Council and democracy

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning, Transport, Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committeemeeting held on 6 July 2020.

The minutes of the Planning, Transport, Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 6 July 2020 was approved as a true and correct record.

To receive additional items that the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no items of urgent business.

There were no declarations of interest

The Director of Place addressed Members explaining the two reports presented to the Committee were interrelated. The COVID pandemic has had a significant impact on the world economy and Thurrock has seen the affects like everywhere else. 

Members heard there was a need to refresh the economy strategy and encourage economic growth and the benefits for Thurrock of this would assist with the period of recovery from the pandemic and then facilitate a return to economic growth. Sitting alongside this report was an update of the Local Plan , this was equally important for the recovery and growth of the economy within Thurrock and therefore both reports were working together with partners and moving Thurrock forward.

The Economic Development Manager presented the report which forms the first part of the Backing Thurrock strategy.  The first part of the strategy recognised the underlying strengths in the Thurrock economy and the devastating economic impact that the COVID pandemic has had in Thurrock.  The strategy suggested a pro-active approach where the Council facilitates and uses the levers it has to support a market led recovery.

He continued that the report proposed a number of immediate actions that were currently being delivered or could be implemented within the next six months to support the response.

The Committee were advised that in the medium and longer term the strategy was required to continue to support the recovery period but also take advantage of the opportunities arising from underlying changes in the economy.  It was explained that stakeholders in Thurrock had a proud tradition of working together and the strategy proposed a framework within which businesses and other stakeholders would be invited to work with the Council to develop an Implementation Plan for the medium and longer term. 

The Chair of the Committee thanked the Economic Development Manager for his report and welcomed the refresh he then went on to seek whether the recovery document could be linked with other local authorities. It was explained there was a link with other local authorities within south Essex and the officers were attending weekly meetings and working together.

Members referred Officers to the report, which highlighted certain areas of concern before COVID-19, for example an increase in claimant count. Officers confirmed that addressing the rise in claimant count was a focus of the strategy.  For example the development of the Thurrock opportunity website which would be used to promoted local jobs for local people; with the aim that this would help to reduce the claimant count within the borough. Councillor Allen Chair of the Committee agreed with Members comments that local people should have local jobs and therefore the local economy could grow from this.

Councillor Anderson enquired as to whether small businesses would be given support during the consultation and asked for this assurance to be given. The Economic Development Manager explained that small businesses would be consulted on the strategy and given the opportunity to contribute to the strategy and implementation plan. Councillor Anderson asked  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The Interim Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Public Protection presented the report explaining the first part of the report looked back over the previous few months with regards to COVID-19 and the impact of that on local processes. 

He advised the Committee that Officers were currently focussed upon the logistics of future community engagement and the roll out of further Design Charrettes across the Borough. Discussions were well underway with the Princes Foundation and the Council’s coms team to work out the best and safest ways to continue engagement with residents, land owners and businesses.

The Committee heard the key success to any local plan was a joint working and a sound evidence base, and how the Council would work with key stakeholders and local businesses with the use of Planning Performance Agreements.

The Interim Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Public Protection advised Members that the Government had published a white paper in August which set out proposals for the reform of the planning system. Members were advised that Officers were currently working their way through the proposed changes and a verbal update would be provided at the next meeting but first impressions of the reforms were broadly positive; in many ways the approach that the Council has already adopted is aligned to the approach now being promoted by Government. In particular, the Council’s work with the Princes Foundation in rolling out Design Charrettes is strongly supported by the reforms; the concept of working with communities, landowners, and developers to create locally distinctive master plans for development on town by town basis forms a core plank of the government’s design coding ambitions. Members were advised that the Council is very much ahead of the curve in that respect. 

Members were advised that the next steps included:

·         The roll out of Design Charrette events in association with the Princes Foundation,

·         Setting up of ‘Development Teams’ involving landowners scheme promoters, the Council and key delivery partners such as Homes England, Highways England etc.

·         The evolution and development of the Your Place, Your Voice community engagement events and on-going informal engagement with local communities.

·         The development of a Transport Strategy to serve as an evidence base for large scale strategic infrastructure. Members were informed that Officers are due to present a report to the October meeting on the Transport Strategy. 

The Chair of the Committee thanked for the Assistant Director for the report. He commented on the proposed 32,000 homes to be built within the borough over the next 20 years. He then commented on transport links within the borough and how additional uses for the river should be investigated. He further remarked on health and well-being within the borough and stated that the infrastructure that goes with building homes such as doctors and the health hubs, was also important. He suggested the possibility of Thurrock having its own hospital.

Councillor Kerin queried the timeline within the report and asked what types of homes were to be built and when members would see  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The Committee discussed the items listed on the work programme. It was agreed to include the items suggested by the Chair of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the following items be included on the Planning Transport Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme:

• Full Report on the A13
• Report on proposed new Lorry Park
• Verbal update on the Government’s proposed changes to the Planning system and their Impacts
• Build, Build, Build Project
• Preston Model