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SCRUTINY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION ACTION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (SCRAIP)
Report Title: Leisure & Prosperity – Rural Economy Review
Report of Leisure & Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Date of Publication: 9 June 2011
Dates to report back to Committee:
|
Update |
Date |
Completed? |
Note |
|
1st |
Dec 2011 |
|
6 months after publication |
|
2nd |
June 2012 |
|
12 months after publication |
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|
|
|
|
|
Recommendation[i] |
Chief Officer /Cabinet Member[ii] |
Response[iii]
|
Timetable[iv] |
Lead Officer[v] |
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The Economic Development Strategy July 2008 needs to be revised to show an equal focus on the rural and urban aspects of the Borough and reflect the recent changes concerning the Localism Bill. |
Chief Officers of Economic Development |
A refresh of the Economic Development Strategy will be commissioned this year, which will consider the rural economy in equal measure to the urban economy. |
October 2011 to March 2012 |
John Foster |
|
To lobby for station improvements within the rural areas to allow better disabled access to all platforms. |
Full Cabinet |
The Council will pursue this in conjunction with Network Rail and other Partners. |
6 months |
David Edwards |
|
That the Cabinet Members for Environment and Economic Development & Transport support the future work programme for 2011/12 and that the rural economy transport issues are suitably addressed as part of the Local Development Framework. |
Cabinet Members |
These issues will be examined through the Integrated Transport Strategy and Core Strategy. |
3 months |
Flo Churchill/ Sue Whiteside |
|
The Cabinet Members for Economic Development & Transport and Environment should lobby support to the Growth Without Gridlock team on the major priorities concerning Maidstone in the Rail Action Plan for Kent Strategy. |
Cabinet Members |
The council has been pursuing significant rail issues with KCC and the Government directly; this work is on-going. |
On-going |
David Edwards |
|
As the new plan is being devised, the Committee would like to see a stronger recognition of the rural transport issues and provide detail on how the Council intend to overcome the current obstacles. |
Full Cabinet |
These issues will be examined through the Integrated Transport Strategy and Core Strategy. |
3 months |
Flo Churchill/ Sue Whiteside |
|
Following the announcements of the first successful round of applications for the Superfast Broadband Pilot Fund in mid May 2011, the Committee see which applicants have been successful within the borough, and what the next procedure is before this can be implemented. |
IT/Economic Development Officers |
Kent County Council’s BDUK bid has failed. KCC has its own funding for broadband development to support economic development and work is in process to engage with KCC to identify a project for Maidstone. |
July 2011 – April 2012 |
Keith Grimley/Dave Lindsey |
|
The Cabinet Member for Economic Development & Transport seeks methods to educate Maidstone residents in renewable energy benefits, perhaps with the help of Distributed Generation Ltd at possible community and town events. |
Cabinet Member |
The Council’s climate change web pages currently direct interested people to the Energy Trust, rather than to a specific Company. Events can be organised through the Energy Trust or Creative Environmental Network. This enables people to choose which company they use rather than direct people to a Company. |
April 2012 |
Jennifer Hunt |
|
In line with the Council’s Sustainable Procurement Strategy, the Council support businesses within the borough when possible and permissible. |
Full Cabinet |
This can be pursued through the Council’s procurement process. |
On-going |
Steve Goulette/ Stephen Trigg |
|
The Cabinet Member for Community & Leisure Services investigates any licence issues regarding obtaining a business recycling point in Marden. |
Cabinet Member |
This issue will be pursued, as well as any licensing issues; such a facility may also need planning permission. |
6 months |
Steve Goulette |
|
The Cabinet Member seeks the possibility of creating a ‘bank roll’ service, using Cornwall Council as an example, in order to support applicants in the Leader Programme. |
Cabinet Member |
This will be examined. |
4 months |
Paul Riley |
|
The Cabinet Member liaises with the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment and the Head of Development Management to reduce the time taken for planning to write confirmation that no planning permission was required on the site concerned. This may include highlighting to the Leader Programme team the process to apply for Certificate for Lawful Developments on sites concerning the Leader Programe. |
Cabinet Member |
The processes of issuing Certificate of Lawful Development will be examined to determine whether it is possible to reduce the time taken for issuing them. |
3 months |
Rob Jarman |
|
That the Cabinet Member and Leader of the Council should ensure planning policies reflect the contemporary needs of Maidstone’s agricultural businesses. Spatial planning policies should be pro-active in encouraging planning applications for renewables and polytunnels (where appropriate and done in a sensitive manner) to help our agricultural community compete. |
Full Cabinet |
This issue can be examined through the Core Strategy and other Land Development Plan Documents. |
3 months |
Flo Churchill/ Sue Whiteside |
|
The Committee would like the Council to give encouragement for local affordable housing schemes in the rural communities. Ways of incentivising such schemes should be given consideration. |
Full Cabinet |
The Council’s policies already enable affordable housing in rural areas, either as part of larger developments or where there is an identified local need. Whether such schemes can be further encouraged is an issue related to both Planning and Housing Policy. This issue can be examined through reviewing both Planning and Housing Policy. |
3 months |
Flo Churchill/ John Littlemore |
|
Cabinet Member to pursue lobbying KCC Members to review the procedure for renewing and mending brown tourism signs. |
Cabinet Member |
This issue is complex as brown signs are owned by the properties or venues they relate to; they are commissioned by Visit Kent and erected by Kent County Council. The removal of a sign, or its repair, is therefore an issue for both the sign owner and KCC. Realistically, the whole system requires review in liaison with other parties. |
6 months |
Brian Morgan |
|
That the neighbourhood forum meets with the business forums from time to time to help lobby the council with issues as a community. |
Janet Barnes/Cabinet Member |
Incorporated in the report on the Review of Neighbourhood Forums to go to the Cabinet Meeting on 10 August 2011 |
August 2011 |
Neil Harris/ Janet Barnes |
|
The Cabinet Member should review the possibility of adapting the boroughs neighborhood forums using Merton Council as an example. |
Cabinet Member |
Incorporated in the report on the Review of Neighbourhood Forums to go to the Cabinet Meeting on 10 August 2011 |
August 2011 |
Neil Harris/ Janet Barnes |
Notes on the completion of SCRAIP
[i] Report recommendations are listed as found in the report.
[ii] Insert in this box the Cabinet Member whose portfolio the recommendation falls within.
[iii] The Officer/Cabinet Member responsible for responding to the recommendation should indicate in this box either the acceptance or rejection of the recommendation.
If the recommendation is rejected an explanation for its rejection should be provided. The ‘timetable’ and ‘lead officer’ boxes can be left blank
If the recommendation is accepted an explanation of the action to be taken to implement the recommendation should be recorded in this box. Please also complete the ‘timetable’ and ‘lead officer’ boxes.
[iv] The Officer/Cabinet Member responsible for responding to the recommendation should indicate in this box when the action in indicated in the previous box will be implemented.
[v] The Officer/Cabinet Member responsible for responding to the recommendation should indicate in this box the Officer responsible for the implementation of the action highlighted in the ‘response’ box.