30 Minutes of a meeting of the Purbeck District Council held in the Council Chamber, Westport House, Wareham on Tuesday 9 August 2016 at 7.00pm. Present:- Councillor Bill Trite (Chairman) Councillor Wendy Meaden (Vice-Chairman) Councillors Malcolm Barnes, Cherry Brooks, Graham Brown, David Budd, Nigel Dragon, Beryl Ezzard, Caroline Finch, Mike Lovell, Gloria Marsh, Laura Miller, Tim Morris, Bill Pipe, Claire Pipe, Barry Quinn, Gary Suttle, Mark Unsworth, Peter Webb, Mike Wiggins and Mike Whitwam. Officers in attendance for all or part of the meeting: Richard Conway, Environment Manager; Bridget Downton, General Manager Planning and Community Services; David Fairbairn, Solicitor to the Council; Sue Joyce, General Manager Resources; Rebecca Kirk, General Manager Public Health and Housing; Claire Lodge, Communications Officer; Kirsty Riglar, Democratic and Electoral Services Manager and Benjamin Webb, Design and Conservation Officer. (Notes: (1) In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17A.3 the decisions set out in these minutes will come into force and may then be implemented on the expiry of five working days after the publication date. Publication date: 12 August 2016. (2) These minutes have been prepared by officers as a record of the meeting and of any decisions reached. They are to be considered and confirmed at the next meeting of the Council.) 62.16/17 Apologies Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Fred Drane, Hilary Goodinge, Carol Tilling and Peter Wharf. 63.16/17 Urgent items The Chairman reported that there were no urgent items. 64.16/17 Public participation time Mrs Emily Blake, Clerk to West Lulworth Parish Council, explained that the Parish Council had previously been offered the option of taking responsibility for the public toilets at West Lulworth but had declined to do so as there had been a lack of information available as to how this might be funded. She explained that the Parish Council recognised the need for toilets to be sited at Lulworth Cove and had a number of concerns about the draft Heads of Terms Agreement for the transfer of the toilets to the Lulworth Estate, as set out in the report to be considered later in the meeting. The Parish Council therefore requested the opportunity to investigate how it could manage and fund the toilets. Councillor Sarah Jackson of West Lulworth Parish Council reiterated this request and detailed the Parish Council s concerns about the implications of the wording in the draft Heads of Terms Agreement. She explained that the view of the Parish Council was
65.16/17 Minutes 31 that public toilets needed to be provided between the Cove and the duck pond; it was concerned that the Lulworth Estate might seek to provide conveniences elsewhere which would be less accessible to visitors to the Cove. She also expressed the view that, if the Estate was to purchase the freehold to the current toilets, it should be required to pay considerably more than 1. The Chairman thanked Mrs Blake and Ms Jackson for their comments and assured them that these would be taken into account by the Council when considering this matter. (1) the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 12 July 2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendments:- and (i) removal of the duplication in the title; (ii) minute 45.16/17 to begin Mr Nigel Hill of Moreton ; and (iii) minute 48.16/17 to read The Chairman paid tribute to the work of the outgoing Prime Minister, David Cameron, and wished the Prime Minister in waiting, Theresa May, success in the challenges that lay ahead. ; (2) the minutes of the extraordinary Council Meeting held on 21 July 2016 be taken as read, confirmed and signed by the Chairman. 66.16/17 Declarations of Interest by Members There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests. Councillors David Budd, Beryl Ezzard, Bill Trite and Mike Whitwam declared personal interests in the item on the agenda relating to the Norden car park by reason of being members of the Swanage Railway Trust Council of Management. 67.16/17 Chairman s announcements The Chairman reported that he or the Vice-Chairman had attended the following events:- Ferndown Civic Service Inauguration of the new Youth Minister at St Mary s, Swanage. 68.16/17 Planning Committee 29 June 2016 One Member expressed his concern about the wording of conditions 6 and 7 attached to the permission for application 6/2015/0541 and that this did not specifically require the improvement of the accesses to the site in advance of construction starting. The General Manager Planning and Community Services confirmed that this was the intention and the Construction Traffic Management Plan would need to be approved and implemented before construction commenced. The Solicitor to the Council reiterated this and explained that, as the decision notice had been issued, the wording could not now be amended.
32 Resolved that the minutes of the above meeting be received and the resolutions noted. 69.16/17 Policy Group 20 July 2016 Resolved that the minutes of the above meeting be received and the resolutions noted. 70.16/17 Purbeck Community Rail Partnership 19 April 2016 In response to a Member s question, the General Manager Planning and Community Services confirmed that Planning Officers had met with Network Rail in relation to the Wareham foot crossing and she understood that progress had been made. She agreed to provide Members with further detail upon the return of the Development Manager from annual leave. Resolved that the minutes of the above meeting be noted. 71.16/17 Norden car park approval for the repair and replacement of deteriorated items The Economy and Infrastructure Portfolio Holder presented a report seeking approval for the repair of the road surface and replacement of landscaping items such as the picnic tables, fencing, bay markers and footpaths at Norden car park. It was also proposed to replace the pay and display ticket machines that were now at the end of their working life. The estimated cost of the repairs was 40,000 and the replacement of the three ticket machines would be in the region of 11,500, with a further 4,500 for the installation costs. She added that when these proposals were considered by the Policy Group, it had been recommended that the replacement ticket machines should not include a key pad that required vehicle registration to be entered. The reason for this had been concerns that small key pads were not necessarily user friendly for people with disabilities. One Member asked whether it was prudent to undertake the proposed repairs at Norden car park in the light of discussions with Dorset County Council and other interested parties about increasing the size of the park and ride facility. The General Manager Public Health and Housing explained that the County Council was investigating increasing the amount of parking available at Norden but at another site and a feasibility study was being prepared; no master plan had been agreed. Due to the poor condition of the surface of the current car park and the frequent problems experienced with the ticket machines, it was necessary to take remedial action sooner rather than later. Another Member raised the issue of problems experienced with the lack of parking enforcement at the car park and the fact that there remained a number of users who did not purchase parking tickets, resulting in a loss of revenue for the Council. Whilst he understood that the enforcement was carried out by the County Council, he questioned whether the car park was visited every day. The General Manager Public Health and Housing undertook to contact the County Council s Parking Manager about these concerns but reported that she had recently received complaints from a number of people who had received parking fines at the site, so enforcement was being carried out.
33 In response to a Member s question about the parking permits issued to volunteers on the Swanage Railway, the General Manager explained that the Railway purchased a number of these on an annual basis from the Council. She noted Members concerns that these were not numbered and would consider how this could be addressed in the future. Members noted that it was proposed that only one of the replacement parking ticket machines would enable payment by debit card and considered that it would be better to offer this facility on all of the machines. The General Manager Resources advised that the cost implication of doing so was minimal and could be met from within the proposed sum for the works. It was therefore agreed that all three machines should enable debit card payments. (1) the proposed capital works at Norden car park be approved, in the sum of 56,000, to be funded from the Council s capital resources; and (2) the three parking ticket machines be replaced with new machines that are similar to those already in place but which all allow for debit card payments. 72.16/17 Crime and Disorder Reduction Plan The Local Communities Portfolio Holder presented a report seeking approval of the 2016/17 Crime and Disorder Reduction Plan and to formally sign-off and note the progress of the 2015/16 Crime and Disorder Reduction Plan. All actions within the 2015/16 Plan had been completed and incidents monitored at a local level had not increased in number. As the Plan was a live document, any incidents would be added as the year progressed. (1) progress against the 2015/16 Crime and Disorder Reduction Plan be noted; and (2) the 2016/17 Crime and Disorder Reduction Plan be approved. 73.16/17 Consultation on the Poole Local Plan Review The Leader of the Council presented a report seeking approval to submit a response on the Housing and Other Development Sites Consultation Document, part of the issues and options stage of the Poole Local Plan Review. He drew attention to the strategic importance of Purbeck District Council, as a statutory consultee, responding to the consultation and did not consider that the proposed response was sufficiently robust, particularly in relation to the prospect of Poole expanding outwards into the Green Belt. He therefore proposed that this be amended, in consultation with both him and the Deputy Leader, before submission. It was noted that the document included proposals to increase the number of flats built within Poole and Members expressed their hope that a similar proposal would arise through the current Purbeck Local Plan Partial Review in order to protect the Green Belt. Resolved that the amendment of the proposed response, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be delegated to the General Manager Planning and Community Services,
34 in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, and submitted to the Borough of Poole as Purbeck District Council s formal response to the consultation on the Poole Local Plan Review. 74.16/17 Future of West Lulworth toilets Due to there being a number of matters which had come to light in relation to the future of the public toilets at West Lulworth since the report was produced, the Environment Portfolio Holder proposed that consideration be deferred to allow further investigation and negotiation to be carried out. Resolved that consideration of the report be deferred to allow for further investigation and negotiation about the future of the public toilets at West Lulworth to be carried out. 75.16/17 Purbeck District Conservation Areas Review The Environment Portfolio Holder presented a report seeking approval to hold a six week public consultation on the boundary proposals and character appraisal documents for the Piddle Valley, Morden and East Creech Conservation Areas. It was proposed that the consultation would take place during the late summer/early autumn 2016. He requested that, where relevant, Members engage with the Parish Councils in their wards in relation to this consultation. Resolved that the draft appraisals and boundary proposals prepared for the Piddle Valley, Morden and East Creech Conservation Areas be approved for the purposes of public consultation for a six week period during late summer/autumn 2016. 76.16/17 Revenue Budget Strategy 2017/18 The Leader of the Council presented a report seeking support for the budget timetable and the assumptions used as the basis for the preparation of 2017/18 draft revenue budget. The Financial Strategy identified the need for savings of 480,000 in the financial year 2017/18. A review of the council tax position had enabled receipts to be increased by 60,000, reducing the required savings to 420,000. Resolved that budget timetable and initial assumptions to be used as the basis for preparing the 2017/18 draft revenue budget be endorsed. 77.16/17 Revised Housing Assistance Policy The Housing Portfolio Holder presented a report seeking approval for the revision of the Council s Housing Assistance Policy. The proposed changes were in response to the Government having significantly increased funding to the Disabled Facility Grant, which now formed part of the Better Care Fund. The funding would be paid initially to Dorset County Council, with each District and Borough Council being allocated a sum. The Government had encouraged local areas to implement a joined-up approach to improving outcomes for local people. The Dorset councils had developed a Joint Housing Assistance Policy that offered a wider range of assistance to meet the needs of local people and commissioned the Dorset Accessible Homes Service to deliver a more integrated aids and adaptations service. The proposed Policy would further develop this service and fulfil the Government s objective for a more integrated and improved approach to health and social care. In order to implement the proposals, each District and Borough Council in Dorset was being asked to formally adopt the revised Policy. Particular attention was drawn to the fact that this Policy would be
35 funded entirely from increased Government allocations and there would be no contribution to the budget required from the Council. Members welcomed the report and the recommendation that copies of the Policy be made available free of charge. It was also confirmed that this would be published on Dorsetforyou.gov.uk and a press release issued. (1) the Council s Housing Assistance Policy be amended to include the information provided in Appendix 1 to the report; (2) the Council allocates the following funds from its annual Better Care Fund allocation: (i) Safe and Secure Grant: 40,000 (ii) Handy van service: 10,000 (iii) Dorset Accessible Homes Grant: The remainder of the Council s DFG allocation from the Better Care Fund (3) the General Manager Public Health and Housing gives public notice of the adoption of the revised Policy and makes the adopted Policy available for public inspection free of charge at Westport House at all reasonable times; and (4) copies of the adopted Policy and summary be available free of charge. 78.16/17 Advertising and Sponsorship Policy The Economy and Infrastructure Portfolio Holder presented a report seeking approval of an Advertising and Sponsorship Policy with a view to engaging a company to work in partnership with the Council to sell advertising space in Council owned buildings. The Policy set out the Council s position to prospective companies that wished to sponsor Council owned sites in terms of what would be acceptable and appropriate. However, it was proposed that paragraphs 14 and 31 of the Policy be amended to require that decisions to approve requests for advertising/sponsorship be made by the relevant General Manager, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder and the Solicitor to the Council. On behalf of Members, the Portfolio Holder thanked the General Manager Public Health and Housing for the pro-active approach being taken by her department towards income generation. In response to a Member s question, the General Manager confirmed that the issue of who would be responsible for any damage to notices or screens would be considered as part of negotiations with any interested companies and that the highest amount of income for the Council would be sought. (1) the Advertising and Sponsorship Policy, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, be approved, subject to the amendment of paragraphs 14 and 31 as detailed above;
36 and (2) officers investigate sponsorship and advertising opportunities to maximise income generation for the Council. 79.16/17 Dorsetforyou.com website rebuild The Deputy Leader and Resources and Efficiencies Portfolio Holder presented a report seeking approval of the rebuild of the dorsetforyou.com website unapproved capital project. Members were informed that the content management system and the hosting arrangements underpinning dorsetforyou.com had expired in June 2016. However, the contract had been extended for one year. FutureGov had been commissioned to undertake a review to help determine what was required from the site in the future. It was considered that an effective website was essential to enable the Council to deliver digital services, improve customer experiences and make service delivery cost effective. In response to a Member s question, the General Manager Resources explained that the rebuild of the website would be future-proofed in order to enable it to be transferred to any future rural unitary authority created by the reorganisation of local government in Dorset, as any new authority would be providing the same range of services as the current partners. In response to a question about consulting with users to shape the rebuild, the General Manager explained that the website was constantly under review and opportunities provided to users to submit their views. However, it was intended that the development would be user-focussed and that focus groups would be established to test this. Resolved that the dorsetforyou.com website rebuild capital project be approved, at an estimated cost of 20,000. The meeting ended at 8.15pm. Chairman