Issue - meetings

To receive the minutes and consider the recommendations and/or referrals from the following meetings of the Executive Committee:

18^th February 2013

There are no matters requiring the Council’s consideration – all recommendations were dealt with that same night at the subsequent meeting of the Council.

12^th March 2013

Matters requiring the Council’s consideration include:

• Redditch Growth and Local Plan No. 4 Public Consultation;

(Report and decision attached.  Appendices to the report to the Executive Committee are available on the Council’s website and paper copies have been placed in the Group rooms.  They are also available for inspection at the Town Hall)

(Minutes of the meetings on 18^th February and 12th March 2013 circulated in Minute Book 8 – 2012/13)

Members received the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee held on 18^th February and 12^th March 2013.

The meeting considered the recommendations from the Executive Committee in respect of the Redditch Growth and Local Plan No.4 Consultation, an item which had been considered at the meeting of the Council on 12^th March 2013. A number of queries were raised in connection with the re-submission of this matter to the Council less than six months after it was previously considered. Members were aware that a Notice of Motion had been signed by seven Members proposing that a recommendation from the Executive Committee be considered, the effect of which would be to rescind the previous decision, but there was some discussion as to whether this should have been circulated with the agenda for the meeting. Officers replied that the Constitution had been complied with and they were confident that the measures taken were acceptable. Copies of the Notice of Motion signed by the seven Members were circulated at the meeting to all present for their information.

The view was expressed that members of the public should have had the opportunity to address the Council in respect of this matter. In response, it was explained that there was a prescribed period in the run-up to the election during which the Constitution prevented the acceptance of questions from the public. The Leader also mentioned that he had received informal deputations from both the Webheath and Bentley Action Groups prior to the meeting.

With regard to the content of the report, the argument was once again made that the consultation was deficient in that it provided no options upon which the public could comment, as it identified two preferred sites. It was also suggested that there should have been more Councillor involvement in drawing up the options for consultation. The limit to housing growth in Redditch was also touched upon, it being noted that the Borough boundary and the current limit of housing development were coterminous to the north, east and west.

Members were once again reminded that this was the consultation documentation that was being agreed and that any future decisions on cross-boundary housing growth would follow a period of consultation and the adjudication of planning inspectors as to the appropriateness of any proposals. The Council needed to develop a defendable Local Plan and Bromsgrove District Council had made it clear that they would be going out to consultation on the options currently presented for cross-boundary growth from 1^st April, irrespective of the decision taken by Redditch Borough Council.

The three recommendations before the Council were the subject of the following named vote in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5.

Members voting FOR the recommendations:

Councillors Joe Baker, Rebecca Blake, Greg Chance, John Fisher, Andy Fry, Bill Hartnett, Pattie Hill, Wanda King, Alan Mason, Phil Mould, Mark Shurmer, Yvonne Smith, Luke Stephens, Debbie Taylor and Pat Witherspoon.

(15 votes)

Members voting AGAINST the recommendations:

Councillors Roger Bennett, Michael  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110