The Council has received a Petition under its Petitions Scheme. With over 100 signatures the Petition qualifies for a Council debate. Members are therefore asked to request Officers to consider the issues raised as part of the Borough Plan process.

13.1           Attention was drawn to the report of the Development Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 10-22, which asked Members to note the petition and to request that Officers consider the issues raised within it as part of the Borough Plan process.  

13.2           The Mayor invited Stella Barnes, speaking on behalf of the petition organiser, to make her presentation to the Council. Ms Barnes explained that she represented the people who had signed the e-petition. She indicated that, firstly, she would like to make it clear that the petition was not aimed at blocking the necessary evolution of farming, nor was it a protest about industrial farming itself. Instead the petition was a request that the Council create policy guidelines to set criteria to provide those concerned with the reassurance that they would continue to enjoy living in a farming community during this important transitional time. The particular concern of the petitioners had been triggered by the introduction of industrial scale poultry farming into villages which had seen little change for hundreds of years. It was understood that progress was essential but it was not without problems. Ms Barnes provided the example of an application in The Leigh for three units housing 155,000 birds which had been facilitated by a professional agent who had followed a standard format and used data to support the application from previous clients. This was a ‘one size fits all’ approach which may be appropriate in open farmland but was not appropriate in a village where there were a unique set of challenges. The issue had been recognised by other authorities and was being dealt with; location was seen as the key to long term success.

13.3           Ms Barnes explained that it was the petitioners’ belief that a set of policy guidelines, implemented at the outset of the permanent change to villages, would safeguard the health and enjoyment of future generations. She explained that West Lindsey District Council had such a policy – Econ 5 for Intensive Livestock Units – which asked that: they were located not less than 400 metres from a building occupied by people who were not directly related to the enterprise; that the final distance would be determined by other factors such as prevailing winds, lack of screening and topography; ensured that there would not be an over-intensification of livestock units in a locality; and that the development complied with all other relevant policies in the Local Plan. It was considered that this was a reasonable and fair guideline. The petitioners also asked that the policy included a clear and measurable criteria for all aspects of environmental impact including noise, odour, airborne dust, waste disposal and vermin control. Ms Barnes provided the example that they would like assurance that the transport access, route to main highway and road construction did not impinge on residents right to enjoyment i.e. the farm at Cursey Lane had 155,000 birds and had 54 articulated lorry movements day and night over a 36 hour period – because the farm was not located in a village the nuisance level had little impact on others, however, this would be unacceptable in a residential setting. Another simple reassurance would be that the prevailing wind direction was not toward the residents, there were well documented health risks caused by airborne dust from intensive poultry farming so compliance would safeguard residents and help to avoid any potential litigation between affected residents and farmers in the future. In summing up, Ms Barnes felt that a policy developed by Tewkesbury Borough Council could be the benchmark needed to provide peace of mind to its constituents; to safeguard the health and wellbeing of constituents now and in future generations; ensure industrial scale farming under strict policy guidelines would also help reduce the negative impact on property values and the fear of negative equity; would provide a clear demarcation for future residential property allowing new build planning applications to easily comply; and would reduce the number of Parish and Borough meetings, correspondence and petitions such as this. She felt that the policy would provide a framework to reassure all concerned that the introduction of industrial scale farming in a village setting would meet the interests of all concerned.

13.4           The Mayor thanked Ms Barnes for the information provided and invited the Deputy Chief Executive to introduce the report of the Development Services Group Manager. The Deputy Chief Executive indicated that the issues raised by the petition were key matters for debate within the Local Plan which it was felt was the appropriate way to determine such matters. There was an opportunity to influence the development of the Plan through the consultation process and she indicated the importance of developing such policies following due process and taking into account the debates and representations made from all parties in all areas. Should Members agree to the recommended course of action, the petitioners would be invited to make their comments through the consultation which was likely to be held during winter 2016.

13.5           During the discussion which ensued, a Member raised concern about the recommendation on the paper and questioned whether the petitioner would need to present their petition again when the Local Plan was considered by the Council. In response, the Deputy Chief Executive explained that the Officers working on the Plan would take into account the comments made at this evening’s meeting so there would be no need to repeat the current debate. The petitioners could input directly to the consultation should they so wish. In terms of the action that could be taken in response to a petition, the Chief Executive explained that one of the options was to consider the petition at a Council meeting which was what was being done this evening. The recommendation on the report was a suggestion as to how Members may wish to deal with the matter but if the Council wished to agree something else it was entitled to do so. There followed a brief debate about how petitions were dealt with and how the Borough Plan was being devised. The Deputy Chief Executive explained that the Joint Core Strategy and the Borough Plan were linked so the Joint Core Strategy examination had implications on the Borough Plan timescales. The Joint Core Strategy set the high level framework and the Borough Plan set the local policies. The Planning Policy Reference Panel had had some early stage discussions about the policies in the Borough Plan and a consultation process had been undertaken with the public last year on the principles of the Borough Plan. Going forward, the Plan would of course be developed with Member input and could only be agreed by Council when it reached that stage.

13.6           A Member indicated that he was grateful for the petition and issues it raised and he felt that the proper place to discuss this serious matter would be as part of the plan-making process. He felt that looking at other examples would be helpful and that if the issue could be resolved elsewhere it seemed something that the Borough Council should look at carefully. He did not think it would be helpful for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to look at the matter as it was something that ultimately would need to be agreed by the Council anyway; particularly as the Borough Solicitor had confirmed that it would be a new policy rather than a change to an existing one. Members generally agreed that the matter should be dealt with through the Local Plan process and, upon being proposed and seconded, it was

                  RESOLVED          That the issues raised by the e-petition be considered as part                                  of the Borough Plan process.

13.7           The Mayor thanked Ms Barnes for her attendance and invited her to watch the remainder of the meeting from the public gallery should she so wish.