To receive any announcements from the Leader.
Minutes:
The Leader and the Deputy Leader made the following announcements:
The Leader
“We are helping residents and businesses affected by flooding after Storm Henk to apply for government funding to help them recover. This support is available through a scheme called the Flood Recovery Framework which is used in exceptional circumstances to support councils and communities following severe flooding. We are writing to those who we believe have been affected and information is also on our website and social media channels. Please help spread the word as the deadline to apply is 20 March.
We are busy working through different options to make some changes to the Local Plan. These will be considered at the Extraordinary Environment & Sustainability Committee on 29 February. The agenda has just been published for the E&S committee and I invite residents, businesses and councillors alike to read the report, and attend the meeting (in person or online). The aim is to ensure that the Local Plan better reflects what our residents want, particularly around reducing the number of homes to be delivered, recognising the pressures of flood risk on key areas within the Borough and considering what is appropriate for our Green Belt. We hope that this means we will be able to resume the Local Plan examination later this year, but this will be ultimately decided by the Planning Inspector.
The Spelthorne Design Code will play an important role in delivering high quality development in the Borough. Work on the project is progressing well (having been agreed by E&S committee in January) with the tender process to find a specialist consultant to work with the Council on developing the code underway. The plan is to have consultants on board in March. As the project progresses, we will be reaching out to residents to ensure we have the views of all sections of the community before we develop a Vision for the Borough which will underpin the Design Code. The current intention is to have a completed design code in place by the end of 2024”.
The Deputy Leader
“The Council hosted an Apprenticeship Fair in partnership with Kwasi Kwarteng MP at the Job & Skills Hub in Staines on Friday 9 February. The event coincided with National Apprenticeship Week and connected young people with over 20 local employers from a range of industries. The students were able to find out about the benefits of doing an apprenticeship, the types of roles on offer and how to apply for the right opportunity. The feedback from both the employers and students was extremely positive so well done to everyone who helped with the organisation.
We will be launching a ‘Keep Spelthorne Clean’ campaign in June, working with residents and businesses to tidy up some of the unsightly areas in the Borough. Like you, we hate to see things like litter, graffiti and dog fouling and are determined to crack down on these issues. We have reached out to primary schools to ask for their help to get the message across by creating impactful posters that will encourage people to show more respect for the Borough. Thank you to all the children who have taken part in this exercise. We will include some of their posters in the next edition of the Bulletin magazine together with an article which explains more about the campaign”.