Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 May 2022.

RESOLVED:

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 10 May 2022 be confirmed as a true record.

To invite Members to declare any interest they might have in the matters on the agenda.

No declarations were received at this stage.

Members of the public are invited to make representations to the Committee regarding its workplan. Questions may be asked without notice, but to guarantee a full reply at the meeting a question must be put (including the name and address of the questioner) in writing or by email to democratic.services@iow.gov.uk, no later than two clear working days before the start of the meeting. The deadline for written questions is Thursday, 9 June 2022.

No public questions were received.

To receive an update on the progress against the outcomes arising from previous meetings, and to provide an update on any outstanding actions.

The chairman presented the report which provided an overview of the progress against actions and outcomes from previous meetings.

An update was requested with regards to the outcome of the Cowes Floating Bridge mediation, to be included in the work programme. The interim Chief Executive advised that mediation was ongoing and that an update would be provided when the outcome of the mediation was known.

It was noted that the Island Planning Strategy was on the forward plan for consideration by the Cabinet and Full Council in September 2022. It was confirmed that this item would be added to the workplan for consideration at the meetings of the Committee in July and September 2022.

RESOLVED:

THAT the progress report be noted.

To identify any items contained within the Council’s forward plan which would benefit from early consideration by scrutiny, either before the Cabinet makes a decision or to monitor post-implementation, and should therefore be included in the Committee’s current work programme. The forward plan can be viewed online here: https://iow.moderngov.co.uk/mgListPlans.aspx?RPId=145&RD=0&bcr=1

To note the content of the current work programme, and to consider the inclusion of any additional items. Members of the public are invited to submit in writing to the Committee possible items for inclusion in its workplan.

The committee were invited to identify any item contained within the published forward plan that would benefit from early consideration within the committee’s own workplan or one of the policy and scrutiny committees.

Discussion took place regarding the Isle of Wight Council (Parking Places) Order No1 2022, to introduce new parking charges in Marsfield Road Car Park in East Cowes, scheduled for decision by the Cabinet on Monday 20 June 2022. The Director of Regeneration advised that this was a temporary arrangement to undertake a scoping study to identify the area as a potential residential site, further to the commitment to Homes England to achieve planning permission by March 2023.

Questions were raised in relation to the Review of the Public Health Partnership Function between Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire County Council, to be determined by the Cabinet in September 2022. It was advised that this was considered by the Policy and Scrutiny Committee for Health and Social Care at its meeting on 6 June 2022.

It was confirmed that the draft Island Planning Strategy document would be presented to the Committee at its meetings in July and September 2022.

Discussion took place in relation to the Levelling Up Fund - Round 2 - UK Shared Prosperity Fund (to be determined by the Cabinet in July 2022) particularly with regards to duration of the process and staffing capacity to support the bid.

RESOLVED:

THAT the forward plan, and the committee’s work programme 2022-25, be

noted.

To consider the item identified from the Forward Plan for pre-decision scrutiny, ahead of the decision by Cabinet on 16 May 2022.

The Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance, Transformational Change and Corporate Resources presented the report which sought to provide the Cabinet with a summary of progress against Corporate Plan activities and measures, and to inform Cabinet of areas of particular success, issues requiring attention and remedial activity in place to deal with these.

Questions were raised in relation to the council’s position on achieving an ‘Island deal’. The interim Chief Executive and the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance, Transformational Change and Corporate Resources outlined steps taken to make the case for island to be considered in the fair funding review.

Discussion took place regarding the Contact Centre’s performance statistics, particularly in relation to the use of “median” rather than “mean” when assessing data. It was agreed that data regarding individual call-line response times for the handling of calls would be circulated to the Committee.

Comments were made in relation to the successful completion of alcohol treatments and smoking cessation services, methods of measuring improvements in mental health, school academisations, and foodbanks and community pantries.

The committee noted that the resulting report and action plan arising from the LGA peer review of the planning service would be shared with the Policy and Scrutiny Committee for Neighbourhoods and Regeneration once available. This would also be of relevance when looking at the draft Island Plan.

Questions were raised regarding the government's Brownfield Release Fund (BRF) to bring forward three council-owned sites for new housing. It was confirmed that these sites were at the former Island Learning Centre off Berry Hill in Lake; Thompson House off Sandy Lane in Gatcombe, and the former Weston Academy in Totland.

Clarification was sought regarding the fourth paragraph of Appendix 6 (Planning and Community Engagement), relating to greenfield sites’ inclusion in the draft Island Plan within the context of the preparation of the strategy, national planning policy, and legislation. It was advised that the Cabinet Member for Planning and Enforcement would provide written clarification on this to be circulated to the committee.

Additional discussion took place regarding the process for amending the constitution to allow representatives from town, parish, or community councils to be non-voting members of the Planning Committee.

Questions were raised in relation to Appendix 9 (Highways PFI, Infrastructure and Transport). It was noted that the report made no reference to the Floating Bridge and it was agreed that future performance reporting should include reliability report on this matter. Discussion took place regarding the data which indicated a decrease in public transport users.

RESOLVED:

THAT the report and recommendations to Cabinet be endorsed.

To consider a report looking at the actions being taken regarding the provision of affordable housing for Island residents as one of the Council’s key activities within the Corporate Plan.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Digital Transformation, Housing, Homelessness and Poverty presented the report on the provision of affordable housing for Island residents as one of the Council’s key activities within the Corporate Plan.

Concerns were raised that it was not clear how the provision of affordable housing was being progressed, what actions were being taken to address the issue, and why the council’s housing company (which had been developed to deliver affordable housing) was listed as dormant. Questions were raised in relation to housing refugees, reporting statistics, government funding, and ensuring empty properties and sites are developed following planning permission approval. Concern was expressed about the utlisation of median figures which could give a false impression of the actual situation on the Island. Whilst recognising the definition of affordability on the island compared with that on the mainland the need for the draft Island Plan to be clear on affordability was important.

It was highlighted that shortly after the Council had approved the housing strategy progress had been impacted due to Covid. Councillors believed that the lack of a housing department within the Council could be a barrier to ensuring actions were progressed.

The establishment of a task and finish group on the delivery of affordable housing was proposed and seconded. Following debate, the proposal was withdrawn. It was agreed that an updated report would be presented to the committee at its next meeting, detailing the actions being taken to address the issues regarding the provision of affordable housing.

RESOLVED:

THAT a full report be presented to the committee at its meeting to be held on 12 July 2022, detailing the actions being taken to address the issues regarding the provision of affordable housing.

A question may be asked at the meeting without prior notice but in these circumstances there is no guarantee that a full reply will be given at the meeting. To guarantee a reply, a question  must be submitted in writing or by email to democratic.services@iow.gov.uk no later than 5pm on Friday, 10 June 2022.

No written questions were received.

Cllr Spink requested an update from the Cabinet Member for Planning and Enforcement, who had indicated in April 2022 that legal advice had been sought (but a response not yet received) on whether the Council would be bound to a draft plan, should it be adopted prior to any change in national planning policy. It was confirmed that a written response would be sought.

Cllr Spink requested an update from the Cabinet Member for Planning and Enforcement, regarding the progress which had been made on his amended motion to Full Council in November 2021, regarding contact to other ‘tilted balance’ local authorities. It was confirmed that a written response would be sought.