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MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE Joint Regeneration & Economic Development and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on Tuesday 10 July 2012 |
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PRESENT: |
Councillors Beerling, Black, Mrs Blackmore, Brindle, Burton, Cox, Cuming, Mrs Gooch, Mrs Joy, McLoughlin, D Mortimer, Munford, Mrs Parvin, Paterson, Springett, Vizzard and De Wiggondene |
1. The Committee to consider whether all items on the agenda should be web-cast.
It was resolved that all items be webcast.
2. Apologies
Apologies were received from Cllr Newton.
3. Notification of Substitute Members.
Cllr Gooch substituted for Cllr Newton.
4. Notification of Visiting Members.
Councillors Mrs Gibson, Thick, Gardener and Collins attended as visiting members with an interest in Item 8, Exempt Report for Public Gypsy Site: Progress Update.
5. Appointment of Chairman.
It was resolved that David Burton be appointed as the Chairman for the meeting.
6. Disclosures by Members and Officers:
There were no disclosures.
7. To consider whether any items should be taken in private because of the possible disclosure of exempt information.
Resolved that the items in Part II of the agenda be taken in private as proposed.
8. Public Gypsy Site: Progress Update
Chairman welcomed the Officers to the meeting and asked for the Officers to provide a brief overview of the process to date for the benefit of the public and to provide some context for the meeting.
The Head of Planning outlined the Council’s duty as the local planning authority to provide Gypsy accommodation. It was noted that a needs assessment had been undertaken which identified the level of need as 157 pitches. In partnership with Town and Country Housing Association the Council had been successful in obtaining grant money to deliver 15 new Gypsy & Traveller pitches by March 2015.
It was noted that following the request for land 114 potential sites had been put forward. All of these sites were visited and assessed by Officers using a scorecard on planning aspects and following discussions with KCC and Town & Country Housing about the availability the list was shortened.
Mr Jarman outlined to the Committee that they were looking for Cabinet to endorse the shortlist so that Town & country could carry out negations with landowners and infrastructure could be costed. The Chairman thanked Mr Jarman for the summary
9. Exclusion of the public from the meeting.
RESOLVED: That the public be excluded from the meeting for the
following item of business because of the likely disclosure of exempt
information for the reason specified having applied the Public Interest
Test:-
Head of Schedule 12A and Brief
Description
Exempt Report for Public Gypsy Paragraph 3 – Financial/Business
Site: Progress Update Affairs
10. Exempt Report for Public Gypsy Site: Progress Update.
It was resolved that the Committee recommends that Cabinet agree the recommendations of the report taking into consideration the debate of the Joint Regeneration & Economic Development and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.