in the printed papers.  Copies may be obtained, if required, from Democratic Services – please see contact details at the foot of this agenda.  The address of the Council’s website is http://www.york.gov.uk/  The agenda and reports for this meeting can be found in the ‘council meetings’ section of the website.

RESOLVED: (i)         That Recommendations 1, 2 and 7 in the Scrutiny report be referred for consideration by the LDF Working Group in the light of public consultation results and emerging national and regional guidance.

                        (ii)        That Recommendation 6 be referred for consideration by the LDF Working Group in the light of public consultation results and emerging national and regional guidance, and that it be noted that this proposal is included in the draft SPG that is currently being consulted on.

(iii)             That, in respect of Recommendation 8:

a.      The Executive’s support for the establishment of new woodland be recorded and the Director of City Strategy be requested to develop options for achieving this and for sustaining existing tree cover in the City.

b.      This recommendation be referred to the LDF Working Group with a request that they consider and advise on establishing a policy that would increase the percentage of tree cover in the City, and

(iv) That Recommendations 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17 be referred for consideration by the LDF Working Group.

(v) That, in respect of Recommendation 11, the Executive has reservations about whether this form of boundary treatment would be appropriate in every case and requests the LDF Working Group to consider carefully the implications of adopting such a blanket policy of this nature.

(vi)              That, in respect of Recommendation 14:

a.      The Executive recognises merits in the general approach of the recommendation but in the absence of agreed definitions finds it impossible to understand the practicality of implementing the suggestion, and

b.      The recommendation be referred to Officers for further information and to incorporate the views of the LDF Working Group.

(vii) That Officers report back on the operational, workload and financial implications of Recommendations 18, 19, 20 and 21, following consideration of these proposals by the LDF Working Group.

(viii) That Officers be asked to report back on the financial implications of Recommendation 22 as part of the budget build exercise for next year and, in the meantime, that such information as is readily and economically available be posted on the existing Council website.

(ix) That Officers be asked to report back on the implications of Recommendation 23.

(x) That Recommendation 24 be referred for consideration by the LDF Working Group in the light of public consultation results and emerging national and regional guidance, and that Officers report back on the financial and practical implications of adopting a blanket policy of this sort, but that the attention of the Working Group dealing with the new City Hall project be drawn to this important issue.

(xi) That Officers be asked to provide additional information about Recommendation 25, in the light of existing regional and emerging national policies and, in respect of ITT applications, resource, capacity and financing issues.

REASON:      To ensure that the recommendations of the Scrutiny Sub-Committee are considered for incorporation into the Local Development Framework, subject to further investigation of their implications, where appropriate.

Members considered a report which presented the final report of the Sustainable Development Scrutiny Sub-Committee in relation to the topic ‘Guidance for Sustainable Development’.  The final report, attached as Annex A, had been endorsed by the Scrutiny Management Committee at its meeting on 26 February 2007, for referral to the Executive.  Cllr Vassie, as Chair of the Scrutiny Sub-Committee, attended and spoke in support of the Sub-Committee’s report.

The report set out 25 recommendations and sought Executive support in particular for Recommendations 1, 2, 3(i), 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, to ensure that these were taken forward as part of the Local Development Framework (LDF).  All of the recommendations had been reviewed by Officers, as requested by SMC, to identify any potential gaps or duplication.  Detailed Officer comments were included in a ‘summary of implications’ grid within the report.

In response to the matters raised on this item under Public Participation, it was confirmed that biodiversity issues were already part of the core LDF strategy and that a tracking system was in place to ensure that all Scrutiny recommendations endorsed by the Executive were followed up by the appropriate Officers.  Members commented that the LDF and, in the short term, the Special Planning Guidance (SPG),  would provide the ideal platform to ensure that the recommendations were included as core policies.  For example, it would be able to encompass a policy requiring an increase in the amount of tree cover in the City overall.  Some of the recommendations had already been included in the draft SPG, which was currently out for consultation.

The Chair thanked all Members and Officers involved for their work on this important scrutiny topic.

RESOLVED: (i)         That Recommendations 1, 2 and 7 in the Scrutiny report be referred for consideration by the LDF Working Group in the light of public consultation results and emerging national and regional guidance.

                        (ii)        That Recommendation 6 be referred for consideration by the LDF Working Group in the light of public consultation results and emerging national and regional guidance, and that it be noted that this proposal is included in the draft SPG that is currently being consulted on.

(iii)             That, in respect of Recommendation 8:

a.      The Executive’s support for the establishment of new woodland be recorded and the Director of City Strategy be requested to develop options for achieving this and for sustaining existing tree cover in the City.

b.      This recommendation be referred to the LDF Working Group with a request that they consider and advise on establishing a policy that would increase the percentage of tree cover in the City, and

(iv) That Recommendations 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17 be referred for consideration by the LDF Working Group.

(v) That, in respect of Recommendation 11, the Executive has reservations about whether this form of boundary treatment would be appropriate in every case and requests the LDF Working Group to consider carefully the implications of adopting such a blanket policy of this nature.

(vi)              That, in respect of Recommendation 14:

a.      The Executive recognises merits in the general approach of the recommendation but in the absence of agreed definitions finds it impossible to understand the practicality of implementing the suggestion, and

b.      The recommendation be referred to Officers for further information and to incorporate the views of the LDF Working Group.

(vii) That Officers report back on the operational, workload and financial implications of Recommendations 18, 19, 20 and 21, following consideration of these proposals by the LDF Working Group.

(viii) That Officers be asked to report back on the financial implications of Recommendation 22 as part of the budget build exercise for next year and, in the meantime, that such information as is readily and economically available be posted on the existing Council website.

(ix) That Officers be asked to report back on the implications of Recommendation 23.

(x) That Recommendation 24 be referred for consideration by the LDF Working Group in the light of public consultation results and emerging national and regional guidance, and that Officers report back on the financial and practical implications of adopting a blanket policy of this sort, but that the attention of the Working Group dealing with the new City Hall project be drawn to this important issue.

(xi) That Officers be asked to provide additional information about Recommendation 25, in the light of existing regional and emerging national policies and, in respect of ITT applications, resource, capacity and financing issues.

REASON:      To ensure that the recommendations of the Scrutiny Sub-Committee are considered for incorporation into the Local Development Framework, subject to further investigation of their implications, where appropriate.