Venue: Cyfarfod Zoom Meeting
Contact: Email: katharine-maria.flanagan-jones@powys.gov.uk
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Welcome and Apologies
Apologies received from / Ymddiheuriadau a dderbyniwyd oddi wrth
Minutes:
Apologies were received from: County Councillors Gareth Jones (PCC), Ceris Jones (CCC), Edwin Roderick (BBNPA) Officer - Helen Lucocq, Strategy and Policy Manager BBNPA
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Minutes of the previous meeting - 2 December 2022 PDF 81 KB · The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 2 December 2022 be signed as a true record / Bydd y Cadeirydd yn cynnig bod cofnodion y cyfarfod blaenorol a gynhaliwyd ar 2 Rhagfyr 2022 yn cael eu llofnodi fel cofnod cywir
Additional documents:
Minutes: Agreed by all present as a true and accurate reflection of the meeting and ratified accordingly by the Chair.
The Strategic Programme Delivery Manager had received the following in response to the action below from the meeting, held on the 2nd of December 2022.
ACTION – The Strategic Programme Manager for the CJC is to check with the Monitoring Officer/Regulations and raise with Welsh Government whether it would be acceptable for the two Local Authorities and the BBNPA to delegate a person to attend the meetings, if one of the three elected members were not able to join that meeting, so that the meeting could proceed.
The response received from Christopher Stevens, WG, is as follows: Chapter 1 of the statutory guidance for Corporate Joint Committees deals with Membership and Constitutional arrangements, including replacement and substitution.
Para 2.2 sets out: “In circumstances where the council member is unable to attend a particular meeting a council member will be able to nominate a substitute from their council executive. Such arrangements should be temporary and for exceptional circumstances and might include for example short term sickness absence, compassionate leave.”
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Letter to all CJC Chief Executive's from Welsh Government dated 13th January 2023 PDF 169 KB Minutes: Letter attached in the agenda sets out the supportive arrangements for the preparation amongst other information of the Strategic Development Plan, whilst being very clear that there is no additional funding available.
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Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair noted the letter received from the Minister in response to the request that Powys is able to drop the drop-dead date on their Local Development Plan to allow to concentrate on the Strategic Development Plan. Unfortunately, the Minister is not inclined to do so.
The difficulties remain as BBNPA are members of three CJC’s and with resources being depleted. The Chair reported that he had wrote a further letter to the Minister to look at funding options, considering the options and risk with proceeding with a strategic development plan, and the second option of commencing the SDP alongside the ongoing replacement development plans subject to resources.
The Chair informed the meeting that he had provided the last CJC meeting with an update, The CJC noted the progress and expressed disappointment at the lack of financial support.
The Chair has requested the CJC approach the Minister directly to request a meeting to discuss Powys Replacement Plan and promote the removal of the drop-dead end date and combined concerted effort being placed on the SDP. This was agreed by the CJC. The Chair has offered to attend the meeting to make the case.
Officers were supporting of Chair’s approach, adding that the same point was raised at the All-Wales RTP / LDP meeting in January, raising that the Future Wales programme does not have an end date, so it is inconsistent for it to remain for LDP.
Whilst no legislative slot exists to remove end dates, the Chair expressed the view that a Ministerial letter was all that would be required and there was some discussion about the materiality of older adopted plans as new plans emerged. Mark Newey, Welsh Government, at the All-Wales meeting indicated that there was and expectation that plans past their end dates would still have to be given weight. Applying the reasoning given by the Welsh Government Officer, no point is served by an end date. Either the Local Planning Authority is left to manage this risk or the Minister steps in to alleviate it. Members felt this would need to be addressed at a higher Ministerial level meeting.
The CJC needs to focus on moving forward and there is a legal obligation to prepare a Strategic Development Plan subject to identifying necessary resources.
The CJC is constituted by the BBNPA and the two Unitary Authorities any recharge by the CJC falls to the constituent bodies who have not budgeted for the SDP in 2023-2024.
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CJC Report re: Approval of SDP Resources Additional documents: Minutes: Planning Policy Officer (CCC) stated that the decision at the last meeting was to pursue Option 2 Planning Policy Officer (CCC) stated that the decision at the last meeting was to pursue Option 2 to prepare an SPD alongside Powys’ replacement LDP, subject to necessary resources and for a skeleton delivery agreement brought back for discussion. Officers commenced this work but paused it to consider further emerging Welsh Government advice and to reflect again on available resources. The WG suggestion is for the CJC to agree a lead Authority for progression of base-line work for the SDP, to formulate initial preparatory work, evidence requirements, consultation arrangements and timings, and governance in accordance with the SDP regulations, in advance of submitting a formal delivery agreement, aligned to key stages of the RTP and the Economic Well-Being Plans. After consideration was given to which of the three Authorities may have capacity to Lead, given the known constraints facing Powys and the BBNP and the possibility of employing consultants, it was agreed that we create new regional positions within one of the authorities or within the CJC with Ceredigion being best placed to be the interim lead Authority. Recommendations to the CJC for decision should consider whether posts remain within the respective Authority funded by the CJC or be seconded into the CJC. Funding arrangements were discussed, and it was noted that there is no agreed budget for sub-committees. The CJC are aware there may need to be some funding forthcoming throughout the year and have agreed to re-visit the budget if required to do so, which is permissible within the Constitution. Subject to the CJC participants putting suitable funding arrangements in place Members were content for Ceredigion to take lead responsibility and that the associated costs be appropriately proportioned against the given formula for any planned expenditure. Councillors across the three Authorities present in agreement. Actions: · CJC to be informed that the SDP Committee have unanimously agreed for Ceredigion to take lead responsibility and that those costs be appropriately proportioned against the given formula for SDP expenditure.
· Job Descriptions for the new SDP post(s) be drawn up and evaluated to pro-vide an initial cost framework to take to the CJC for consideration.
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Any other business Minutes: Professional Lead, Planning (CCC) requested if it would be advantageous for the CJC’s to come together to discuss shared learning and provide a collective voice to the Minister and Chief Planning Lead Officer.
Recommendation seconded by Members present: To recommend to the CJC, a collaborative meeting of regional CJC Chairs and Lead Officers be considered. The purpose of which would be to enable the regional CJC’s to benefit from shared learning and support, and to ensure a united voice to the Minister and WG Officers.
The Chair thanked everyone for their attendance and contributions and the meeting concluded.
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