Agenda item

To receive the report of the Acting Leader of the Council on the work of the Cabinet at its meeting on 14 October 2015 (to follow).

As Councillor A.C. Harman was the Acting Leader for the Cabinet meeting which took place on 14 October 2015 the Mayor directed that he act in that capacity for the duration of the item. Councillor A.C. Harman presented his report of the Cabinet held on 14 October 2015 which outlined the matters the Cabinet had decided since the last Council meeting.

Question from Councillor A. Griffiths

“Information regarding Spelthorne’s Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) being published on a minority party website is causing concern amongst many of my residents. 

It states that if the SHMA is accepted, which it has been by this Council, then the “predict and provide” mentality will mean that the rest of the plan is just an exercise in meeting the defined “need”.

It also states that the ground rules for the SHMA are ‘incredibly dangerous’ because of the total disregard of availability of land in the borough, which is a ‘very special circumstance’ for this area, so we can expect developers to use the SHMA to pressurise the Council to grant planning permissions and allow development in the Green Belt.

Could the Leader tell me whether the acceptance of the SHMA means that this council accepts “predict and provide” and therefore it will make the rest of the plan just an exercise in meeting the defined “need”? 

Additionally as it is related, could the Leader tell me if he would expect that the council would ignore government guidance, government Green Belt policy and our own Green Belt Policy and accept an assertion from a developer that a lack of ‘brownfield’ land can be classed as a ‘exceptional circumstance’ in order to develop on the Green Belt based on the “needs” findings of the SHMA?”

Response from Councillor A.C. Harman, the Acting Leader of the Council

“I am very grateful to Councillor Griffiths for her question and the opportunity to correct a gross misunderstanding on the part of the Liberal Democrats. 

In answer to your two specific questions the answers are No and No. Let me explain why.

Preparing Local Plans is an important and complex task. On the one hand we must of course clearly understand the needs of residents and businesses.  But on the other hand we must weigh those needs with the many constraints in this Borough.  These constraints include the need to protect what we all cherish – including our Green Belt, open spaces, the River Thames etc. - as well as the limited land available.

Preparing the new local plan will involve extensive public consultation – which has already started.  The result will need to be a careful balance which provides a sustainable plan – which is what government guidance requires of us.  The party opposite can follow the simplistic ‘predict and provide’ mentality if they want to but this Council will strive for a plan which delivers a ‘sustainable balance’ which is what our residents will expect.”

Question from Councillor I.J. Beardsmore

“This question relates to the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). As the nature and proportions of Green Belt are different in Spelthorne and Runnymede, does the Leader agree that aggregating the authorities’ Green Belt makes it seem that Spelthorne has far more greenfield Green Belt available for housing and that this will not do us any favours at any Local Development Framework enquiry?”

Response from Councillor A.C. Harman, the Acting Leader of the Council

“Spelthorne and Runnymede have developed a joint methodology for a Strategic Land Availability Assessment which will consider housing and other needs. This joint work on a methodology was for reasons of both efficiency in effort and ensure an appropriate level of consistence between two similar authorities.

The suggestion within the question that the authorities should ‘aggregate’ their Green Belt is misconceived and would be wrong.  Each authority is responsible for its respective land availability study and formulating its own Local Plan based on robust and credible evidence that can be justified at any future Local Plan inquiry.”