Agenda item

To consider any questions submitted by Members of the Council, in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11 (b).

There were three questions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11.

(A) Solar Farm Strategy

Councillor Ralph Muncer to Councillor Daniel Allen Interim Executive Member for Planning and Transport.

(B) Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework

Councillor Ralph Muncer to Councillor Daniel Allen, Leader of the Council.

(C) Environmental Crime Officers

Councillor David Barnard to Councillor Amy Allen, Executive Member for Recycling and Waste Management.

Audio recording – 9 minutes 41 seconds

N.B. Councillor Dominic Griffiths returned to the Chamber at 19:40.

In accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11, three questions had been submitted by the required deadline set out in the Constitution.

(A)Solar Farm Strategy

Councillor Ralph Muncer to Councillor Daniel Allen, Interim Executive Member for Planning and Transport:

‘To ask the Interim Executive Member for Planning and Transport whether the administration will bring forward a Solar Farms Strategy for North Hertfordshire in response to a number of recent Solar Farm applications across the District?’

Councillor Daniel Allen provided the following response:

‘Last week Cabinet approved the new Sustainability SPD to support the Local Plan. This includes additional guidance on matters we will take into account when considering applications for solar farms. This will also be considered through the Local Plan Review. If the proposals in the current consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework are brought forward, the Council will be expected to proactively identify sites for renewable and low carbon development when producing plans.’

Councillor Ralph Muncer asked a supplementary question, as follows:

‘Does Councillor Allen agree that local communities, including those in North Hertfordshire, should have a meaningful say when these applications are brought forward or does Councillor Allen agree with his colleague the Chancellor of the Exchequer in that ‘local communities should suck it up’?’

Councillor Daniel Allen responded:

‘I agree with our planning board, whenever they make a decision that affects our residents. They are the ones that are there to make these decisions and I will support them on the decisions that they make.’

(B)  Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework

Councillor Ralph Muncer to Councillor Daniel Allen, Leader of the Council:

‘To ask the Leader of the Council if he will set out Council’s response to the consultation on the Government’s proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system?’

Councillor Daniel Allen provided the following response:

‘Officers have drafted a technical response to the detailed questions in the consultation which will be finalised and submitted and reported in a future Strategic Planning Matters report to Cabinet. Any covering letter, political response or equivalent from the Council will be based upon the outcomes of the relevant motions that follow on from tonight's agenda.’

Councillor Ralph Muncer asked a supplementary question, as follows:

‘Can I invite the Leader of the Council to join me in stating that North Hertfordshire is not a suitable location for a government mandated new town?’

Councillor Daniel Allen responded:

‘No, because it would pre-empt any consultation or debate that we have as a Council, so no.’

(C)  Environmental Crime Officers

Councillor David Barnard to Councillor Amy Allen, Executive Member for Recycling and Waste:

‘To ask the Executive Member for Recycling and Waste how many Environmental Crime Officers are employed by Council to investigate offences such as Fly-tipping?’

Councillor Amy Allen provided the following response:

‘Two.’

Councillor David Barnard asked a supplementary question, as follows:

‘Would the Executive Member agree that there is an urgent need to employ extra support to this overburdened department either by employing an extra Environmental Officer or by employing a skilled Administration Support Officer who could take the pressure off of our existing Officers?’

Councillor Amy Allen responded:

‘I appreciate your question, actually I did pre-empt this after our conversation and as such I think it is really important to discuss these things especially when you have got our Officers in the field as they are. I did look into this and do a little investigation and had some conversations, and you are right we need to tidy up and find some resolution regarding the paperwork and the back office kind of stuff, that our Community Safety Officers have to deal with.

So, I hope to be working with Steve Cobb, to sort that out and alleviate some of the pressure and work on paperwork that is on our Community Safety Officers they can then actually be out in the field doing their job. As for the rest, I am not going to sit here and say yes we absolutely need another employee, but I will absolutely take your concerns on board and hopefully look into doing something like that in the future, because two people covering North Hertfordshire, it is a large area, and I really would like to try and find ways to make that better.’