Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Councillor Steve Keable regarding his portfolio

The Committee received, and NOTED, a verbal update from Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration:

 

• He commented that it was good to be working with the Environment Agency and great to be collaborative with Lewes District Council.

 

• The Portfolio covered five areas.

o   Forward Planning

o   Development Management

o   Economic Development

o   Growth Projects

o   Building Control

• Mid Devon was quite a disadvantaged district due to its rural nature. Mid Devon had a lower than average income, lower working age population and lower productivity compared to the wider South West region and national figures.
• However, it performed better in manufacturing, food and drink.
• Mid Devon had a low number of business births per capita, but had high survival rates. Mid Devon had low numbers of what were considered to be high growth business births.
• In 2023, Mid Devon’s economy comprised of 4,070 micro-businesses, being sole traders, and those who employed between 1 and 9 employees; micro businesses predominated in Mid Devon.

 

Forward Planning – Overview

·         Preparing a new Local Plan; Plan Mid Devon.

·         Produce Supplementary Planning Documents.

·         Support Town and Parish Councils with Neighbourhood Plans.

·         Work to support other community organisations including Community Land Trusts to further their plans for community led housing projects.

·         Working with neighbouring authorities under the ‘duty to cooperate’ and prepare shared documents such as the ‘Joint Strategy’, identifying shared priorities and guiding investment across the wider area.

·         Monitor development and produce statistical returns to the Government.

·         Completion of relevant consultation responses on behalf of the Council on planning matters.

Forward Planning – Current Workload

·         Site options and draft policies for Plan Mid Devon.

·         Supporting the continued progression and adoption of Neighbourhood Plans.

·         Progressing technical work, studies and monitoring, such as the Water Cycle study; Tourism, Retail and Leisure study, and; various conservation area reviews

·         Supporting implementation and policy work towards Biodiversity Net Gain.

·         Monitoring changes to National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Development Management - overview

·         Statutory function with specific government targets to meet every quarter with the need to achieve minimum standards to avoid ‘special measures’.

·         Determining planning applications and providing advice, with delegated power to make decisions referring to:

o   National and Local Planning policies

o   Neighbourhood plans

o   Consultations

o   Material  considerations (e.g. light impact, noise impact, flooding, planning history)

·         Town and Country General Permitted Development Order enabled certain development to occur without the need for planning permission

·         Working with Devon County Council regarding Highways and with other statutory consultees.

 

Development Management - Current Workload

·         Achieving key government requirements around speed and quality of decision making – with Mid Devon as a high performing LPA.

·         To provide advice, support and guidance to Members in relation to planning matters.

·         Progression of work to support the new Biodiversity Net Gain requirements

·         Strong links to s106 monitoring and workload.

·         Using Planning Performance Agreements to support resourcing, i.e. agency workers where necessary due to the current shortage of available professionals to recruit.

·         Admin staff recently superbly supporting Building Control colleagues by processing Building Control applications.

 

Building Control - Overview

·         Mid Devon District Council shared a technical team with North Devon District Council (trading as NMD Building Control).

·         Chargeable work (75% - in direct competition with the private sector) and non-chargeable work 25%) non chargeable likely to increase in future.

·         Ensuring the health and safety of the public.

·         Encouraging innovation to produce energy efficient and sustainable buildings.

·         Ensuring buildings were accessible to all and defending vulnerable groups

·         Undertaking enforcement and emergency (out of hours) work where necessary.

·         Providing advice to the public and the emergency services.

Building Control – Current Workload

 

Key Items:

·         Building Safety Act and Building Regulator changing in April 2024; requirements for changes included:

o   Professional team members to validate their competence through LABC (in full)

o   Register Professional team members with Building Safety Regulator.

o   Have capacity and ability to work for Building Safety Regulator outside our authority

o   Prepare for Building Safety Regulators Operating Procedures and KPI requirements.

·         Continue ‘business as usual’ around plan checks, building inspections etc.

Building Control – Ongoing

·         Rebuilding team after loss of skilled workers 2022/early 2023.

·         Reviewing and rationalising model to enable the Partnership to be more agile.

·          Maintaining and improving Market Share and Income.

 

Growth – Economy and Delivery - overview

·         Overall – engage with businesses, business groups and communities on a regular basis.

·         Lead, support and facilitate:

o   Town centre regeneration, destination planning and place management

o   Major growth projects

o   Infrastructure project delivery

·         Deliver and administer the Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund projects.

·         Project Manage “Visit Mid Devon”.

·         Provide advice and guidance to businesses.

·         Provide economic development commentary on planning applications.

·         Management of Tiverton Pannier Market.

 

Growth - Current Work Load

·         Progress delivery of Cullompton Town Centre Relief Road.

·         Delivery of the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) to deliver expected/agreed outputs and ensure maximum benefits to Mid Devon residents and businesses.

·         Delivery of Junction 28 strategic upgrade.

 

Growth - ongoing

·         Project manage Visit Mid Devon.

·         Continued re-engagement with business community post covid.

·         Delivery of masterplan projects for 3 towns.

·         Input into ‘Plan Mid Devon’ and strong interaction with development sector.

Successes in the last 12 months

 

Growth and Economy

·         Cullompton Higher Bullring re-opening after public realm enhancement works.

·         Completing projects in the Heritage Action Zone programme.

·         SPF and REPF programmes on target for 100% spend during second year and well placed for third year with a number of exciting initiatives including the Swan Trail.

 

Forward Planning

·         Progress on ‘Plan Mid Devon’.

·         Neighbourhood Plans – successful progression of Silverton NP.

·         Completion and approval of the Joint Strategy ‘Our Shared Coordinates’.

Development Management (DM)

·         Development Planning Team currently fully staffed (officers and specialists).

·         DM team was now one of the highest performing Planning Teams in the South West.

·         New local Validation list and Discretionary fee charges introduced to help improve budget, sustain the team and improve customer communication.

·         Staff attaining Chartered Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

 

Building Control

·         Successful recruitment of new staff in a very challenging market place.

·         Team Leader and Area Manager securing new competency standards ahead of deadline.

·         Maintaining exceptional market share and good customer relations.

Discussion took place with regards to:

 

Enforcement – the Council had advertised for new Enforcement Officers but had not been successful in recruiting them.  They were now looking at the job evaluation for a Senior Enforcement Officer and a junior officer to assist them. It was confirmed that the Council were looking to have 2 Enforcement Officers in post as soon as they could be recruited.

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration was very grateful to all the officers that had assisted him.