Issue - meetings

To receive written or verbal updates from the following Task and Finish/Working Groups:

·         Local Plan Task Group                         Chair of E&S Committee

·         Staines Development Task Group      Chair of E&S Committee

·         CIL Task Group                                      Chair of E&S Committee

·         Climate Change Working Group         Chair of E&S Committee

The following updates were provided:

Local Plan Task Group

“The group has been meeting frequently throughout October to discuss the draft policies and allocations. The site allocation discussions follow meetings held with landowners and agents to obtain further information and to put forward queries raised by Members of the group, plus a review of highway issues by Surrey County Council.

The group has also discussed potential sites for gypsies and travellers, which are now undergoing further assessment by officers. It is hoped that the draft policies and allocations can be finalised by the end of November. This will allow important work on the Infrastructure Delivery Plan and traffic modelling to be completed.”

Staines Development Task Group

“The group has met to consider next steps for the Staines Development Framework in light of the consultation responses and have viewed a draft structure of the document. They are starting to consider key issues such as townscape, including building heights and massing. Future meetings will cover transport and parking, public realm and amenity space. The group has also agreed a summary of the consultation responses that will be published alongside the full document.”

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Task Group

“The CIL Task Group met on 30 September to discuss a number of Strategic Bids.  Two bids were from the CCG proposing reconfigurations and refurbishments works to the Staines and Sunbury Health Centres to increase capacity. The third bid was from Surrey Education towards the expansion of Bishop Wand School. The outcome of the meeting was as follows –

•      £400,000 Strategic CIL toward the expansion of Bishop Wand to be recommended to the Joint Committee for approval

•      £71,760 Strategic CIL towards the reconfiguration of Staines Health Centre to create two new clinical rooms to be recommended to the Joint Committee for approval

The Spelthorne Joint Committee, as the final decision maker for Strategic CIL spend, will be presented with the above schemes at their meeting on 22 November. The Strategic bid for the refurbishment of Sunbury Health Centre is not being recommended at this time. Further information is required from the CCG, and once received the bid will be reconsidered at a subsequent Task Group meeting.”

In response to questions raised about the recommendations and the varying amounts of money, the Committee was advised that the submitted requests had been considered by local CIL task groups in detail.  Further details would be available when a report was submitted to the Spelthorne Joint Committee for consideration and decision and it was not considered appropriate to debate the issue or share information at this stage.

Climate Change Working Group

The group had held their first meeting on 13 October.  Another meeting was to be held shortly when it was anticipated that a Chairman would be appointed.

They had received details of activities and work done to date and also suggested items to go forward.

The Committee resolved to note the updates provided.