Agenda and minutes

County Councillors D. Evans and S. White.

None received.

There were no members of the public present intending to address the Select Committee.

The minutes of the Economy and Development Select Committee dated 5^th January 2017 were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

Context:

The Committee received a presentation from the Chief Officer for Enterprise and Head of Economy and Enterprise on Future Monmouthshire.

Key Issues:

The presentation provided a ‘how to’ for sustainable and resilient communities’ outlining;

·         Delivery-focussed foresight programme, beginning today.

·         Keeps our county (and therefore, council) ‘going’ and ‘growing’

·         Identifies shifts and changes needed in Monmouthshire & positions our council as the key enabler in bringing them about.

·         Puts WFG at heart of what we do – guiding policy and practice.

·         Clarity about REAL problems ‘we’ are trying to solve.

·         Embeds ‘budget’ process as day-job but in a purpose-led way.

·         Demand-side management.

·         Art of possible & engages creative communities of commitment.

And the reasons for doing it;

Time of austerity, growing demand & expectations – the way we respond will affect 900,000 plus people.

·         Business as usual & burning platforms not compatible.

·         £, demography, localism, WFG, inequality & Brexit

·         Relevance, legitimacy and viability

·         Nationally/ regionally/ locally more effective public services vital to growing GVA

·         Last 4 yrs. budget – reduction & income generation to ‘keep it all going’

·         Are we sometimes missing the bigger questions:

v  People led or service led? Refer or take responsibility?

v  Narrow focus or consequences social failure?

v  Standardised or customised offer?

v  Relationships with communities and partners?

v  Financial risk and economic development?

Member Scrutiny:

A member suggested that the way to keep young people in the county was to stop building executive housing which was better suited to retirees and to build more two bedroom houses which would be more financially viable.

It was also suggested that Monmouthshire would benefit from more high tech business developments which would create the correct type of jobs giving young people the incentive to stay local. At present there are a lot of minimum wage and retail jobs which pay poorly. Low wages make it impossible for young people to afford property in Monmouthshire.

A member congratulated the Chief Officer and her team on the presentation and commented that the main priority was to change the mind-set and attitude of people. He asked that the presentation was played to all members of staff as it sets out all of the scenarios of a very complicated subject in a format which is easy to understand.

In respect to innovation, with Monmouth being predominately a tourism county, it was asked how we could improve that image. At present we have no provisional for training or supporting young people in tourism related careers.

Future Monmouth was endorsed by a member who stressed how important it was that people were on board with the message and asked how this will be effectively implemented and do we have the resources to do it now and in the long term.

A member commented that as a Council we should be concentrating on our services rather than the entrepreneurial aspect as we need to address the County’s social problems with particular focus waste services, leisure services on the needs of the elderly.

A Member of the committee spoke in favour  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To scrutinise a working draft of an SPG on tourism.

Context:

To advise Members of the preparation of Draft Supplementary Planning

Guidance (SPG) on Sustainable Tourism Accommodation to provide clarification on the interpretation of the policies of the Monmouthshire Local

Development Plan (LDP).

Recommendations:

1. That the Economy and Development Select Committee notes the contents of this report and the Draft Sustainable Tourism Accommodation SPG and comments accordingly.

2. To seek Select Committee’s endorsement of the SPG, with a recommendation to Cabinet Member that the SPG be publicised for public consultation.

3. That the Select Committee considers the public consultation responses and any associated amendments to the SPG at a future meeting, prior to recommending the SPG for formal adoption.

Key Issues:

1 The Monmouthshire Local Development Plan (2011-2021) was adopted in

February 2014 to become the adopted development plan for the County (excluding that part within the Brecon Beacons National Park). This statutory development plan contains a number of policies relevant to tourism which are set out in Appendix A of the Draft SPG (attached as Appendix 1). Legislation requires that planning applications are determined in accordance with the

LDP, unless material planning considerations indicate otherwise. Consequently, the effectiveness and appropriateness of the LDP policies is essential in securing desired tourism outcomes. However, it is worth noting that the LDP does not have to cover all eventualities. Indeed, Welsh Government guidance on producing LDPs requires that LDPs do not duplicate national planning policy. Topics or types of tourism not covered by specific LDP policies can be considered under national planning policy and/or material planning considerations.

2. The Economic and Development Select Committee, at its meeting on 13

October 2016, received a report which provided an update on the effectiveness of the LDP policy framework in enabling/delivering tourism related development since the Plan’s adoption and reviewed the extent to which the LDP is supporting sustainable forms of tourism accommodation. Particular consideration was given to the policy support for proposals for ‘glamping’ accommodation - an identified key growth area that the Council wishes to support in principle. The report subsequently recommended that draft SPG be prepared to provide clarity on how proposals for sustainable tourism accommodation will be considered and that the SPG be reported back to this Select Committee prior to the SPG being circulated for public consultation.

3. Selective use of SPG is a means of setting out more detailed thematic or site specific guidance on the way in which the policies of an LDP will be applied in particular circumstances or areas. PPW (Edition 9, 2016) at paragraph 2.3.3 states that:

‘SPG does not form part of the development plan but it must be consistent with the plan and with national policy. It must derive from and be clearly cross referenced to a generic LDP policy, specific policies for places, and/or – in the case of a masterplan or site brief – a plan allocation. SPG cannot be linked to national policy alone; there must be an LDP policy or policy criterion that provides the development plan ‘hook’,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To review the financial situation for the directorate, identifying trends, risks and issues on the horizon with overspends/underspends).

Context:

The purpose of this report is to provide Members with information on the forecast revenue outturn position of the Authority at the end of period 3 which represents month 9 financial information for the 2016/17 financial year.

This report will also be considered by Select Committees as part of their responsibility to,

•       assess whether effective budget monitoring is taking place,

•       monitor the extent to which budgets are spent in accordance with agreed budget and policy framework,

•       challenge the reasonableness of projected over or underspends, and

•       monitor the achievement of predicted efficiency gains or progress in relation to savings proposals.

Recommendations to Cabinet:

1. That Cabinet notes the extent of forecast revenue underspend using period 3 data of £79,000, an improvement of £919,000 on previous reported position at period 2.

2. That Cabinet expects Chief Officers to continue to review the levels of over and underspends and reallocate budgets to reduce the extent of compensatory positions needing to be reported from at quarterly cycles.

3. That Cabinet appreciates the extent of predicted schools reserve usage, its effect of forecast outturn reserve levels and the related anticipation that a further 6 schools will be in a deficit position by end of 2016-17.

4. That Cabinet considers the capital monitoring, specific over and underspends, and importantly that Cabinet recognises the risk associated with having to rely on a use of capital receipts in the year of sale and the potential for this to have significant revenue pressures should receipts be delayed and temporary borrowing be required.

5. That Cabinet approves an additional investment of £30,000 into the Disabled Facilities Grant capital budget in order to respond to demands being placed on the current programme, funded by a virement from existing Highways Maintenance and Access for All budgets.

6. That Cabinet approves a £30k increase to Woodstock Way linkage scheme afforded by an equivalent underspend to another area improvement scheme (Abergavenny).

Member Scrutiny:

Clarification was sought in regard to the underspend in Abergavenny which afforded funds to the Woodstock Way linkage scheme and the committee was told this related to work which was need to be done for the Eisteddfod which was never undertaken.

In regard to capital slippage it was asked why it would make the treasury position worse. In response we were told that if we do not get the capital receipts in that we use in part funding for our capital programme that will necessitate us having to borrow when we wouldn’t normally, those are additional costs effecting the appropriations account and treasury. These are capital receipts from sales of assets and land.

It was asked what analysis takes place along the build of the school and how closely is the spending on the school scrutinised. We were told in terms of project management there is a detailed budget and finance colleagues meet on a monthly basis.

It was asked, since there was no information on special schools what was the position on Mountain House School,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

We scrutinised the Economy and Development Select Committee Forward Work Programme. In doing so, the following points were noted:

Affordable housing meeting on the 14^th February

Adults, E&D and Strong Communities Select Committees inviting members of the Planning Committee.

All 4 Select Committees joint meeting on the 27^th February for the ASDM.

The meeting of the 25^th April to be brought forward to the 6^th April at 2pm. Items being;

·         Invite Welsh Government.

·         BT – to discussing the roll out of Broadband.

·         Director of the Velothon to present on ROI of the Velothon.

·         Youth enterprise delivery plan 2017/18.

We scrutinised the Council and Cabinet Business Forward Plan, no items were highlighted for scrutiny.

27^th April 2017 at 10am (pre-meeting 9.30am)

There is a special meeting of the Adults Select Committee on the 14^th February 2017 at 2pm (pre-meeting at 1.30pm) inviting members of Economy & Development, Strong Communities and Planning Committee.

6^th April 2017 2pm, pre-meeting at 1.30pm.