There were no apologies for absence.

Members are reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

None were declared.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 22 March 2017.

Contact: Jane Palmer          Tel: 01743 257712

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 22 March 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 22 March 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

To receive any questions or petitions from members of the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.  Deadline for notification for this meeting is 5.00pm on Friday 7 April 2017.

No questions had been received from members of the public

To consider the report from the Planning Task and Finish Group 2016/2017.

RESOLVED:

That the following recommendations from the Planning Task and Finish Group be endorsed:

1.    That following the election in May 2017 there will be a new Council when the Committee options can be revisited;

2.    That the business review recommendations detailed in the report, be implemented;

3.    That the recommendations and responses to the RTPI ‘Fostering Economic Growth’ be embedded into the culture and operation of the Planning Service;

4.    That the Council recognises that the performance of the planning process is dependent not only on the Planning Team, but also on the resource and capacity of internal and external consultees to the process.

The Chairman of the Planning Task and Finish Group [and Chairman of the Enterprise and Growth Scrutiny Committee] presented the report and recommendations from the Planning Task and Finish Group that had been endorsed by the Enterprise and Growth Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 23 March 2017.  He explained that the Task and Finish group had focussed on two broad issues, namely:

1.    The business processes relevant to the delivery of the regulatory process as covered by the planning service review; and

2.    How the planning service could demonstrate a contribution to economic growth

Members noted issues that had been highlighted by the Task and Finish group included:

·         The need for all areas of the Council to work together and feed in harmony into the planning process in a timely manner

·         Strengthening and improving communications with Town and Parish Councils

·         Working with applicants to ensure that they were aware of the information they needed to provide

·         The need to ensure that local Members are made aware of issues in their areas at an early stage in the process

Referring specifically to concerns relating to communication with Parish and Town Councils, the Portfolio Holder commented that hard paper copies of planning documentation could not continue to be provided and the preferred means of communication was electronic.  An increase in the standard consultation period from 21 days to 31 days was noted but some Members still did not consider the increased period to be sufficient.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing, Regulatory Services and Environment paid tribute to the work undertaken by the Task and Finish Group and suggested that the number of Planning Committees could be revisited by the new Council following the May elections and that the outcome of the Government’s Planning White Paper should be borne in mind. He stressed that, when considering planning applications, outcome was more important than speed and made particular reference to paragraph 187 of the National Planning policy Framework [as detailed on page 7 of the report]. 

RESOLVED:

That the following recommendations from the Planning Task and Finish Group be endorsed:

1.    That following the election in May 2017 there will be a new Council when the Committee options can be revisited;

2.    That the business review recommendations detailed in the report, be implemented;

3.    That the recommendations and responses to the RTPI ‘Fostering Economic Growth’ be embedded into the culture and operation of the Planning Service;

4.    That the Council recognises that the performance of the planning process is dependent not only on the Planning Team, but also on the resource and capacity of internal and external consultees to the process.

Lead Member – Councillor David Minnery – Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People.

Report of the Director of Children’s Services

Contact: Karen Bradshaw              Tel: 01743 254201

RESOLVED:

i)             That the development of the Shropshire Education Trust to sit outside of the Local Authority, be supported;

ii)            That Members and Trustees of the Shropshire Education Trust will include representation from the LA (capped at 19.99% under current legislation) and, if church schools are involved in the Shropshire Education Trust, representation from the Diocese

iii)           That the appointment of Members and Officers of the Shropshire Education Trust be approved in order to progress matters

iv)           That the initial start-up costs of the Shropshire Education Trust of up to £65,000 be met if the costs cannot be recovered in the event that the Trust is not viable

v)            That it be noted that further analysis in respect of the full extent of set up costs is underway, and that a follow up paper will be brought before Cabinet should additional set up costs be required in order to proceed to a proposal to the Regional Schools Commissioner.

The Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People presented the report from the Director of Children’s Services outlining the initial progress in exploring the appetite for a school led Multi Academy Trust (“MAT”) for Shropshire.  He stated that a final decision would need to be made whether or not to proceed by 9 June 2017 based on the number of schools expressing an interest in joining the Shropshire Education Trust.  He added that no additional financial costs to the Council were anticipated as the Department of Education grant [£25,000 to each school converting to an academy] could be used to meet the costs associated with conversion and the establishment of the Shropshire Education Trust.

A Member commented that there was no proof that academies provided better education than Local Authority controlled schools but considered that, given the current Government’s policy, the proposal was a step in the right direction.  Another Member commented that schools were being forced along the Academy route.  However, approval to establish a MAT for Shropshire was supported by the majority.

RESOLVED:

i)             That the development of the Shropshire Education Trust to sit outside of the Local Authority, be supported;

ii)            That Members and Trustees of the Shropshire Education Trust will include representation from the LA (capped at 19.99% under current legislation) and, if church schools are involved in the Shropshire Education Trust, representation from the Diocese

iii)           That the appointment of Members and Officers of the Shropshire Education Trust be approved in order to progress matters

iv)           That the initial start-up costs of the Shropshire Education Trust of up to £65,000 be met if the costs cannot be recovered in the event that the Trust is not viable

v)            That it be noted that further analysis in respect of the full extent of set up costs is underway, and that a follow up paper will be brought before Cabinet should additional set up costs be required in order to proceed to a proposal to the Regional Schools Commissioner.

Lead Member – Councillor Malcolm Price – Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing, Regulatory Services and Environment.

Report of the Director of Public Health

Contact: Professor Rod Thomson            Tel: 01743 253934

RESOLVED:

That the Director of Public Health be authorised to revoke the Air Quality Management Order for Oswestry under section 83(2)(b) of the Environment Act 1995.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing, Regulatory Services and Environment presented a report from the Director of Public Health relating to the revocation of the Air Quality Management Area in Oswestry as the measured levels of nitrogen dioxide were well below the levels set by the National Air Quality Objective.

RESOLVED:

That the Director of Public Health be authorised to revoke the Air Quality Management Order for Oswestry under section 83(2)(b) of the Environment Act 1995.

To resolve that, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and Paragraph 10.4 (3) of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules, the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following item/s.

RESOLVED:

That, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and Paragraph 10.4 (3) of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following item.

Lead Member – Councillor Steve Charmley – Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Business and Economy

Report of the Director of Place and Enterprise

Contact: George Candler               Tel: 01743 255003

RESOLVED:

That the three confidential recommendations, as detailed in the report, be approved.

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Business and Economy presented the confidential report of the Director of Place and Enterprise on the outcome of Connecting Shropshire’s Phase 2b procurement process.

RESOLVED:

That the three confidential recommendations, as detailed in the report, be approved.

To approve as a correct record and sign the confidential Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 22 March 2017.

Contact: Jane Palmer          Tel: 01743 257712

RESOLVED:

That the confidential Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 22 March 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

RESOLVED:

That the confidential Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 22 March 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.