northlincs.gov.uk

6 (6) PLANNING APPLICATION LOCAL VALIDATION CHECKLIST – The Director of People submitted a report seeking approval for a revised Local Validation Checklist for North Lincolnshire, for external consultation.

National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) advised on the mandatory information to accompany planning applications and that local planning authorities could request further supporting information provided such requirements were specified on an adopted ‘Local List’.  Local planning authorities were required to publish this ‘Local List’ on their website less than two years prior to the application submission.  Additional local requirements should not be insisted on unless they were set out in such an up to date ‘Local List’.

Article 11(3) (c) of the Development Management Procedure Order 2015 set the statutory tests for information requirements.

The NPPG also advised that council’s should review their local list at least every two years and recommended a three stage process for reviewing and revising the local list.  The original validation checklist was adopted by the council around May 2008 and implemented from 1 July 2008 onwards.

Resolved – That the revised Local Validation Checklist, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved for external consultation.

7 (7) SECTION 106 AGREEMENT MONITORING CHARGE POLICY – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval for the Section 106 Agreement Monitoring Charge Policy.

The monitoring of Section 106 (S106) Agreements was a complex and time consuming process. The Planning Obligations Practice Guidance published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and Secretary of State’s general policy Circular 5/05 (paragraph B50) both made it clear that monitoring was an essential part of the development management process and that they should be enforced in an efficient and transparent way.

Some agreements required the monitoring of physical or financial obligations or both. Most required monitoring monthly, annually and in some cases in perpetuity. This was where great consideration was required to the amount of officer time incurred as well as site travelling costs.

The council currently entered into a number of S106 Agreements each year as part of the determination of planning applications. Currently the council held around 166 agreements in total (11 pre NLC, 155 NLC) with an average of eight agreements signed per year since 1996. Approximately 70 of those agreements were either live or still able to progress. There were approximately 25 section S106 agreements in draft form or sites that had the

potential to provide developer contributions. It was worth noting that all of the above agreements could be subject to modification/variation. This would result in a requirement to monitor additional agreements.

Currently, the developer/applicant was required to pay the legal services costs incurred by the council in preparing and executing the S106 Agreement. However, it did not require a fee payable as part of the S106 Agreement to enable the council to assist in covering its costs in the monitoring of agreements.

Resolved – (a) That the S106 Agreement Monitoring Charge Policy be approved, and (b) that a quarterly S106 update report be submitted to the Cabinet Member giving information on planning agreements and obligations secured by the council, including the amount of financial contributions and site provisions received from developers.

8 (8) LOCALLY-LED GARDEN VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES INITIATIVE – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval for North Lincolnshire’s Expression of Interest for a Locally Led Garden City for submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

In March 2016 the Department for Communities and Local Government produced a Locally-Led Garden Villages, Towns and Cities prospectus. They were seeking Expressions of Interest by 31 July 2016 for new garden towns and cities of more than 10,000 homes. Recognising the exceptional nature of development at this scale their intention was to support up to 12 new garden village proposals.

The proposal was to submit an Expression of Interest for a new garden city for North Lincolnshire which included the Lincolnshire Lakes Area Action Plan boundary and further allocated housing sites in the Housing and Employment Land Allocations DPD. This would ensure there were more than 10,000 homes to meet the criteria.

The Expression of Interest contained a description of the development proposals including policy and technical aims as well as housing numbers, retail and other commercial space, the extent of green space and timescales for delivery. Also included was information on infrastructure costs and evidence of delivery, viability, financial, social and economic benefits, design and local consultation and support.

Resolved – That the submission of an Expression of Interest for a Locally Lead Garden City to the Department for Communities and Local Government by 31 July 2016, be approved.

The corresponding report of the following item (Minute 9 refers) contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

9 (9) NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE SPRINGBOARD PROGRAMME – The Director of Places submitted a report updating the Cabinet Member on the delivery of the Springboard Programme and outlining proposals to extend the current programme.

The current Springboard Programme commenced in June 2014 with the aim of supporting

unemployed young people aged 18-24 across the Humber region back into employment and training.

To date, the programme has supported 167 individuals with the creation of a personal action plan to remove barriers to work.  As a result of this, 113 of these had moved into employment, training or another positive activity such as a traineeship.  Others had been supported to remove significant barriers to employment such as housing, debt and mental health related issues.

The current Springboard Programme (Springboard A), which was due to complete in May 2016 would now run until March 2017 with a budget of £75,911. The programme would continue to work with unemployed young people until that time.

In addition to the current programme, the council had also secured £218,800 of ESF funding to add to this provision and widen the eligibility criteria, enabling the council to support a greater number of individuals from a more diverse range of backgrounds (Springboard B).  Working in partnership with Humberside Learning Consortium, who would act as Accountable Body, this provision would run until July 2018.

The report set out full detail of proposals, including financial implications.

Resolved – (a) That the establishment of the fixed term posts, outlined in Option 2 and set out in paragraph 8 of the report, be approved, and (b) that the Director of Places be authorised to approve the final grades of the new posts upon completion of the job evaluation process.