Agenda and minutes

53.1           Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R A Bird, R Bishop and R E Garnham. Members were advised that Councillors R Bishop and R E Garnham were unable to attend due to pecuniary interests in the item of business which was being considered – Joint Core Strategy: Main Modifications.

54.1           The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 26 June 2012 and took effect from 1 July 2012.

54.2           The following declarations were made:

54.3           There were no further declarations made on this occasion.

55.1           The evacuation procedure, as noted on the Agenda, was advised to those present.  

55.2           The Leader of the Council indicated that this would be the last Council meeting for the current Deputy Chief Executive, Rachel North. On behalf of the Council, he offered his best wishes for her new job and thanked her for her professionalism, input and expertise throughout her time with the Council.

To consider the Joint Core Strategy Main Modifications.  

56.1           Attention was drawn to the report of the Head of Development Services, circulated at Pages No. 1-270, which sought to update Members regarding progress on the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) after the Council meetings in June 2016, the hearings in July and the Inspector’s Note of Recommendations made at the hearing session on 21 July 2016; to advise Members about the work undertaken to address the conclusions and recommendations of the Inspector regarding the June 2014 Pre-Submission JCS; to seek approval of the proposed main modifications to the June 2014 Pre-Submission JCS for the purposes of undertaking formal public consultation; to advise of the next steps in the JCS process, including arrangements for consultation about the proposed main modifications; and to identify the key evidence and supporting documents which were related to the recommended proposed main modifications.  Members were asked to consider the information provided and approve, for public consultation, the main modifications to the June 2014 Pre-Submission Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury JCS, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report (including the proposed modifications to the proposals map and key diagram), as those which it endorsed and considered necessary to make the JCS sound and to delegate authority to the Chief Executive of Tewkesbury Borough Council to progress and sign a joint planning statement with Wychavon District Council in respect of development at land at Mitton. Attention was drawn to an additional sheet which set out a revision to Policy SD3 Retail and City/Town Centres – Primary Frontages and a revision to the recommendations contained within the report to support that policy change.

56.2           The Mayor explained that the Planning Policy Manager would present the report and Members would be given the opportunity to ask questions. A proposer and seconder would then be sought and the item opened up for debate.

56.3           The Planning Policy Manager explained that the JCS was being developed jointly by Tewkesbury Borough, Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City Councils. Since submission of the JCS, the Planning Inspector had undertaken a detailed examination which had comprehensively scrutinised the objectively assessed need etc. The Inspector’s Interim Report had been published in May 2016 and, following the receipt of that report, all three JCS authorities had considered it and made their comments to it; particularly in response to her proposals that there should be a 5% uplift to the objectively assessed need and that allocations at Fiddington, Mitton and Twigworth should be included in the JCS. The proposed main modifications were attached to the report at Appendix 1 with the significant modifications summarised at section two of the report. In respect of capacity at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) site at Ashchurch, the Planning Policy Manager advised that a verbal update had been received that some phases would no longer be released within the plan period as previously envisaged. At this stage the Council had no further information but this matter would be considered in detail when further information was received and it was anticipated at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

57.1           The Mayor proposed, and it was  

                  RESOLVED          That, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act                               1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following                              items on the grounds that they involve the likely discussion of                                     exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the                               Act.

(Exempt –Paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 –Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings)

To receive a report from the Borough Solicitor to enable the Council to determine a response to legal proceedings.   

(Exempt –Paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 –Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings)

58.1           The Council received a report from the Borough Solicitor to enable it to determine a response to legal proceedings. Members resolved that, having considered the merits of the case, they wished to continue to defend the proceedings in the High Court.