Decisions

To detail the progress made to date with the Modern.Gov ‘Early Adopters Roll Out’ to Elected Members and the subsequent revised IT Scheme for Elected Members from 2019.

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report which detailed the progress made to date with

the Modern.Gov ‘Early Adopters Roll Out’ to Elected Members and the subsequent

revised IT Scheme for Elected Members from 2019. Further, it reported on the

involvement of the IT and Digital Transformation Advisory Committee who had

monitored progress over the last year.  He explained that this represented a significant

step change for the Council, but the experience of the Early Adopters had been good

and the full roll out of Modern.Gov would bring significant benefits for the new Council. It

would provide a common platform for Members to be able to access documents and

communicate with the public and each other.  He fully endorsed the proposals and hoped

Members would fully embrace the new scheme which would allow further developments

over time as well as significant savings in printing and postage costs.  He said he also

particularly wanted to thank the Member Services Officer who had led on this project for

the enormous amount of work she had put in, as well as the Member Services and IT

Teams. The role of the IT and Digital Transformation Advisory Committee, chaired by

Councillor Knowles, was also recognised.

Resolved:

That

(i)               the progress to date be noted.

(ii)      the amendments to the Members IT Scheme, including the use of

ashford.gov email accounts for all Council business, as set out at

Appendix B to the report, be supported and agreed.

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report which advised that the LDS was required

under legislation and compliance with it was a matter of ‘soundness’ for Development

Plan Documents (DPDs). It was therefore essential that it was kept up to date. The draft

LDS 2019 set out the project plan and timetable for preparation of the Gypsy and

Traveller Accommodation DPD until the end of 2020. Both the draft LDS 2019 and the

Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation DPD timetable conformed with the regulations.

Recommended:

That the Local Development Scheme 2019 be adopted, as required under Section

15 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the

Localism Act 2011).

The report sought Cabinet approval to adopt village envelope boundaries as informal

guidance for development management purposes. These maps had been prepared in

consultation with Parish Councils and Ward Members to indicate where the Council

currently considered the existing built-up confines of settlements were. These would

help clarify the written definitions in the Local Plan for the purpose of decision making on

planning applications.

Both the Leader and Portfolio Holder said this had been an extremely worthwhile and

positive exercise which had seen good engagement from local representatives.

Recommended:

That

(i) the village envelope boundaries shown in the appendix to the report

be adopted as informal guidance for development management

purposes.

(ii) authority be delegated to the Head of Planning Policy, following

consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development,

to amend, where relevant, a village envelope boundary to account for

the construction of new development.

During its scrutiny of the Council’s draft budget, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee expressed a desire to understand more about the Council’s Section 106 process and current position, as well as plans for addressing staff shortages within the Planning and Development Service and the ongoing development of an Air Quality Strategy for the Council.  In its review, the Committee had made six recommendations which were now presented to the Cabinet.

The Leader thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their report and advised that the Cabinet were minded to accept three of the six recommendations (iii, iv, and vi).  It was considered that the other three recommendations (i, ii, and v) should not be accepted as they were premature at this stage.

Resolved:

That

(i) planning applications must not be permitted to go to the Planning

Committee for determination before the time for public consultation

has elapsed.

(ii) per the Constitution, planning applications must not be approved

under delegated powers where the Ward Member has called the

application in to the Planning Committee.

(iii) the Council should engage with UK Power Networks to ensure that

there is sufficient grid supply to meet demand for electric vehicle

charging in new developments.

(iv) the remaining three recommendations be not adopted.