Cabinet Agenda

3rd March 2011

CABINET – 14TH MARCH 2011

A meeting of Cabinet will be held at 5.30 pm on Monday 14th March 2011 in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Rugby.

Andrew Gabbitas Executive Director

A G E N D A

PART 1 – PUBLIC BUSINESS 1. Minutes.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 7th February 2011.

2. Apologies.

To receive apologies for absence from the meeting.

3. Declarations of Interest.

To receive declarations of –

(a) personal interests as defined by the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors;

(b) prejudicial interests as defined by the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors; and

Note: Members are reminded that they should declare the existence and nature of their personal interests at the commencement of the meeting (or as soon as the interest becomes apparent). If that interest is a prejudicial interest, the Member must withdraw from the room unless one of the exceptions applies.

Membership of Warwickshire County Council or any Parish Council is classed as a personal interest under the Code of Conduct. A Member does not need to declare this interest unless the Member chooses to speak on a matter relating to their membership. If the Member does not wish to speak on the matter, the Member may still vote on the matter without making a declaration.

4. Question Time.

Notice of questions from the public should be delivered in writing, by fax or electronic e-mail to the Executive Director by 10.00am the working day preceding the meeting (10.00am Friday 11th March 2011).

Strategic Items for decision not within specific portfolios

5. Government Changes with regard to National Indicators.

Economy, Development and Culture Portfolio

6. The New Leisure Centre – Funding (report to follow).

7. Rugby’s Legacy for the 2012 Olympics (report to follow).

Resources and Corporate Governance Portfolio

8. Final Report of the Customer Service Reception Review.

9. Appointments to Outside Bodies – Miscellaneous Appointments.

Sustainable Inclusive Communities Portfolio

10. Service Level Agreement Grant Funding (report to follow).

Sustainable Environment Portfolio

11. Rugby and Daventry Crematorium Project.

12. Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan.

13. Sexual Entertainment Venue Licensing Policy – Report from Licensing and Safety Committee.

The following item contains reports which are to be considered en bloc subject to any Portfolio Holder requesting discussion of an individual report

14. Joint Review of Antenatal and Postnatal Services for Teenage Parents in Warwickshire.

15. Conservation Area Character Appraisals.

16. Urgent Decision under Delegated Powers – Childhood Obesity Project Officer.

17. Motion to Exclude the Public under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972

To consider passing the following resolution: -

“under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the ground that they involve the likely disclosure of information defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act and that in all of the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

PART 2 – EXEMPT INFORMATION

Strategic Items for decision not within specific portfolios

Nothing to report to this meeting.

Economy, Development and Culture Portfolio

Nothing to report to this meeting.

Resources and Corporate Governance Portfolio

Nothing to report to this meeting.

Sustainable Inclusive Communities Portfolio

Nothing to report to this meeting.

Sustainable Environment Portfolio

Nothing to report to this meeting.

The following item contains reports which are to be considered en bloc subject to any Portfolio Holder requesting discussion of an individual report

1. Land at Onley Lane/Ashlawn Road – Rugby Model Engineering Society.

2. Write Offs.

Any additional papers for this meeting can be accessed here via the website.

The Reports of Officers (Ref. CAB 2010/11 – 8) are attached.

Tea will be served in the Members` Room at 5.00 pm.

Membership of Cabinet: -

Councillors Humphrey (Chairman), Leigh Hunt, Poole, Mrs Timms, Dr M Williams and Wright.

CALL- IN PROCEDURES

Publication of the decisions made at this meeting will normally be within 3 working days of the decision. Each decision will come into force at the expiry of 5 working days after its publication. This does not apply to decisions made to take immediate effect. Call-in procedures are set out in detail in Standing Order 15 of Part 3c of the Constitution.

If you have any general queries with regard to this agenda please contact Claire Waleczek, Democratic and Scrutiny Services Officer (Team Leader) (01788 533524 or e-mail [email protected]). Any specific queries concerning reports should be directed to the listed contact officer.

If you wish to attend the meeting and have any special requirements for access please contact the Democratic and Scrutiny Services Officer named above.

Agenda No 5

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14 March 2011

Report Title Government changes with regard to National Indicators

Portfolio All portfolios

Ward Relevance All Wards

Prior Consultation None

Contact Officer Doug Jones – Head of Business Transformation Tel: (01788) 533668

Peter Aughton – Improvement Officer Tel: (01788) 533847 Report Subject to Call-in No

Report En-Bloc No

Forward Plan No

Corporate Priorities This report relates to the following priority(ies):

All Council Priorities

Statutory/Policy Background Until 13 October 2010, District Councils were required to manage and report against a designated set of National Indicators (NIs). The Government has removed the statutory nature of all NIs. Summary To advise Cabinet of the discontinuation of National Indicators advised by the Government and the considerations that now arise for Rugby Borough Council.

To seek approval of recommendations affecting further management and reporting of NIs.

1 Risk Management To prevent ineffective deployment of resources and to Implications maintain effective performance measurement.

Financial Implications None

Environmental Implications There are no environmental implications arising from this report.

Legal Implications There are no legal implications arising from this report.

Equality and Diversity There are no equality and diversity implications arising from this report. Options To note the changes to statutory requirements and to endorse the recommendations made.

Recommendations IT BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL THAT -

1. wherever possible, all National Indicators originally intended for updating and completion during 2010/11 continue through to their full Quarter 4 updates.

2. those NIs where data can no longer be collected from outside bodies should be immediately discontinued and reported with their last available updates alongside other Quarter 4 updates.

3. all NIs other than those subject to recommendation 4 be discontinued after 31 March 2011.

4. new local indicators derived from any NIs deemed useful to Rugby Borough Council are advised to Cabinet at the 28 June 2011 meeting for endorsement.

5. new data collection and submission processes are developed to meet statutory obligations of the Single Data List from 1 April 2011; and

6. the Performance Indicator groupings assigned to portfolios are reviewed and revised to ensure they align with the active local indicators being managed.

Reasons for Cabinet endorsement to enhance performance Recommendations measurement beneficial to Rugby Borough Council whilst maintaining new statutory obligations.

Agenda No 5

Cabinet - 14 March 2011

Government changes with regard to National Indicators

Report of the Head of Business Transformation

Recommendation

IT BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL THAT -

1. wherever possible, all National Indicators originally intended for updating and completion during 2010/11 continue through to their full Quarter 4 updates;

2. those NIs where data can no longer be collected from outside bodies should be immediately discontinued and reported with their last available updates alongside other Quarter 4 updates;

3. all NIs other than those subject to recommendation 4 be discontinued after 31 March 2011;

4. new local indicators derived from any NIs deemed useful to Rugby Borough Council are advised to Cabinet at the 28 June 2011 meeting for endorsement;

5. new data collection and submission processes are developed to meet statutory obligations of the Single Data List from 1 April 2011; and

6. the Performance Indicator groupings assigned to portfolios are reviewed and revised to ensure they align with the active local indicators being managed.

1. Purpose

1.1 To advise Cabinet of the discontinuation of National Indicators (NIs) advised by the Government and the considerations that now arise for Rugby Borough Council.

1.2 To seek approval of recommendations affecting further management and reporting of NIs.

1.3 To prevent ineffective deployment of resources and to maintain effective performance measurement.

2. Background 2.1 At the 7 June 2010 Cabinet meeting, changes were advised following advice from the Audit Commission on the disbandment of several NIs. Cabinet approved changes to internal arrangements relating to these and other local performance indicators (LIs). Since that time, the new Government has taken decisions that have resulted in the complete removal of all statutory obligations to provide information on any National Indicators (as from 13 October 2010). Associated actions to reduce the number of quangos have also contributed to an inability to gain or submit updates relating to certain NIs. 2.2 In short, since 13 October 2010, Rugby Borough Council has had no statutory obligation to prepare and submit any National Indicators. 2.3 By contrast, under the same Government initiative local authorities will be expected to submit data relating to a new dataset (the Single Data List), effective April 2011. There will be no targeted measurement applied to the dataset submissions. Details of the Single Data List have not been finalised or submitted to local authorities and are not expected before end March 2011.

3. Consequences and considerations for Rugby Borough Council 3.1 Prior to the 13 October 2010 announcement, RBC managed a total of 40 NIs. So that consideration could be made as to the usefulness of the NIs towards the needs and services of Rugby Borough Council, that situation has been maintained despite the Government decision. 3.2 Responsible Officers have considered NIs with a view to determining whether:-  they are of no effective local use, or  they are useful locally, albeit with some minor changes to improve effectiveness, or  they cannot be collected because the source body has been disbanded, or  the continued data collection vs local benefit is costly and ineffective

3.3 Appendix 1 contains a list of each NI and their corresponding commentaries. 3.4 When the adjustments have been made, they will alter the performance indicator content reported via the Finance and Performance report to Cabinet and also the groups allocated to portfolios. It would be advisable to review and revise the portfolio groups effective from 1 April 2011. 3.5 The opportunity will also be taken to introduce performance measure derived from end to end reviews. These measures focus on key pieces of information that support the purpose of the service in customer terms and will demonstrate how well service is being delivered, highlight opportunities for improvement and provide trend data over time. These end to end measures will be introduced progressively as they are developed and reviews are completed.

4. Summary of recommendations 4.1 Wherever possible, all National Indicators originally intended for updating and completion during 2010/11 continue through to their full Quarter 4 updates.

4.2 Those NIs where data can no longer be collected from outside bodies should be immediately discontinued and reported with their last available updates alongside other Quarter 4 updates.

4.3 All NIs other than those subject to recommendation 4.4 be discontinued after 31 March 2011.

4.4 New local indicators derived from any NIs deemed useful to Rugby Borough Council are advised to Cabinet at the 28 June 2011 meeting for endorsement.

4.5 New data collection and submission processes are developed to meet statutory obligations of the Single Data List from 1 April 2011.

4.6 The Performance Indicators groupings assigned to portfolios are reviewed and revised to ensure they align with the active local indicators being managed.

5. Conclusions

With the removal of statutory obligations, local authorities are free to decide whether to discontinue their management of NIs.

There is benefit to Rugby Borough Council in the continuation of certain NIs, albeit with revisions to ensure local relevance.

Recommendations have been provided that seek to derive effective performance management related to NIs that are useful to Rugby Borough Council.

Cabinet endorsement is sought to enable the necessary changes to be made.

APPENDIX A

National Indicator suitability

Recommendation Date of guidance Guidance narrative

NI 1 % of people who believe people from different backgrounds get on well together in their local area This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 Discontinue in the management of its services.

NI 4 (QoL23) % of people who feel they can influence decisions in their locality This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 Discontinue in the management of its services.

NI 5 Overall/general satisfaction with local area

Potential to be This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. This is a potentially useful indicator for 13 September 2010 retained as LI tracking over time so should form part of any citizens panel/consultation in future.

NI 6 Participation in regular volunteering This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used Discontinue 13 September 2010 in the management of its services. More reliable figures for volunteering area available via the volunteer centre (WCAVA).

NI 15 Serious violent crime rate Potential to be 12 January 2011 Data sourced from Warwickshire Observatory and can continue. retained as LI

6 NI 16 Serious acquisitive crime rate Potential to be 12 January 2011 Data sourced from Warwickshire Observatory and can continue. retained as LI

NI 17 Perceptions of anti-social behaviour

Potential to be This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. This is a potentially useful indicator and 13 September 2010 retained as LI should be included in future consultation activity.

NI 21 Dealing with local concerns about anti-social behaviour and crime issues by the local council and police This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 Discontinue in the management of its services.

NI 22 Perceptions of parents taking responsibility for the behaviour of their children in the area This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 Discontinue in the management of its services.

NI 27 Understanding of local concerns about anti-social behaviour and crime issues by the local council and police This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 Discontinue in the management of its services.

NI 30 Re:offending rate of prolific and other priority offenders Discontinue 12 January 2011 Data for Warwickshire almost 2 years overdue. No value in continuing.

NI 35 Building resilience to violent extremism As from 22 November 2010, the Home Office no longer requires local authorities to report NI 35. There will be no 22 December 2010 Discontinue requirement for a 2010/11 return.

NI 41 Perceptions of drunk or rowdy behaviour as a problem

7 This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 Discontinue in the management of its services.

NI 42 Perceptions of drug use or drug dealing as a problem This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 Discontinue in the management of its services.

NI 137 Healthy life expectancy at age 65 Discontinue 12 January 2011 Source data emanates from national Census. Is not an appropriate PI as data is fixed over an extended period.

NI 138 Satisfaction of people over 65 with both home and neighbourhood This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 Discontinue in the management of its services.

NI 139 The extent to which older people receive the support they need to live independently at home Potential to be This NI was collected from the Place Survey, which has now been formally dropped. It is not an indicator that RBC has used 13 September 2010 in the management of its services. However, it is potentially useful given issues that are likely to come up in the near future retained as LI and should be included in other consultation activity should space allow.

NI 152 Working age people on out of work benefits Potential to be 12 January 2011 Data sources from NOMIS and can continue. retained as LI

NI 154 Net additional homes provided Potential to be 12 January 2011 Data is always a year in arrears when made available. Can continue. retained as LI

NI 155 Number of affordable homes delivered - quarterly RBC measurement

8 The collection of this data is still useful as it helps us to keep track of: Potential to be - the number, type and tenure of new affordable homes being built 20 December 2010 - the potential pipeline supply of those affordable homes being built retained as LI - profiling the affordable housing needs that are being met and identifying those that are not - the relative performance and commitment of the preferred housing association partners to delivering new homes in Rugby

NI 156 Number of households living in temporary accommodation

Potential to be We have a statutory obligation to temporarily house people who we have reason to believe are eligible, homelessness and in 05 January 2011 retained as LI priority need. Can continue with revisions.

NI 157a (ex-BV109a) Processing of planning applications: Major applications Potential to be 12 January 2011 Results need to be adjusted to reflect outputs from new ways of working. Could continue with revisions. retained as LI

NI 157b (ex BV109b) Processing of planning applications: Minor applications Potential to be 12 January 2011 Results need to be adjusted to reflect outputs from new ways of working. Could continue with revisions. retained as LI

NI 157c (ex BV109c) Processing of planning applications: Other applications Potential to be 12 January 2011 Results need to be adjusted to reflect outputs from new ways of working. Could continue with revisions. retained as LI

NI 158 (ex BV184a) % non-decent council homes Potential to be 14 January No evidence provided to suggest that this indicator should be dropped. retained as LI

NI 159 Supply of ready to develop housing sites

Potential to be 13 January 2011 This NI should be retained because it is a key indicator used when judging major planning applications and in monitoring the

9 retained as LI implementation of the Local Development Framework

NI 160 (ex BV74a) Local authority tenants’ satisfaction with landlord services Potential to be The data collection method for this was via the STATUS survey - which was required of all stock holding councils and housing 03 November 2010 associations. It has recently been announced that STATUS has been scrapped (see documents for copy of letter). We are in retained as LI the process of considering how to collect this data in future.

NI 172 Percentage of small businesses in an area showing employment growth Discontinue 12 January 2011 Data not readily available for 3 years. Not of any ongoing use.

Value for money – total net value of ongoing cash-releasing value for money gains that have impacted since the start of the 2008-09 NI 179 financial year Discontinue 22 December 2010 As at 18 October 2010, NI179 is no longer required to be submitted.

NI 181 Time taken to process Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit new claims and change events Discontinue 06 January 2011 Information for this PI is no longer being reported by the DWP

NI 182 Satisfaction of business with local authority regulation services There is little value in reporting it now or in future years. If you look at the guidance you will see that it is presented as a percentage but is made up of weighted figures so is confusing. There is also no guidance about what is a good performance or a bad performance. The Council has no real control of this indicator. The Council adapted the form and Discontinue 14 January 2011 included a section asking for commenst on how good the service is or how to improve it which Officers believe is of more value. Regulatory Services plans to continue to send out a modified form to businesses as the Council is both business freindly and aware of its responsibilities to protect the public, but this information will be used internally for service improvement and not a PI. The recommendation is to cancel NI 182.

NI 185 CO2 reduction from local authority operations

10 Potential to be 12 January 2011 May continue as part of new dataset. retained as LI

NI 186 Per capita reduction in CO2 emissions in the LA area Potential to be 12 January 2011 Data sourced from DECC. Could continue, albeit with data that is up to 3 years old before publishing. retained as LI

Tackling fuel poverty – % of people receiving income based benefits living in homes with a low energy efficiency rating: (i) Low energy NI 187(i) efficiency

Potential to be Rationale for NI data collection not well suited to Rugby purposes but practices may be part of new dataset. If no 12 January 2011 retained as LI replacement for the NI required, it could continue but with revisions.

Tackling fuel poverty – % of people receiving income based benefits living in homes with a low energy efficiency rating: (ii) High energy NI 187(ii) efficiency

NI 188 Planning to Adapt to Climate Change Discontinue 22 December 2010 As from 11 November 2010, local authorities no longer have to supply NI 188 submissions to Govt.

NI 191 Residual household waste per household Potential to be 12 January 2011 May continue as useful local indicator retained as LI

NI 192 Percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting Potential to be 12 January 2011 May continue as useful local indicator retained as LI

NI 193 Percentage of municipal waste land filled Potential to be 19 August 2010 May continue as part of new dataset retained as LI

NI 194 Air quality – % reduction in NOx and primary PM10 emissions through local authority’s estate and operations Potential to be 12 January 2011 May continue as part of new dataset. retained as LI

NI 195a Improved street and environmental cleanliness (levels of litter, detritus, graffiti and fly posting): Litter Potential to be 12 January 2011 New useful local indicator may be developed retained as LI

NI 195b Improved street and environmental cleanliness (levels of litter, detritus, graffiti and fly posting): Detritus Potential to be 12 January 2011 New useful local indicator may be developed retained as LI

NI 195c Improved street and environmental cleanliness (levels of litter, detritus, graffiti and fly posting): Graffiti Potential to be 12 January 2011 New useful local indicator may be developed retained as LI

NI 195d Improved street and environmental cleanliness (levels of litter, detritus, graffiti and fly posting): Fly-posting Potential to be 12 January 2011 New useful local indicator may be developed retained as LI

NI 196 (ex BV 199d) Improved street and environmental cleanliness – fly tipping Potential to be 12 January 2011 May continue as part of new dataset. retained as LI

NI 197 Improved Local Biodiversity – proportion of Local Sites where positive conservation management has been or is being implemented Discontinue 12 January 2011 Could be dropped unless revised Warwickshire requirement developed.

Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date Of Meeting: 7 February 2011

Subject Matter: Government changes with regard to National Indicators

Originating Department: Business Transformation

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

Document Officer’s File No. Date Description of Document Reference Reference 1.

______

There are no background papers relating to this item.

Agenda No 6

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14th March 2011

Report Title The New Leisure Centre – Funding

Portfolio Economy, Development and Culture

Ward Relevance All Prior Consultation None

Contact Officer Anna Rose ext 720 Report Subject to Call-in Yes

Report En-Bloc No

Forward Plan General Exemption Procedure Followed and advertised.

Corporate Priorities 1, 3 and 5

Statutory/Policy Background

Summary A members’ task group has considered the future of the KMLC and considered that a new build leisure centre is the best option for the people of Rugby. In October 2010 Cabinet endorsed the task group’s recommendation and a Project Delivery Team was set up. A sum of £200,000 was approved to set up this team, appoint a Project Manager and prepare the tender documents. There is still £175,000 left of this amount but to take the project to the next stage,

CAB14MAR2011 New Leisure Centre Funding 1

which will see a design and full costings, will require an additional £350,000 for the appointment of a Lead Architect and associated engineering specialists. Financial Implications The supplementary budget requested can be funded from S106 monies, but if the project were aborted, the costs would fall on revenue resources.

Environmental Implications None

Legal Implications Contract to be awarded

Options Option 1: Do Nothing

Risks Work to date would be abortive and no further action could be taken on the new Leisure Centre.

Benefits No risk to the budget should the Council decide not to proceed with construction.

Option 2: Allocate £350,000 from Leisure Centre S.106 contributions to fund the next stage of the project up to the construction phase.

Risks If the Council decides not to build the Leisure Centre the S.106 would need to be reimbursed.

Benefits The Council has a comprehensive project which is appropriately planned, engineered and costed for construction.

Recommendation IT BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL THAT -

(1) a supplementary capital budget of £350,000 for 2011/12 to appoint a Lead Architect and associated engineering specialists to design the new Leisure Centre, to be funded from S106 developer contributions, be approved; and (2) the capital programme for 2011/12 be amended accordingly.

CAB14MAR2011 New Leisure Centre Funding 2

Reasons for In order to move to the next stage with the building of Recommendation a new Leisure Centre there is a need to appoint a Lead Architect and associated engineering specialists. It will cost an additional £350,000 to get to the stage of a fully costed design with planning permission, which will be put before members for a decision before moving to the build stage.

CAB14MAR2011 New Leisure Centre Funding 3

Agenda No 6

Cabinet - 14th March 2011

The New Leisure Centre - Funding

Report of the Economy, Development and Culture Portfolio Holder

Recommendation

IT BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL THAT -

(2) the capital programme for 2011/12 be amended accordingly.

1. Introduction

In October 2010 a supplementary capital budget of £200,000 was approved to ensure that the appropriate tender documents were prepared for appointment of specialists to take the new Leisure Centre project forward. A Project Delivery Team has been in operation since this decision. A Project Manager and a Project Assistant have been appointed and work has progressed so that the Team is now in a position to appoint a Lead Architect and associated engineering specialists to take the project forward to designing and specifying the construction requirements for the Council. It should be noted that the basis of this procurement process is a 2 stage Design and Build.

2. Background

A members’ task group has considered the future of the KMLC and considered that a new build leisure centre is the best option for the people of Rugby. In October 2010 Cabinet endorsed the task group’s recommendation and a Project Delivery Team was set up. A sum of £200,000 was approved to set up this team, appoint a Project Manager and prepare the tender documents. Through using existing resources for the Project Manager, there is a sum remaining uncommitted of £175,000.

Planning officers have been negotiating s.106 contributions for the new Leisure Centre from the two Sustainable Urban Extensions. This money will come in as set out in the individual agreements and would be appropriately used for this purpose. In total this could be in the region of £1.5million.

CAB14MAR2011 New Leisure Centre Funding 4

2. Conclusion

To take the project to the next stage, which will see a design and full costings, tenders have now been received from a number of Lead Architects and their proposals for achieving a detailed costed design with planning approval, for the construction of the building.

Consideration is also being given to various options including a Leisure Trust for operating the new Centre which will be the most beneficial to the Council and local people, both in keeping build costs down and reducing costs in operating the new Centre.

The most economically advantageous tender for the work involved to get to the stage of a fully costed design will require an additional £350,000, which can be funded from S106 monies specifically collected for leisure centre provision. A further report will be brought to members for a decision, before moving to the build stage.

It is recommended that a supplementary sum of £350,000 be approved to appoint a Lead Architect and associated engineering specialists.

CAB14MAR2011 New Leisure Centre Funding 5

Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date Of Meeting: 14th March 2011

Subject Matter: The New Leisure Centre - Funding

Originating Department: Planning & Culture

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

Document Officer’s File No. Date Description of Document Reference Reference 1.

* The background papers relating to reports on planning applications and which are open to public inspection under Section 100D of the Local Government Act 1972, consist of the planning applications, referred to in the reports, and all written responses to consultations made by the Local Planning Authority, in connection with those applications. ______

* Exempt information is contained in the following documents:

Document No. Relevant Paragraph of Schedule 12A

______

* There are no background papers relating to this item.

(*Delete if not applicable)

CAB14MAR2011 New Leisure Centre Funding 6

Agenda No 8

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14 March 2011

Report Title Final Report of the Customer Service Reception Review Portfolio Resources and Corporate Governance

Ward Relevance None

Prior Consultation The review group commissioned a survey of town hall reception customers, and UChoose customers as part of the review, and also consulted with officers who work in the reception area.

Contact Officer Debbie Dawson, Tel: 01788 533592

Report Subject to Call-in Yes

Report En-Bloc No

Forward Plan Yes

Corporate Priorities This report relates to the following priority(ies):

Ensure all the Borough's residents are aware of our services and can access and influence them

Statutory/Policy Background Cabinet must consider any report from an overview and scrutiny committee in accordance with the Council's Constitution.

Summary The Corporate Performance Committee established a task group to undertake a value for money review of the refurbished customer service reception at the town hall. The task group began its work in October 2010. The report presents the findings and recommendations of the review, many of which will achieve positive customer benefits at no or minimal cost.

CAB14mar11 Customer Service Reception 1

Risk Management Some security risks have been identified in this Implications review and actions to address them form part of the review recommendations.

Financial Implications Some of the review recommendations have financial implications and these are detailed in the report and accompanying action plan. The review recommendations are also categorised to indicate those that have resource implications.

Environmental Implications There are no environmental implications arising from this report.

Legal Implications There are no legal implications arising from this report.

Equality and Diversity As a result of this report an existing or new policy or procedure been recommended. An Equality Impact Assessment has not been carried out for the following reason(s): An Equality Impact Assessment of the refurbished town hall reception area has been undertaken by the service and the resulting report formed part of the evidence base for the review. Some of the review recommendations address issues raised in the EIA.

Options 1 : To accept (with or without amendment) the recommendations of the task group. Risks : There are financial costs attached to some of the review recommendations (as detailed in the report and action plan) Benefits : The review recommendations will help to maximise the benefits of the refurbishment of the town hall reception and help to improve the service to customers and experience of staff who work in the reception area.

Recommendation 1. The recommendations of the review of the Customer Service Reception Area be approved; and 2. the draft action plan be accepted and managed through the Covalent system to ensure these recommendations are implemented within a reasonable timescale.

Reasons for The review recommendations are based on evidence Recommendation gathered by the task group and endorsed by the Corporate Performance Committee.

CAB14mar11 Customer Service Reception 2

Agenda No 8

Cabinet - 14 March 2011

Final Report of the Customer Service Reception Review

Report of the Corporate Performance Committee

1. BACKGROUND

When this review was originally proposed (2008), it was to be a value for money review of the planned major capital project to create a one stop shop in the library building. In January 2009 Cabinet resolved to defer for two years the Rugby Plus project to create a one stop shop in the library, but to carry out basic works to improve the existing reception area.

In February 2009 the Corporate Performance Committee decided to proceed with a value for money scrutiny review of the refurbished Customer Service Reception at the Town Hall. This review was again deferred due to delays in the refurbishment work and the departure of the Customer Services Manager and Head of Customer and Information Services. Work finally commenced in October 2010 when the new Customer Services Manager had been in post for several months and the Acting Head of Customer and Information Services was confirmed in her role.

The task group has now completed its work and appendix 1 to this report details their findings. The Chairman of the Task Group, Councillor Peter Butlin, will attend the meeting to present the report.

2. ACTION PLAN

The review report includes a draft action plan which has been agreed by the task group members and service officers advising the group. In some cases, officers have already begun to address the review recommendations and where this is the case, details are given in the action plan. The action plan also identifies where additional budget is required to deliver the recommendations. This includes:

CAB14mar11 Customer Service Reception 3

 Recommendation 19: An additional telephone line should be installed at the meet and greet desk and telephones should be installed in all of the interview rooms, the customer service booths and at the planning desks. If costs are prohibitive, the meet and greet desk should be given priority. (Costs detailed in the action plan)  Recommendation 9: The location and design of the payment deposit box should be reviewed to ensure it is secure, easily accessible and suitably sign- posted. (Additional budget required for signage)

3. SERVICE CHANGES

Towards the end of the review the Task Group was informed about the likely impact on the service of the budget cuts in 2011/12. In response to concerns, the Head of Customer and Information Services attended the meeting of the Corporate Performance Committee where the review report was considered to give a brief verbal report on the response being planned to deal with the proposed cuts to staffing levels.

The Committee was informed that following the completion of planned end-to-end reviews, more services could be expected to move to back offices. There would be an interim change-over period which could see some slight degeneration in services, but after this period had ended it was anticipated that service levels would resume. Officers advised that the review recommendations remained realistic despite the budget cuts.

CAB14mar11 Customer Service Reception 4

Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date of Meeting: 14 March 2011

Subject Matter: Final Report of the Customer Service Reception Review

Originating Department: Resources and Corporate Governance Portfolio Holder

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

There are no background papers relating to this item other than those referred to in the report documents. Any of these may be obtained from Debbie Dawson, Scrutiny Officer, 01788 533592.

CAB14mar11 Customer Service Reception 5 Appendix 1

A REVIEW OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE RECEPTION AREA ______

January 2011

Appendix 1

CONTENTS

Chairman’s Foreword 4

1 Recommendations 5

2 Objectives 8

3 Methodology 10

4 Findings 11

4.1 Reception refurbishment – what has changed? 11 4.2 Service delivery 13 4.3 Customer satisfaction 16 4.4 Impact on different customer groups 18 4.5 Areas for improvement 18

5 Conclusions 23

Review Action Plan 24

Appendix 1

TASK GROUP MEMBERSHIP

The task group consisted of the following councillors:

Peter Butlin (Chairman) Tina Avis Sally Bragg Bill Lewis Ish Mistry Ramesh Srivastava Helen Walton

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Please contact:

Debbie Dawson Claire Waleczek Scrutiny Officer Democratic and Scrutiny Services Officer tel. 01788 533592 tel. 01788 533524 email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Group thanks the following for their contribution to this review:

Debbie McCarthy Customer & Information Services Operations Manager Raj Chand Head of Customer and Information Services

All Customer Service staff and service officers who met with members and allowed members to shadow them during the review.

UChoose customers who completed a survey as part of the review.

Appendix 1

CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD

First impressions count. For many people visiting the Town Hall, the reception area is the first thing they see and it’s important that their experience is positive. Our review has found that, for many, the refurbished customer service reception is delivering just that, with customer satisfaction levels with our ‘face-to-face’ service the highest in Warwickshire. Customer feedback is often extremely positive, not least about the friendly and helpful service offered by council staff.

The reception refurbishment, completed in April 2010, has delivered some significant improvements. Though originally intended as an interim measure, it is now clear that the refurbishment will serve a longer-term purpose. The changes made offer flexibility and capacity to expand the delivery of services on behalf of other public agencies, further benefiting our customers as they are able to access a range of services locally, through ‘one front door’.

The focus of the task group’s work was whether the refurbishment offered value for money, in terms of cost and efficiency, quality and impact of services, performance and service delivery, and customer satisfaction. The evidence we gathered showed that, in all of these areas, real achievements have been made. We also identified many small changes that could be made, at minimal cost, that could bring about further tangible improvements for both customers and staff. As the review has progressed officers have already begun to take swift and positive action to address some of the issues we have raised.

The current economic climate means that the Council is now facing unprecedented spending pressures and the customer services team is not immune from the proposed cuts. The review highlighted that wait times are particularly important to our customers, and service managers and senior decision-makers need to work hard to ensure that resources are deployed as effectively as possible to mitigate any impact on service delivery.

I would like to put on record my thanks to the members of the task group, the service officers who supported the review and the members of the public who responded to surveys about the refurbished reception and gave us valuable feedback about their experiences. Many thanks are due to the customer services team for their dedication and commitment at a difficult time, and in particular to Debbie McCarthy, the service manager.

Councillor Peter Butlin Chairman

Appendix 1

1. RECOMMENDATIONS

The Task Group proposes the following recommendations:

IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE QUICKLY AND AT LOW COST

1. The guidance document for interviews should be updated so that all staff are clear about the meeting space and facilities available and booking arrangements 2. Interview room 5 should be kept unlocked at all times to ensure access for double buggies and mobility scooters. 3. A sign should be available at meet and greet to advise customers if a member of staff has gone to seek assistance, should the hearing loop equipment fail. 4. The hinged door to the meet and greet desk area should be kept closed to ensure staff security 5. The process for feeding back compliments to individual staff should be strengthened. 6. The Chip and PIN payment system should be monitored and reviewed in September 2011 and the results reported to the Corporate Performance Committee. 7. A service officers group for those using the reception area should be established and meet bi-monthly to consider any ongoing or new issues.

MODIFICATIONS OF EXISTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

8. Efforts should be made to increase the numbers of customers giving feedback through the GovMetric system, by more consistent promotion by officers and simplification of the questions. 9. The location and design of the payment deposit box should be reviewed to ensure it is secure, easily accessible and suitably sign-posted. 10. A clear procedure should be put in place for dealing with violent incidents at the Town Hall, covering panic alarm activation and response, as well as testing. 11. A clearly marked ‘privacy zone’ should be incorporated at the meet and greet desk. 12. A leaflet stand should be installed in the reception area and the leaflets monitored to ensure they are current and appropriate. 13. The plasma TV screens should be used to promote council services and local businesses and to remind customers to use the GovMetric system 14. CCTV surveillance monitors should be repositioned to ensure proper monitoring by staff. 15. Meet and greet staff should be trained on the Warwickshire County

Appendix 1

Council services which are due to be introduced to reception.

16. Signage should be improved, including: - signage advising of CCTV operation - a wheelchair sign for interview room 5 - hearing loop signage moved to a higher, more prominent position .

SIGNIFICANT PROPOSALS WHICH WILL REQUIRE COMMITMENT OF TIME OR FINANCIAL RESOURCES

17. Work with Warwickshire Direct Partnership to manage customer wait times and expectations in a consistent manner. To include the following actions:

17.1 Customer wait times between registration at meet and greet and appointment with the CSA should be measured and monitored against a target standard of 80% of customers seen within 10 minutes. 17.2 Use available communications channels to ensure customers are aware of the best days / times to visit to minimise wait times 17.3 Customer Service Advisers to use data regarding customer wait times to inform customers about quieter times to visit 17.4 Customers should be advised of likely wait times by the meet and greet advisers 17.5 Queues should be managed to ensure that elderly and disabled people are not standing 18. A consistent approach to registering customers at meet and greet and referring them to appropriate officers should be established, ensuring back office staff receive adequate background information regarding the enquiry and have a clear mechanism for identifying the customer. 19. An additional telephone line should be installed at the meet and greet desk and telephones should be installed in all of the interview rooms, the customer service booths and at the planning desks. If costs are prohibitive, the meet and greet desk should be given priority. 20. At least one computer terminal should be installed at the planning desks. 21. All staff working in the reception area should receive training relating to personal security and dealing with aggressive and abusive behaviour 22. Panic buttons should be fitted at the meet and greet desk

23. All staff working in reception area should receive training on how to use the hearing loops and large microphone, and on receiving customers with hearing impairments and with learning disabilities, including understanding the sign language for “I’m deaf” and “I don’t understand”. 24. Jobcentre Plus should be approached about the possibility of establishing a terminal for people to search for jobs at the same time as visiting the council regarding benefits queries.

Appendix 1

25. The Council should aim to achieve the National Customer Service Excellence Standard in the longer-term.

Note: Recommendations are listed broadly in order of priority within each category.

1.1 Alignment with the Corporate Strategy

The review relates to the following corporate priority:

Priority 1: Ensure all the Borough’s residents are aware of our services and can access and influence them

Appendix 1

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1 Background

2.2 The One Page Strategy

The ‘one page strategy’ is the name given to the scoping document for the review. It defines the task and the improvements being aimed for and how these are going to be achieved. The review’s one page strategy, finalised in October 2010, is as follows:

What is the broad topic area? Customer access to services – personal access

What is the specific topic area? The Customer Service Centre reception area at the Town Hall

What is the ambition of the review? To ensure that the reception service, now that the basic works to the reception area have been carried out, will provide value for money and clear customer service benefits, having regard to both the visual and service delivery aspects for the likely short-term arrangements.

What are the measures of success of the review? We will base our investigations on the Audit Commission value for money assessment framework to demonstrate value in:  the cost of services and efficiency in delivering them  the quality and impact of services provided  the performance and delivery of our services  customer satisfaction with services

To contribute to this, industry standards on such factors as timeliness, politeness and effectiveness will be referred to.

How well do we perform at the moment? There is no data available to compare performance before and after the refurbishment. An assessment of current performance may be made by looking at the pattern of GovMetric performance data over several months, available from 1 July 2010. It is also possible to

Appendix 1

compare the Council’s performance with that of the other 77 councils who use GovMetric, including all Warwickshire councils (with the exception of Stratford).

The group could assess performance against the National Customer Service Excellence Standard – a review outcome, in the longer-term, could be for the Council to achieve this Standard.

Who shall we consult about the current service and how we can improve it? User feedback data – a customer satisfaction survey has been undertaken as part of National Customer Service Week and feedback from this can be used by the Group. It is not necessary for the Group to commission its own survey.

Potential consultees, witnesses, experts and specialists Rugby Disability Forum Rugby District Tenants Association Tenant Involvement Officer Service officers who regularly use reception facilities (eg. Benefits/Council Tax, Housing, Environmental Health, Planning) Warwickshire County Council Customer Services Manager

Other councils See comments on GovMetric above. The customer service standards are being applied across the County by the Warwickshire Direct Partnership, so there should be minimal variation.

What other help do we need? Warwickshire Direct Partnership involvement. A task group member may wish to attend a meeting of the Warwickshire Direct Partnership Steering Group

How long should it take? 3 months – completed January 2011

What will be the outcome? Assurance that customer service at reception is using resources cost-effectively and efficiently for the benefit of customers and also of employees who work in the reception area.

2.3 Key Questions

The task group also identified some key questions to be addressed through the review. These were:

 What has been the impact on different customer groups?  Have our service delivery standards improved?  Do we understand the patterns of activity in the Customer Service reception and how does the service we offer reflect this?  Is customer satisfaction improving?

Appendix 1

3. METHODOLOGY

In order to develop the evidence base for the review, the Panel considered a wide range of data and information and commissioned and undertook original research and consultation activities. This included:

 Briefing from officers on the reception refurbishment project, including details of the changes that have been made, the cost of these changes, the benefits achieved and initial indications of customer satisfaction

 Customer feedback data from GovMetric, including comparative data from Warwickshire Direct Partnership, and compliments and complaints received since 2008 relating to Reception from the council’s corporate complaints, compliments and comments system

 A small customer survey carried out in July 2010 and repeated at the task group’s request during National Customer Service Week in October 2010 (87 completed)

 Feedback from two councillors who visited the reception area and shadowed staff

 Information about how the face to face service is managed and delivered, including details of staffing levels and statistics on service demand

 Feedback from councillors who held a focus group with service officers from frontline service areas who regularly use the reception area to meet with customers

 Results of a survey of UChoose customers using reception from 22 to 24 November 2010, commissioned by the task group

 A discussion paper from service managers regarding customer wait times.

The agendas, reports and minutes relating to this review can be found online at www.rugby.gov.uk, following the links to the Committee Papers system and then clicking on ‘Customer Service Reception Task Group’.

Appendix 1

4. FINDINGS

4.1 Reception refurbishment – what has changed?

4.1.1 Background

In the summer of 2008 a proposal was put forward to develop a One Stop Shop in the Borough’s main library, situated in the Art Gallery and Museum building in the town centre of Rugby. This was a Warwickshire Direct Partnership initiative.

In March 2009, as a result of the recession and the Council’s inability to sell the Lawn and Retreat buildings, a decision was taken not to continue with the plan to develop the library-based One Stop Shop and instead to refurbish the Town Hall reception area to a standard that would meet the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work and Disability Discrimination Acts. £142,000 was allocated to the project, which included a contribution of £20,000 from Warwickshire County Council.

An internal user group was formed with representatives from across the Council and the remit of this group was to agree design layouts and any changes in procedure that would be required to make the transition a success. In addition, a consultation exercise was undertaken with customers using the reception area and the Rugby Disability Forum, the Tenants Association, Citizens Advice Bureau and Money Advice Service were also consulted on the proposed redesign.

In October 2009 actual building works commenced and these were completed in April 2010. During this time, the reception area remained open to the public and disruption to services was kept to a minimum.

While the review’s one page strategy refers to “the likely short-term arrangements”, it has become clear during the course of the review that changing views on the merits of a major one-stop-shop scheme combined with continuing economic stringency, has led to the Town Hall reception refurbishment being regarded as a longer term solution.

4.1.2 Refurbishment and resulting service improvements

The refurbishment has delivered the following changes and service improvements:

 A hearing loop facility at Meet and Greet and a portable hearing loop, available for use in the customer booths, to improve access to services for the deaf or hard of hearing  Low level reception desks enabling better physical access for all customers, particularly wheelchair users  DDA-compliant self service terminals situated in private booths enabling customers to access the council Website and on line services  A separate terminal for customers to undertake land searches  An automated telephone service enabling customers to make payments and access the new Uchoose service  Individual soundproofed booths for private discussions with customers

Appendix 1

 Plasma screens in the reception area and lobby with information about services and the use of the Council Chamber and Committee rooms  High level lighting and improved colour coded signage incorporating Braille  Panic alarms in customer booths and CCTV covering the whole of the reception area and 3 interview rooms  A screened interview room to ensure staff safety when dealing with customers who have been identified as potentially violent and a PACE compliant interview room where interviews under caution can be undertaken  New half hour fire retardant sliding doors, fitted in the interior lobby area.

Customers are offered help to use the PCs in reception as and when required and if necessary appointments are made for them to be supported to use terminals.

4.1.3 Future plans

The aim is to continue to deliver and expand on services delivered on behalf of public agencies, particularly Warwickshire County Council. The council is committed to the Warwickshire Direct Partnership and all signage includes the WDP logo.

Training for Customer Service Advisors commenced on 23 September 2010 with the intention being to deliver the following County Council services:  Highways  Blue Badge  Street Lighting  Schools (admission/free school meals)

Training has been delivered by Warwickshire County Council to a small group of CSAs, who will train their colleagues, although it was noted that some of the meet and greet advisers who met with task group members had not yet received this training.

The Council is continuing to work with organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, the Money Advice Service and the Police to identify shared service opportunities. Coventry and Warwickshire Pathways (providing support for unemployed people) have also used the reception area, and consideration was being given to establishing this as a regular arrangement. The suggestion was made that Jobcentre Plus should be approached about the possibility if establishing a terminal for people to search for jobs at the same time as visiting the council regarding benefits queries.

The Government is rolling out a ‘Tell us once’ project regarding the registration of births, deaths etc where information would be given by the customer once and then forwarded to other relevant public bodies. This scheme is due to be implemented in Rugby later in 2011.

Appendix 1

4.2 Service delivery

4.2.1 Service demand

Customer numbers are fairly constant compared with the number who accessed services before the refurbishment. On average, nearly 6,000 customers per month come into the reception area.

Data received by the task group on service demand between April and September 2010 showed that, on average, Tuesdays are the busiest day, with Thursdays generally the quietest. Mornings also tend to be the busiest time of day, with the hour from 10:00-11:00 being busiest overall and the hour from 16:00 to 17:00 being the quietest, by a considerable margin.

The National Customer Service Week survey indicated that the majority of customers visit once, twice or three times a year and for the majority of customers, it is a different day each visit. Customer queries are varied and wide ranging with the majority of enquiries falling into the ‘Resources’ service area (which includes benefits and council tax) followed by the Housing service and Environmental Services.

Information on visit patterns shows that, overall: . The busiest time periods for Resources are 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-15:00 . The busiest time periods for Housing are 10:00-12:00 and 09:00-11:00 . The busiest time periods for Environmental Services are 10:00-12:00 and 14:00- 15:00.

All customers are received by a meet and greet advisor. On an average day, 50 general enquiries and visitor appointments are dealt with by meet and greet staff and there are usually around 100 Customer Service Advisor appointments.

Officers reported that they were exploring the potential to encourage ‘channel’ shift by customers. £7.74 per transaction could be saved using the website instead of face to face contact.

4.2.2 How the service is organised

The table below shows how customer enquiries at reception are dealt with. Most service enquiries are dealt with directly by the Customer Service Advisor (CSA). The exceptions to this are specialist planning issues (development, land charges and property issues) and Benefits and NNDR (non-domestic rates) enquiries. Housing officers are brought in to deal with some housing enquiries.

Service Area Services covered Resolution Business Business Transformation CSA Transformation Customer and Customer and Information CSA Information Services Services Democratic and Legal Committee Info CSA Councillors

Appendix 1

Elections & Electoral Roll Environmental Pest Control CSA Services Dog Warden Food Safety Grass Cutting Pollution Grants Recycling Waste Management Bus Passes/Travel Tokens Car Parks Cemeteries Licensing General Env Health General Enquiries Customer queries resolved by Meet and Greet staff Housing Housing Finance CSA and/or Housing Housing needs/ staff (depending on homelessness nature of enquiry) Housing general Planning and Culture General Leisure and CSA except Amenities specialist Planning Leisure Centres issues which usually Parks fall into Public Conveniences *Development, Town Centre Management *Land charges and Trees *Property issues Development * (these are dealt with Land Charges * by the Duty Planning Property * Officer) Housing Repairs Repairs CSA Resources Benefits Benefit Officers Council Tax CSA NNDR Back Office Visitors Customers who have an Meet and Greet staff appointment or a meeting arrangement

4.2.3 Staffing

Staffing in the contact centre has been reduced in recent years and is set to be reduced further. In part this is due to the withdrawal of services such as planning from the customer contact centre as a result of the end-to-end service reviews process.

Detailed below are the staffing figures for the whole of the Customer Service Centre since 2009/10, with forecast figures for 2011/12 as proposed at end of January 2011.

Appendix 1

Year Position(s) Post(s) FTEs 2009/10 Manager 1 1 Team Leader 2 2 Customer Service Advisors 24 22.53 Meet and Greet 4 2.05 31 27.58

Year Position(s) Post (s) FTEs 2010/11 Manager 1 1 Assistant Manager 1 1 Customer Service Advisors 20 16.5 Meet and Greet 4 2.00 26 20.5

Year Position(s) Post(s) FTEs 2011/12 Manager 1 1 April to Assistant Manager 1 1 Sept Customer Service Advisors 18 14.5 Meet and Greet 4 1.97 24 18.47

Year Position(s) Post(s) FTEs 2011/12 Manager 1 1 Sept to Assistant Manager 1 1 April Customer Service Advisors 14 10.5 Meet and Greet 4 1.97 20 14.47

The ‘Face to Face’ part of the Customer Service Centre is staffed by 4 part-time meet and greet officers and 3 customer service advisors (CSA). There are always 2 members of staff on the meet and greet desk and 3 CSAs working in the reception area. One of these CSAs ‘hot-desks’ (moves between work areas) according to demand between the contact centre and reception.

Service managers reported that staffing levels were being monitored and reviewed and it was acknowledged that they did not currently match service demand. Different models of resourcing were being assessed to deal with peaks and troughs. A business requirements document had been discussed with staff concerning timing of breaks, annual leave and lunch breaks, and ‘hotdesking’ had been introduced. Part-time staff were to be consulted regarding renegotiation of working hours to better reflect service demand.

Towards the end of the review the Task Group was informed about the likely impact on the service of the budget cuts in 2011/12. The position as reported on 24 January 2011 was that there was a proposal to reduce staffing by two full time equivalent posts with effect from 31 March 2011, with a further reduction of four full time equivalent posts by September 2011. It was anticipated that the initial reduction would be achieved by staff taking a reduction in hours. There would be a transitional period leading up to September when discussions with ‘back office’ services would be held to reallocate services as necessary and in accordance with 15

Appendix 1 systems thinking principles. It was likely that the number of customer service advisers working in the reception area would be reduced from three to two in the longer term.

4.2.4 Customer wait times

Customers are dealt with in order, with a ticket system in operation using different colours for each service area. At the start of the review customer wait times were not being monitored. However, as the review highlighted this as an important issue for customers (see 4.3.1 below), service managers have begun to measure and monitor the time between registering at meet and greet and seeing a CSA. The target that has been set is that visitors are seen within 10 minutes of arrival.

For the 36 working days between Friday 19 November 2010 and Friday 14 January 2011: - 100% were seen within 10 minutes on 5 occasions (14%) - 90% or above were seen within 10 minutes on 21 occasions (58%) - 80% or less were seen within 10 minutes on 13 occasions (36%).

Officers advised that measures to address customer wait times need to be discussed with other councils in the Warwickshire Direct Partnership alongside the impact of proposed budget cuts. There is a difficult balance to be struck to ensure that the service meets the needs of customers whilst not being over-resourced. One option may be to try to ‘shift’ customers’ visit times by publishing wait times at different periods in the week.

In January 2011 it was reported to the Task Group that customer wait times in the reception area were beginning to suffer as a result of some ongoing staff sickness issues, although indications were that a monthly target of 80% of customers seen within 10 minutes remained realistic.

4.3 Customer satisfaction

4.3.1 Customer Feedback

Customer feedback in the reception area is received through the Govmetric system, although only approximately 7% of customers visiting the reception area use the GovMetric system to give feedback. The task group also considered the results of a small customer survey conducted in June 2010, which was repeated in October 2010 during National Customer Service Week at the request of the task group, with 87 customers completing the survey.

According to the data, customer satisfaction with the service received at reception is relatively high, with over 75% rating the service as ‘Good’ in the past 3 months, and this figure improving each month. Rugby also compares favourably with other Warwickshire councils in the feedback it receives through the new GovMetric system, gaining the highest proportion of ‘good’ ratings in the 3 months’ data provided

Appendix 1

55.5% of those responding to the survey during National Customer Service Week who had visited reception before said that the improvements had made a real difference to the service they received. 31% said they had not.

Customer wait time – and possibly speed of transaction – is clearly important to customers. In the National Customer Service Week survey, although 6 people said that the service was much quicker, a longer wait time was also cited as a reason for saying that the service had not improved. ‘Time taken’ is the most cited reason for customer ratings – good, average and poor – in the GovMetric feedback.

The customer comments in the GovMetric feedback include a large number of positive comments about the helpfulness of staff. This applies to both CSAs and specialist staff. Very few cited ‘adviser/information’ as a reason for negative ratings on GovMetric. However, members received evidence that compliments about named staff were not always effectively reported to the individuals concerned.

It is possible that some of the ‘poor’ ratings reflect customer disappointment with the decision they received, as a significant proportion come from housing customers.

4.3.2 Tenant Feedback – results from survey of UChoose customers

The task group also commissioned a survey of UChoose customers using the reception area on 22-24 November. The survey forms were held by meet and greet staff and customer service advisers, who asked UChoose customers to complete the survey at the end of their visit. In total 28 survey forms were completed by UChoose customers visiting reception on these three days.

The results showed that customers attended for a range of reasons, but most commonly to bring in forms or documentation required for UChoose applications, or to update their UChoose information or applications.

The feedback from these customers was extremely positive. It indicated generally short wait times, and high levels of satisfaction with the service and help provided – with a number of particular comments about the helpfulness of staff. There was no negative feedback about the computer facilities or the support available to use them.

The only notable negative comments were about the time delay in becoming ‘live’ on the UChoose system and able to bid for houses. A number of customers also said they were visiting to bring in “more supporting documentation” (emphasis added) or similar, which perhaps indicates repeat visits to begin the UChoose application process. The delay in becoming ‘live’ on the system is an issue for the housing team to consider.

4.3.3 Corporate compliments and complaints

Members received copies of the complaints and compliments received through the corporate compliments and complaints system since 2008. The total number of official complaints received by the council from 1/4/08 to 16/11/10 was 885. The

Appendix 1 number of official complaints which related to Customer and Information Services in this period was 42 and, of these, 12 related to Reception.

There were 6 compliments relating to reception in the period from 1 April 2010 to 16 November 2010. This compared with 4 in the previous 7.5 months, although there had been 9 compliments in the equivalent time period in 2009. There have been 2 complaints since the completion of the refurbishment, both relating to length of wait – adding weight to the point made above about the importance of wait times to customers.

4.4 Impact on different customer groups

Representatives from Rugby Disability Forum worked with service managers to conduct an equality impact assessment on the refurbished reception. The equality impact assessment provided an evidence base for the task group in considering how well the new facilities are meeting the needs of customers with particular access needs.

The assessment was carried out on 15 October 2010. The resulting report highlights a number of improvements that have been made in terms of customer access as a result of the refurbishment. It also identifies several actions needed to address some negative impacts on equalities groups. These are detailed in the areas for improvement outlined below.

4.5 Areas for improvement

The visits to reception by task group members, the discussions with service officers who use reception and the equality impact assessment report highlighted a number of improvements that could be made to the service. Many of these are simple changes that service managers have already begun to address as the review has progressed. These form the basis of the review recommendations, and the review action plan indicates where action has already been taken.

4.5.1 Security

The issue of security has been a recurrent theme in the review evidence. One task group member witnessed a violent incident in the reception area and his observations of how this was handled highlighted a number of concerns, which were confirmed by discussions with staff.

At the time of evidence-gathering by the task group there was no recognised procedure for dealing with violent incidents at the Town Hall and for panic alarm activation. Staff had not received training relating to personal security and dealing with aggressive and abusive behaviour. Those meeting customers in the booths felt uncertain about activating the alarms if they were not directly involved in the incident, as they activate a high-pitched sound. Service officers operating in the reception area also had not been trained in the use of alarms in booths or interview rooms.

Concerns were also raised about the potential vulnerability of the meet and greet advisers. There are no panic buttons fitted at the meet and greet desk and the

Appendix 1 small hinged door leading into this work area was very often open, with benefits staff appearing to use this area as a walkway. In addition, the door to the office behind the meet and greet desk is not fob-operated, and therefore vulnerable to unauthorised entry.

The review also highlighted ineffectiveness in the use of the CCTV system. In addition, staff interviewing customers in the interview rooms have no means of escape as the doors which backed onto the benefits office are locked from that side.

4.5.2 Use of GovMetric

The review found that use of the GovMetric customer feedback kiosk was relatively low and that more could be done to promote the system and remind people to leave feedback. In particular the system is not widely promoted by the service officers.

Take-up may also be improved if the kiosk were relocated away from the reception doors, particularly as sometimes people queue alongside it. It was also suggested that customers found there were too many questions and it would benefit from simplification. Specifically, the system asked customers for their postcode, which was inappropriate for homeless people.

4.5.3 Equipment

There are no telephones in the interview rooms and there are only two telephones for use in all of the booths. The meet and greet advisers also only have access to one telephone between them, although to address this would require installation of an additional line and the consequent costs. Examples were given to task group members of where this was causing delays in dealing with customer enquiries.

The Group established that the associated costs of installing telephones would be: - £90 per socket for each additional phone line - £17.45 per telephone (for the telephone itself) - At least £448 for an additional distribution point (if more than 4 lines required).

The Planning Services desks do not have PC terminals which means that customers have to be left whilst officers investigate any relevant information on the planning portal system elsewhere.

4.5.4 Customer privacy

Privacy generally within the customer service area has greatly improved. However, there is still an issue of privacy at the meet and greet desk due to the design and layout of the area, meaning that conversations about personal matters can be overheard by other customers waiting. It was suggested that a clearly marked ‘privacy zone’ should be introduced to ensure that customer conversations containing personal information are taken away from meet and greet area.

Since this was highlighted by the task group, the use of barriers has been explored but there is insufficient space given the need for wheelchair access. As an alternative solution, the seating was rearranged during the review period, and this has been positively viewed by customers. A ‘please wait here’ sign is also being considered.

Appendix 1

Customers making payments using the telephone adjacent to meet and greet are also vulnerable to being overheard by people at meet and greet or using the PC terminals. This may be addressed in part by the introduction of Chip and PIN facilities which will reduce the use of the telephone for payment purposes.

4.5.5 Meeting space

Generally there remains an issue about available space of appropriate size to receive customers. Customers sometimes have to wait as a suitable room is not available to meet with them. The interview rooms are not all big enough for families or mobility scooter users. In particular, interview room 2 has a desk across its full width and it was suggested that the space in the room would be better used if a smaller desk were installed.

Officers showed varying degrees of knowledge regarding the use of interview rooms, including which room is appropriate for the various types of interview undertaken. The guidance document for interviews needs updating as there is confusion surrounding booking and use of interview rooms.

It was suggested that the interview room by the entrance to reception should be kept unlocked at all times as it is needed to provide access for double buggies and mobility scooters.

4.5.6 Accessibility

The interview booths are not quite wide enough for customers with pushchairs or mobility scooter users. Officers overcome this issue by sitting next to the customer rather than opposite them. Similarly, the computer access booths are not wide enough, and lack privacy when a member of staff is supporting a customer to access the UChoose system and taking personal information. However, in order to address this the number of booths would need to be reduced, which could create unmet demand.

The review has also highlighted a number of issues regarding the hearing loop equipment and support for customers with hearing impairments. On the day of the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) neither the portable hearing loops nor the hearing loop at the meet and greet desk were functioning. It was suggested that a sign should be available at meet and greet saying “Please wait, I am getting further assistance” for occasions when the hearing loop fails.

There is a need for further training for staff on accessibility issues. Although some meet and greet staff have been trained to receive customers with hearing impairments, on the day of the EIA staff did not know what to do and seemed unsure about how to use the hearing loops. Service officers who attended the focus group were also unaware of the availability of the portable hearing loop.

Meet and greet staff also need training on how to use the large microphone and to ensure they understand the sign language for “I’m deaf” and “I don’t understand” if used by a customer. Staff members also need training in how to deal with customers with learning difficulties.

Appendix 1

The Equality Impact Assessment highlighted the absence of baby change facilities for use by men. The female toilet is a single lockable facility and can be used by a male on request. Meet and Greet officers have been asked to keep a record of such requests over a 6 month period (to April 2011), but to date no complaints have been made.

Members visiting the reception area noted that there was limited passing space between the rows of chairs for customers waiting. As detailed above, the seating in the reception area was rearranged during the review period and this has increased the amount of passing space.

4.5.7 Payment facilities

The payment deposit box has been moved to the rear of the reception hall, which seems to be inconvenient for access. The box is not labelled in any way, causing some customers to return to the meet and greet desk to check. Concerns about the security of the box were also raised, and service officers cited evidence of cheques having gone missing.

The review also highlighted some issues relating to payments by cash since the removal of the cashiers desks. Staff cited examples of having to send people away from the town hall to make a payment and then return with a receipt to obtain the service they required. A customer complaint considered by the task group also expressed frustration about the process of taking payment for a parking permit at the Town Hall.

There were some inconsistencies in approach, with some services agreeing to accept small amounts of cash, and others sometimes waiving small fees to avoid causing inconvenience to customers. The number of non-payers for parking permits had increased – adding to administrative costs – as permits were now issued before payment. However the task group was also advised that cash payments had been monitored as part of the Planning Services end-to-end review and only five customers per month had required this type of service.

A Chip and PIN system is due to be introduced in March 2011 and should help address some of these issues.

4.5.8 Queue management

As highlighted above, wait times are important to customers. Members who visited the reception area suggested that customer expectations could be better managed whilst they are waiting in the reception area if they were advised how long they were likely to have to wait. At busiest times there may also be value in managing queues by fast-tracking simple enquiries, and consideration needed to be given to ensuring that elderly or disabled people do not have to stand in a queue.

The suggestion was also made that the television screen could be used to indicate which booth each customer should go to when their ticket was called. However, initial enquiries suggest that the design, supply and installation of the necessary software could cost in excess of £5000, which could not be supported in the context of current spending pressures.

Appendix 1

4.5.9 Customer registration process

The review highlighted inconsistencies in the process of receiving customers and referring them to other officers. There is an e-mail system in place for notifying benefits officers of customers waiting, but this does not cover all services. Other officers are telephoned and the amount of information given is dependent on individual Meet and Greet officers. Sometimes staff are unclear as to who is waiting to see them when they arrive in reception.

There are also occasions where customers have waited and the service officer finds that they are not the right person to deal with their enquiry. This was considered to be a training issue.

4.5.10 Signage

The review highlighted the following improvements that are needed to signage:

- There is no signage in the foyer or reception advising of CCTV operation (in line with Information Commissioner’s guidance) - Hearing loop signage at the meet and greet desk needs to be in a higher, more prominent position as it is currently obscured by customers standing in front of the desk. - A wheelchair sign is needed for interview room 5.

On the task group’s final visit to reception it was clear that these issues had already been addressed.

4.5.11 Service availability

Building Control officers are only available from 9.00am and 10.00am and 4.00pm and 5.00pm. The task group felt that this was too limited and that it would be helpful if planning officers could be used to give basic building control advice at other times. However, officers advised that planning and building control are separate technical professions and planning officers could not fulfil this role. It is not possible for building control officers to provide 9-5 on demand public consultation. However, officers can contact the surveyors by mobile telephone and very often are able to resolve an issue in this way, or make alternative arrangements.

4.5.12 Use of plasma screens

The TV screen in the reception area shows the BBC news with subtitles. It was suggested that this facility could be used instead to promote council services, as well as to remind customers to use the GovMetric feedback system. It could also potentially be used to promote local businesses.

Appendix 1

5. CONCLUSIONS

The review drew the following conclusions from the evidence that it gathered:

 The refurbishment was necessary and has delivered a range of tangible improvements to the quality of service delivered to customers and in terms of the facilities now available. This is confirmed by customer feedback and feedback from staff working in the reception area.

 The reception area now meets the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work and Disability Discrimination Acts.

 The original proposal of a one stop shop at the Rugby Art Gallery and Museum building no longer seems to be a viable or attractive option. The changes delivered, within a budget of £142,000 (including a contribution of £20,000 from Warwickshire County Council), now seem likely to serve a longer-term purpose than originally envisaged and appear to offer good value for money, particularly in light of the considerable financial pressures now facing the council.

 The service is achieving more with fewer staff and producing better outcomes. Negative feedback rarely reflects on staff. Task group members were particularly impressed by the wide range of services delivered by the Customer Service Advisers and the professionalism and breadth of knowledge demonstrated by these members of staff.

 Rugby’s customer satisfaction levels in relation to face-to-face contact are strong compared with other Warwickshire councils.

 Security within the reception area is a concern and needs to be improved and kept under review at six month intervals.

 Wait times are a key concern for customers. Waiting times should be monitored and every effort made to manage demand more effectively to try to reduce them.

 The Chip and PIN payment system (due for implementation March 2011) should be monitored and reviewed in September 2011, and the results reported to the Corporate Performance Committee.

 The service officers who formed the focus group for the review found it beneficial to meet together and should continue to meet bi-monthly to consider any ongoing or new issues within this area.

 There is a wide range of simple changes that could be made – and are already being made – to bring about further service improvements at a minimal cost and in many cases no cost at all. These form the basis of the review recommendations in section 1 of the report.

Appendix 1

Review of Customer Service Reception – Draft Action Plan

Recommendations / Milestones Managed Assigned Due date Date Notes by to complete Work with Warwickshire Direct Partnership to manage Raj Chand Debbie September customer wait times and expectations in a consistent manner. McCarthy 2011 Milestones Customer wait times between registration at meet and greet Debbie September Started monitoring customer and appointment with the CSA should be measured and McCarthy 2011 wait times. Discussion paper monitored against a monthly target standard of 80% of referred to Task Group on customers seen within 10 minutes. 29.11.10. Use available communications channels to ensure customers Debbie Matthew May 2011 are aware of the best days / times to visit to minimise wait McCarthy Deaves times. Customer Service Advisers to use data regarding customer Debbie Carol May 2011 wait times to inform customers about quieter times to visit McCarthy Young Customers should be advised of likely wait times by the meet Debbie Carol March Discussed at M&G Team and greet advisers McCarthy Young 2011 Meeting 04/11/2010 (ongoing) Queues should be managed to ensure that elderly and Debbie Carol March Discussed at M&G Team disabled people are not standing McCarthy Young 2011 Meeting 04/11/2010 (ongoing) A consistent approach to registering customers at meet and Debbie Carol May 2011 greet and referring them to appropriate officers should be McCarthy Young established, ensuring back office staff receive adequate background information regarding the enquiry and have a clear mechanism for identifying the customer. Appendix 1

Recommendations / Milestones Managed Assigned Due date Date Notes by to complete The guidance document for interviews should be updated so Debbie Carol February This has been updated and that all staff are clear about the meeting space and facilities McCarthy Young 2011 cascaded to the newly formed available and booking arrangements Face to Face Service Providers Group which is made up of representatives from all service areas using the interview rooms. Some outstanding points to be finalised Interview room 5 should be kept unlocked at all times to Debbie Holly Reid January This has been documented and ensure access for double buggies and mobility scooters. McCarthy 2011 agreed. A sign should be available at meet and greet to advise Debbie Carol Completed customers if a member of staff has gone to seek assistance, McCarthy Young 2011 should the hearing loop equipment fail. The hinged door to the meet and greet desk area should be Debbie Carol Ongoing A number of discussions have kept closed to ensure staff security McCarthy Young been held and further issues January have been raised about access to the Council tax area and this being used as a walk through. Still under consideration as part of the annual risk assessment The process for feeding back compliments to individual staff Debbie January Now part of regular routine should be strengthened. McCarthy 2011 The Chip and PIN payment system should be monitored and Michelle Carol September reviewed in September 2011 and the results reported to the Johnson Young 2011 Corporate Performance Committee.

Appendix 1

Recommendations / Milestones Managed Assigned Due date Date Notes by to complete Efforts should be made to increase the numbers of customers April 2011 Discussed at M&G Team giving feedback through the GovMetric system, by more McCarthy Meeting on 04.11.10. consistent promotion by officers and simplification of the and at newly formed Face to questions. Face Service Providers Group on 12.01.11 An internal review of GovMetric Debbie is to be undertaken on 3 February A clearly marked ‘privacy zone’ should be incorporated at the Debbie Carol March Explored use of barriers but meet and greet desk. McCarthy Young 2011 insufficient space given the need for wheelchair access. Have rearranged seating to offset chairs to Meet & Greet/GovMetric Kiosk and ordered tensabarrier/sign “Please wait here”

The location and design of the payment deposit box should be Debbie Tim March Contractors have undertaken reviewed to ensure it is secure, easily accessible and suitably McCarthy Margerison 2011 work on the payment box to sign-posted. make it more secure (February 2011). Signs can be obtained to sign post the position of the box but an additional budget is required for this. A clear procedure should be put in place for dealing with Theresa Debbie January Procedure in place violent incidents at the Town Hall, covering panic alarm Summers McCarthy 2011 activation and response, as well as testing. A leaflet stand should be installed in the reception area and Debbie Carol February Stands have been received and the leaflets monitored to ensure they are current and McCarthy Young 2011 will be installed in due course. appropriate. Leaflets are checked regularly by M&G.

Appendix 1

Recommendations / Milestones Managed Assigned Due date Date Notes by to complete The plasma TV screens should be used to promote council Debbie Carol January The TV can be used for services and local businesses and to remind customers to use McCarthy Young 2011 multiple purposes. One M&G the GovMetric system officer has been shown how to alternate between promotional material and BBC news with subtitles and this will now be written into a procedure and cascaded to all M&G staff. CCTV surveillance monitors should be repositioned to ensure Tim The CCTV monitor has been proper monitoring by staff. Margerison 2011 relocated to enable staff to monitor it properly. Meet and greet staff should be trained on the Warwickshire Debbie Carol February Initial training is imminent County Council services which are due to be introduced to McCarthy Young 2011 reception. February An additional telephone line should be installed at the meet Debbie Rachel September Additional budget provision and greet desk and telephones should be installed in all of the McCarthy Kenney 2011 is required for this. interview rooms, the customer service booths and at the Estimated Costs: planning desks. If costs are prohibitive, the meet and greet £90 per socket for each desk should be given priority. additional phone line. Additional distribution point (if more than 4 lines required) – at least £448. Cost per telephone – £17.45 per phone. A telephone is already available in Interview Room 5. The telephone line on Planning Desk 1 is live.

Appendix 1

Recommendations / Milestones Managed Assigned Due date Date Notes by to complete At least one computer terminal should be installed at the Nick Freer Rachel April 2011 A PC will shortly become planning desks. Kenney available within the Planning team and there are existing power and network points in place, so this can be achieved at no cost. All staff working in the reception area should receive training Suzanne November All but 6 CSAs have received relating to personal security and dealing with aggressive and Turner 2011 training – these staff are not abusive behaviour currently here to receive training. For other staff this is being taken up through the Face to Face officers group. Panic button should be fitted at the meet and greet desk Tim April 2011 The panic button has been Margerison ordered and Corporate Property Team will advise when this work can take place Signage should be improved, including: Matthew January CCTV signage done - signage advising of CCTV operation Deaves 2011 Improvement to hearing loop - a wheelchair sign for interview room 5 signage will not be needed - hearing loop signage moved to a higher, more prominent when ‘please wait here’ sign position . has been sited as it will no longer be obscured Wheelchair sign - Staff will be made aware of this via the procedure “Advice and Guidance on use of the interview rooms in the Reception Area”

Appendix 1

Recommendations / Milestones Managed Assigned Due date Date Notes by to complete All staff working in reception area should receive training on Debbie See milestones below how to use the hearing loops and large microphone, and on McCarthy receiving customers with hearing impairments and with learning disabilities, including understanding the sign language for “I’m deaf” and “I don’t understand”. Milestones Meet and Greet staff to be trained to use the large microphone Debbie January Meet and Greet staff have been McCarthy 2011 trained Ensure that staff members know how to deal with customers Some aspects of this were with learning difficulties McCarthy incorporated into the training and procedure (dealing with customers who are violent or aggressive). To consider with Face to Face service providers Debbie group whether further training is needed

A service officers group for those using the reception area Debbie January Face to face service providers should be established and meet bi-monthly to consider any McCarthy 2011 group established and first ongoing or new issues. meeting held 12 January 2011 Jobcentre Plus should be approached about the possibility of Debbie April 2011 establishing a terminal for people to search for jobs at the McCarthy same time as visiting the council regarding benefits queries. The Council should aim to achieve the National Customer Raj Chand Debbie January Service Excellence Standard in the longer-term. McCarthy 2013

Agenda No 9

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14th March 2011

Report Title Appointments to Outside Bodies - Miscellaneous Appointments Portfolio Resources and Corporate Governance

Ward Relevance All Wards

Prior Consultation Bilton Poor's Land and Other Charities

Contact Officer Linn Enticott, Democratic and Scrutiny Services Officer, Tel: 01788 533523

Report Subject to Call-in Yes

Report En-Bloc No

Forward Plan No

Corporate Priorities This report does not specifically relate to any Council priorities, but should be considered by the Panel/Cabinet for the following reasons: To ensure continuity of the Council’s representation on outside bodies.

Statutory/Policy Background

Summary Mr L Franklyn has resigned his position as a representative for Bilton Poor's Land and Other Charities and a replacement is required.

Risk Management There are no risk management implications arising Implications from this report.

CAB14MAR2011 Appointments to Outside Bodies 1

Financial Implications There are no financial implications arising from this report.

Environmental Implications There are no environmental implications arising from this report.

Legal Implications There are no legal implications arising from this report.

Equality and Diversity No new or existing policy or procedure has been recommended.

Options 1: A representative for Bilton Poor’s Land and Other Charities is required. Risks : None Benefits: Continuity of representation.

Recommendation One representative be appointed to Bilton Poor’s Land and Other Charities until the end of the current term of office on 18 November 2011.

Reasons for To ensure continuity of representation. Recommendation

CAB14MAR2011 Appointments to Outside Bodies 2

Agenda No 9

Cabinet - 14th March 2011

Appointments to Outside Bodies - Miscellaneous Appointments

Report of the Resources and Corporate Governance Portfolio Holder

Recommendation One representative be appointed to Bilton Poor’s Land and Other Charities until the end of the current term of office on 18 November 2011.

BACKGROUND

There are four representatives for Bilton Poor’s Land and Other Charities. Following the recent resignation of Mr Franklyn a vacancy now exists for the remainder of the appointment. The table below shows details of the current membership.

Current No. Expires at Length of appt Time & day of No. of meetings Rep(s) of end of: meetings Reps Cllr Mrs 4 18/11/2011 4 years 2.15 pm 3 per year L Parker 1 Weds

Vacancy 18/11/2011 (to replace Mr Franklyn)

Mr B 07/04/2012 Shields

Cllr I 07/04/2012 Mistry

CAB14MAR2011 Appointments to Outside Bodies 3

Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date Of Meeting: 14th February 2011

Subject Matter: Appointments to Outside Bodies - Miscellaneous Appointments

Originating Department: Resources and Corporate Governance Portfolio Holder

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

Document Officer’s File No. Date Description of Document Reference Reference 1.

* Exempt information is contained in the following documents:

Document No. Relevant Paragraph of Schedule 12A

______

* There are no background papers relating to this item.

(*Delete if not applicable)

CAB14MAR2011 Appointments to Outside Bodies 4

Agenda No 11

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14th March 2011

Report Title Rugby and Daventry Crematorium Project

Portfolio Sustainable Environment

Ward Relevance All

Prior Consultation Daventry District Council

Contact Officer Sean Lawson, Head of Environmental services, Tel: 01788 533850

Report Subject to Call-in No The report is not subject to call because there is a pressing need to establish a Joint Committee to progress this project. Report En-Bloc No

Forward Plan No

Corporate Priorities This report relates to the following priority(ies):

Enable and sustain an environment which our residents can take pride in and which impresses our visitors Enable the delivery of excellent Value for Money services in line with our corporate plans

Statutory/Policy Background The Council has a duty to make provision for the burial of the deceased. Council have approved in principle the partnership with Daventry District Council to deliver this facility. The site at Onley Lane would require planning permission before any development could take place. Summary The Crematoria Task and Finish Group have recommended to Cabinet that there is a sound business case to develop crematoria for Rugby.

CAB14MAR2011 Crematorium Joint Committee 1

Cabinet endorsed this view and requested that officers brought forward a scheme to achieve this objective. Whilst there are still a number of commercial details that still need to be resolved, which would not be appropriate to discuss in detail in this public report, an interim collaboration is in place and the full collaboration agreement should be in place shortly. It is important to progress in good faith and establish a joint committee to deliver this project at the earliest opportunity and in the most financially efficient manner. To do this a Joint Committee should be established as soon as is practicable.

Risk Management The project has robust project management Implications arrangements which regularly review and control risks. Financial Implications The project and resulting service should generate significant and sustained revenue income.

Environmental Implications An objective of the project is to provide a facility and building which meet high environmental standards, especially in the matters of energy efficiency and biodiversity Legal Implications Councils have powers to provide crematorium facilities, and to work together to do so and/or create a legal entity to do so, under the Cremation Act 1902, the well-being powers provided by Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 and Sections 101 and 111 of the Local Government Act 1972. Powers to create joint committees and provide services jointly are provided by Section 102 of the Local Government Act 1972 and by regulations made under Sections 19 and 20 of the Local Government Act 2000. Equality and Diversity As a result of this report an existing or new policy or procedure been recommended. An Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out.

Options 1 : That a Joint Committee is approved for the Rugby and Daventry Crematorium project Risks : This is a novel form of Governance arrangements for Rugby and Daventry Councils. Benefits : This form of governance offers significant financial benefits. The Joint Committee form of Governance is well established in other Local Authorities. 2 : That a Joint Committee is not approved for the Rugby and Daventry Crematorium project Risks : That the alternative governance arrangements

CAB14MAR2011 Crematorium Joint Committee 2

are financially more complex and less beneficial Benefits : None.

Recommendation 1. A joint committee (the “Crematorium Joint Committee”) be established with Daventry District Council (DDC) as follows: a. The committee shall comprise four members in total, two being nominated by each authority. All members of the Committee shall be Members of the authority by which they are nominated. b. The quorum of the Committee shall be two members, being at least one from each authority. c. The committee shall appoint its own Chairman and Deputy Chairman subject to the rules that (i) each year the Chairman shall be drawn from members of the committee from one authority, and the following year from members of the committee from the other authority; and (ii) the Deputy Chairman shall be a member of the committee from the authority which is not currently providing the Chairman. d. The Chairman or in his absence the Deputy Chairman shall have a casting vote. e. The Committee shall exercise on behalf of the authorities the functions of providing crematoria and ancillary services under the Cremation Act 1902, Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000, the Local Authorities (Land) Act 1963 and all other powers enabling the provision and operation of crematoria and related services. f. The Committee shall arrange to discharge its responsibilities through officers of the authorities subject to the requirements that (i) administration of the Committee shall be exercised through officers of RBC; (ii) creation of the crematorium shall be exercised through officers of DDC; (iii) practical operation of the crematorium shall be exercised through officers of RBC; and 2. Rugby Borough Council’s representatives on the Committee be ex-officio nominations comprising of the respective Portfolio holders for Resources and Corporate Governance and Sustainable Environment.

CAB14MAR2011 Crematorium Joint Committee 3

Reasons for A joint committee offers a clear and well understood Recommendation governance structure whilst avoiding the additional costs of running a separate legal entity such as a company.

CAB14MAR2011 Crematorium Joint Committee 4

Agenda No 11

Cabinet - 14th March 2011

Rugby and Daventry Crematorium Project

Report of the Sustainable Environment Portfolio Holder

Recommendation 1. A joint committee (the “Crematorium Joint Committee”) be established with Daventry District Council (DDC) as follows: a. The committee shall comprise four members in total, two being nominated by each authority. All members of the Committee shall be Members of the authority by which they are nominated. b. The quorum of the Committee shall be two members, being at least one from each authority. c. The committee shall appoint its own Chairman and Deputy Chairman subject to the rules that (i) each year the Chairman shall be drawn from members of the committee from one authority, and the following year from members of the committee from the other authority; and (ii) the Deputy Chairman shall be a member of the committee from the authority which is not currently providing the Chairman. d. The Chairman or in his absence the Deputy Chairman shall have a casting vote. e. The Committee shall exercise on behalf of the authorities the functions of providing crematoria and ancillary services under the Cremation Act 1902, Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000, the Local Authorities (Land) Act 1963 and all other powers enabling the provision and operation of crematoria and related services. f. The Committee shall arrange to discharge its responsibilities through officers of the authorities subject to the requirements that (i) administration of the Committee shall be exercised through officers of RBC; (ii) creation of the crematorium shall be exercised through officers of DDC; (iii) practical operation of the crematorium shall be exercised through officers of RBC; and 2. Rugby Borough Council’s representatives on the Committee be ex-officio nominations comprising of the respective Portfolio Holders for Resources and Corporate Governance and Sustainable Environment.

1. Introduction

In December 2010 Council determined to support the principle of working with Daventry District Council (DDC) to create and operate a crematorium facility to meet the needs of both areas, and approved a capital budget as our planned contribution to the initiative. Since that time, work has been ongoing with DDC to develop the formal business plan for the project and the arrangements necessary to carry it into execution.

CAB14MAR2011 Crematorium Joint Committee 5

2. Information

2.1 Full Business Plan

The Full Business Plan for the Rugby & Daventry Crematorium contains commercial sensitive information and as such it is a confidential document. It has been shared with the Portfolio Holders for Resources and Sustainable Environment. The business plan considers the costs, risks, opportunities and returns from the proposed project and service and recommends (a) that the project proceed, and (b) the main ways in which it should be managed. One important aspect of the way it is recommended that the project and service be managed is via a joint committee of Members. This is addressed more fully in Section 2.2.

In summary, the business plan concludes that:

 Total expenditure of £3.460 million (including land value) is credible as a cost to provide the new facility within.  Returns comprise providing a facility which would benefit the residents of both Daventry District and Rugby Borough and in cash terms should return a total of £240,000 per year once fully established.  The project benefits are worth the investment, and this conclusion would still be true even if capital or revenue costs were 25% higher, demand 25% lower or demand failed to grow as projected over time. As such, the proposals are reasonably robust.

The business case also deals with the proposed new Rugby Cemetery, which would be adjacent to the Crematorium and would logically form part of the same project, landscape design and construction contracts. Thus whilst the whole cost of preparing the cemetery would be met by this Council it is proposed that it be managed by DDC as an integral part of the crematorium project.

The business plan details the intended project management and procurement arrangements. It is intended to make use of a suitable framework contract (probably the East Midlands Property Alliance, EMPA framework) to employ a contractor early in the process. Due to the nature of crematoria, it is desirable to work with a contractor and their supply chain from early in the design process to ensure the working systems are fully integrated. This supports delivery of value for money and high quality finished product.

It is important that the crematorium is properly commissioned and that the operational staff are in place and able to gain a full understanding of its operation prior to public use. The business plan makes provision for this.

The project plans initial Gantt chart is attached as appendix 1 for information. A project manager has been appointed and the process of building the rest of the delivery team is underway.

CAB14MAR2011 Crematorium Joint Committee 6

2.2 Joint Committee

Considerable effort has been expended considering and evaluating the various potential management models. This included assessment of the governance, practicality and financial implications, the latter point including the issue of tax liabilities. The business case sets out all the potential governance arrangements, some options were dismissed due to legal uncertainties relating to them or because they would result in the authorities incurring unnecessary tax liabilities.

The preferred option is well established, although not currently used by either DDC or RBC. This is to set up a joint committee, which exercises on both authorities’ behalf their crematoria functions. Such a joint committee offers a clear and well understood governance structure whilst avoiding the additional costs of running a separate legal entity such as a company. (It also removes a risk of breaching either authorities’ threshold for reclaiming VAT on exempt supplies, which if triggered would cost around £80,000 over one or two years.)

Given this background, the creation of a joint committee is recommended, constituted as per the recommendation.

CAB14MAR2011 Crematorium Joint Committee 7

Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date Of Meeting: 14th March 2011

Subject Matter: Rugby and Daventry Crematorium Project

Originating Department: Sustainable Environment Portfolio Holder

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

Document Officer’s File No. Date Description of Document Reference Reference 1. Report from Crematorium Task and Finish Group 2. 20/11/10 Cabinet Report

* Exempt information is contained in the following documents:

Document No. Relevant Paragraph of Schedule 12A Full Business Case 8 and 9

______

CAB14MAR2011 Crematorium Joint Committee 8 2011 2012 2013 2014 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Joint committee established X Procurement process commenced X Contractor appointed X QS appointed X Archological assessment Topographical survey Utilities affected identified Costing gas supply Order period for gas supply (if applicable) Gas supply available (if applicable) X Sketch scheme Ecological survey Indicative pricing Planning scheme drawn up Planning permission applied for Consideration of planning application Planning permission obtained X Land acquired (vacent possession) X Detailed scheme drawn up Target cost established X Mobilisation Construction Appointment of crematorium manager X Practical completion X Commissioning Start of operations X Defects correction complete X Lessons learned report issued X Project close report issued X

Agenda No 12

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14th March 2011

Report Title Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan

Portfolio Sustainable Environment

Ward Relevance All

Prior Consultation Warwickshire Waste Partnership

Contact Officer Sean Lawson, Head of Environmental Services, Tel: 01788 533850

Report Subject to Call-in Yes

Report En-Bloc No

Forward Plan Yes

Corporate Priorities This report relates to the following priority(ies):

Enable and sustain an environment which our residents can take pride in and which impresses our visitors Enable the delivery of excellent Value for Money services in line with our corporate plans

Statutory/Policy Background The Warwickshire Joint Waste Municipal Strategy requires an update, but this has been postponed until the Government publishes a new National Waste Strategy, which is anticipated shortly. Waste is a significant environmental and economic issue that remains a high profile and priority at European, National, Regional and local levels. Summary In December 2010 the Warwickshire Waste Partnership discussed and agreed to progress a joint business plan. This report seeks Rugby Borough

CAB14MAR2011 waste partnership 1

Councils endorsement to work towards the deliver of the business plan for 2011/12. It was also agreed that a joint waste committee, which had previously been agreed in principle, was no longer appropriate and that the informal partnership arrangement was now an effective delivery vehicle.

Risk Management There are reputation and partnership risks associated Implications with this report. Through endorsing the Warwickshire Waste Partnership business plan we commit to deliver a number of actions/outcomes as a Council and/or as part of the partnership. Financial Implications Whilst there are no direct financial implications from this report, the achievement of the aims of the business plan will have significant positive financial benefits in the short, medium and longer terms for the whole public sector.

Environmental Implications The whole thrust of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership and this business plan is targeted at delivering significant environmental benefits for our communities. Legal Implications There are no legal implications arising from this report.

Equality and Diversity No new or existing policy or procedure has been recommended.

Options 1 ) Endorse the business plan for 2011/12 Risks : We are committed to delivery of actions and outcomes that may be challenging to deliver. Benefits : It gives clarity of purpose across Warwickshire to collaboratively address the problems associated with waste generation and reinforces our commitments through the Corporate Strategy. If the aims and outcomes can be achieved there will be significant financial rewards to be made across the sector as well as significant environmental benefits for future generations.

2 ) Do not endorse the Business Plan for 2011/12 Risks : The reputation of Rugby Borough Council as an effective contributor on partnership working is seriously damaged. We lose the opportunity to contribute to significant financial and environmental benefits across the sector. Benefits : None

CAB14MAR2011 waste partnership 2

Recommendation 1) The Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan for 2011/12 be endorsed; and 2) the decision in principle to support the move to create a Warwickshire Joint Waste Committee is rescinded.

Reasons for 1) The objectives in the Business Plan mirror those of Recommendation this Council and will support the development of joint working across the sub region in relation to waste issues that will benefit the authorities and our communities. 2) There is no support through the members of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership at this stage for a joint committee.

CAB14MAR2011 waste partnership 3

Agenda No 12

Cabinet - 14th March 2011

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan

Report of the Sustainable Environment Portfolio Holder

1. Background

1.1 In December 2010 the Warwickshire Waste Partnership discussed a proposed Business Plan for 2011/12. Partners were in favour of moving forward with the Business Plan, following the inclusion of some additional data from each authority. The Partners agreed to submit the additional information and then endorse the Business Plan through their individual committee process.

2. Summary of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan

2.1 The Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan for 2011/12 can be seen in Appendix A.

2.2 The Warwickshire Waste Partnership (the Partnership) is the group of Councils in Warwickshire that collect and dispose of the County’s municipal waste. The Partnership comprises all five District and Borough Councils (Waste Collection Authorities), as well as the County Council (Waste Disposal Authority).

2.3 The Partnership has set short and medium term objectives. The key medium term objectives for the partnership to be achieved by 2015 are to: 1. Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 500 kg per head. With no more than 200 kg per head of residual waste 2. Recycle, compost and reuse 60% of our municipal waste by 2015 3. Increase recycling by all Partners to a minimum of 40% 4. Give Warwickshire an effective voice in dialogue with Government and 5. other agencies with the capacity to influence sustainable waste management

2.4 The Partnership will support these objectives through, but not be limited to the following options:

CAB14MAR2011 waste partnership 4

1. Promoting awareness and behavioural change relating to recycling to increase capture rates and quality 2. Using new methods for communications 3. Ensuring landfill avoidance such as home composting and reuse shops at HWRCs 4. Investigation into food waste collection for NBBC and NWBC 5. Supporting Kerbside recycling collections 6. Considering Alternate Weekly Collections of residual waste where and when appropriate 7. Improved Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) facilities 8. Increasing the range of materials collected via HWRCs and scheme to reduce recyclables being put into the residual waste stream

2.5 The short term objectives for 2011/12 are to: 1. Update the Strategy following the release of the updated guidance from government 2. To assess the best way to monitor the sustainability of Warwickshire’s municipal waste management 3. Review the Partnerships position of the delivery of recycling and waste collections and road map its future delivery 4. To work sub-regionally to improve value for money on joint procurement either as a whole partnership or in clusters 5. Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 530 kg per head. With no more than 265 kg per head of residual waste

2.6 The Partnership will use the 2010/11 Business plan as the main source of reference for elected members, officers, stakeholders and others interested in the work of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership. Once all Partners have endorsed the Business Plan through their Committee Process, the Partnership will monitor its progress and achievements.

2.7 To achieve the targets laid out above, action plans may need to be developed. Each target will be allocated a “Member Champion”, who will help to guide and monitor achievements against the target along side the Lead Officer. The Partnership will also require individual officers or the relevant the officers working group to provide regular monitoring reports to the Partnership, as well as potentially providing individual authorities scrutiny committees with reports as and when requested.

2.8 Updates and reports on each target will be reported at the Partnership meetings throughout the year.

3. Financial implications

3.1 All work which the Business Plan contains relating to Rugby is within agreed work programmes and budgets.

3.2 Working in partnership towards the goals of the Business Plan, will help all partners seek and realise savings through joint working.

CAB14MAR2011 waste partnership 5

4. Implications for Rugby Borough Council

4.1 The key elements within the Business Plan that have a direct implication for Rugby are as follows:

4.2 Objectives for 2011/12: 4. To work sub-regionally to improve value for money on joint procurement either as a whole partnership or in clusters – The sub regional work is lead by the Head of Environmental Services and an update report submitted to the Warwickshire Waste Partnership meeting in December can be viewed via the Warwickshire County Council website. 5. Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 530 kg per head. With no more than 265 kg per head of residual waste – Rugby is already ahead of this target with 215kg of residual waste per hard and a total municipal waste of 438 kg per head. Despite the fact that we are already achieving this target, we will need to continue to encourage and educate householders to minimise their overall waste and maximising the amount of this waste that they do recycle or compost.

4.3 The key medium term objectives for the partnership to be achieved by 2015 are to: 1. Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 500 kg per head. With no more than 200 kg per head of residual waste – Whilst this is a partnership target, in order for Rugby to play its part to the full we will need to ensure that residual waste levels are reduced consistent over the coming years. Now that our 3 bin recycling and refuse service is well established, there is a need to ensure that food waste in particular is directed in to the green bin rather than the black bin. This will be the focus of education activity leading up to 2015. 2. Recycle compost and reuse 60% of our municipal waste by 2015 - Whilst this is a partnership target that may well be achieved by the action of one or more partner adopting alternative collection strategies, in order for Rugby to play its part to the full we will need to increase our recycling and composting percentages. This would be achieved if we are able to reduce the levels of residual waste and diverting more food waste in to the green bins. 3. Increase recycling by all Partners to a minimum of 40% - Already achieved in Rugby.

5. Future Developments for Rugby

5.1 Rugby is well placed to deliver our contribution to the Waste Partnership objectives, however we do need to continue our efforts to maximise the environmental and economic benefits that are available.

5.2 From the 4th April we will be implementing a significant change to collection rounds, which enable significant savings (£100,000) to be made by reducing the collection fleet by 2 vehicles (1 on black/green and 1 on blue). This change will see around 7,500 households have their collection changed, this primarily

CAB14MAR2011 waste partnership 6

affects the villages of Ansty, Bramcote, Barnacle, Brinklow, Burton Hastings, Clifton on Dunsmore, Easenhall, Harborough Magna, Monks Kirby, Newton, Newbold (parts). Pailton, Ryton on Dunsmore, Shilton, Stretton under Fosse, Wibtoft, Willey, Withybrook, Wolvey and Wolvey Heath. These properties will receive a direct mailed letter detailing changes and we will also inform relevant Parish Councils, elected members and locality forum meetings. There will also be a double page article in a local newspaper to promote the changes and encourage residents to use the service to the maximum.

5.3 During 2011/12 we will also be replacing a number of litter bins in the town centre with “recycling on the go” bins, which will combine a litter bin with a mixed recycling bin to try to capture recyclable materials that are currently disposed of as litter.

5.4 During 2010 a waste compositional analysis was under taken as part of Project Transform, this has shown that over 3,200 tonnes of food waste is still being disposed of through the black residual bin. As mentioned earlier we will need to focus our educative messages and campaigns on migrating this material in to green bins. If 40% of this food waste can be moved over in to the green bin our recycling rates would increase by 3% overall. To encourage this we will be putting stickers on green bins during the spring to promote the composting of food through the green bin.

5.5 The compositional analysis also shows that a high proportion of materials that could be recycled are still being disposed of in the residual bins, for example the capture rate for recyclable / compostable materials are as follows: 64% of all glass; 63 % of Paper; 61% of Cardboard; 65 % of plastic bottles; 27% of dense plastic packaging 4% of food 97% of garden waste

5.6 We will be rolling out a kerbside textile recycling service with local groups and charities during 2011. This will directly benefit local groups and could be an important fundraising scheme for them, as well as the obvious environmental benefits. Whilst there are already a number of private/charity ventures doing this we are concerned that the actual percentage of proceeds that reach some charities can be quite low. Our scheme will ensure that all proceeds (after costs) will be directed to local charities and groups, who will also assist in the delivery of collection bags.

5.7 We will also be seeking to drive waste minimisation by implementing the agreed Council policy of only providing 180 litre residual bins as standard. Any one requiring a larger capacity bin will have a specific evaluation involving a review of their waste arisings to ensure the maximum level of recycling is being achieved. This will apply to replacement bins and new properties. We will continue to allow second recycling and green bins on request.

CAB14MAR2011 waste partnership 7

Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date Of Meeting: 14th March 2011

Subject Matter: Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan

Originating Department: Sustainable Environment Portfolio Holder

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

Document Officer’s File No. Date Description of Document Reference Reference 1.

* Exempt information is contained in the following documents:

Document No. Relevant Paragraph of Schedule 12A

______

* There are no background papers relating to this item.

(*Delete if not applicable)

CAB14MAR2011 waste partnership 8

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Warwickshire Waste Partnership

Working together for a more sustainable future

Business Plan 2011/12

January 2011

Page 1 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Glossary of terms ...... 3

Executive Summary ...... 5

Section A - Background...... 6 1. Our Vision...... 8 1.1 The Warwickshire Waste Partnership...... 8 3.3.1 Partnership Members...... 9 1.2 Warwickshire Waste Partnership Objectives...... 9 1.2.1 Medium Term Objectives 2011 – 2015 ...... 9 1.2.2 Short Term Objects 2011/ 2012 ...... 10 1.2.3 Authority Targets 2011/ 2012...... 10 1.3 Partnership Structure ...... 13 2. The Role of the Business Plan ...... 14 2.1 Purpose of the Business Plan...... 14 2.2 Role of the Business Plan...... 14 2.3 Time Table ...... 14 3. Background on current waste management arrangements within Warwickshire...... 16 3.2 Total Waste Arisings...... 16 3.3 Waste Collection Authority (WCA) Kerbside collection systems...... 17 3.3.1 Household Waste Collections ...... 17 3.3.2 Trade Waste Collections ...... 19 3.4 Waste Collection Authority (WCA) Bring Sites ...... 19 3.5 Household Waste Recycling Centres ...... 20 3.3.1 Household Waste Acceptance...... 21 3.3.2 Trade Waste/ WCA Waste Acceptance ...... 22 3.3.3 HWRC 2010/11 Tonnages by Site ...... 24 3.3.4 HWRC Recycling Rate by Site...... 25 3.3.5 HWRC 2010/11 Site Visit Numbers ...... 25 3.6 Other Waste Streams ...... 26 3.3.1 Street Sweepings ...... 26 3.3.2 Cleansing Waste ...... 26 3.3.3 Bulky Waste ...... 27 3.3.4 Clinical Waste...... 27 3.3.5 Hazardous Waste...... 27 3.3.6 Fly-Tipping...... 27 3.7 Existing waste management contracts ...... 28

Section B – The Business Plan ...... 30 Target 1 - Update the Strategy following the release of the updated guidance from government ...... 30 Target 2 - To assess the best way to monitor the sustainability of Warwickshire municipal waste management ...... 31 Target 3 - Review the Partnerships position of the delivery of recycling and waste collections, and road map its future delivery ...... 31 Target 4 - To work sub-regionally to improve values for money on joint procurement either as a whole partnership or in clusters...... 32 Target 5 - Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 530 kg per head. With no more than 265 kg per head of residual waste...... 33

Section C – The Implementation Options ...... 35

Page 2 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Glossary of terms

Commercial Waste classed as arising from non household sources according to the Waste Controlled Waste Regulations 1992

An aerobic (in the presence of air) biological process in which organic wastes, such as garden and kitchen waste, are converted into a stable Composting material which can be applied to land to improve soil structure and enrich the nutrient content of the soil.

Shredded waste is placed inside a container through which air is forced. This Composting method allows good control of temperature, moisture and aeration leading to (in vessel) rapid composting although it will need a period of outdoor maturation. Kitchen waste can only be composted in vessel.

Shredded waste is placed in elongated heaps, called windrows, normally Composting outdoors. The windrows are turned mechanically periodically to aerate the (Windrow) composting waste. The process takes at least 16 weeks, at the end of which the compost represents about half the weight of the input material

EfW Energy from Waste Waste classed as arising from household sources according to the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 Household Covers: waste from household collections, street sweeping, bulky waste Waste collections, hazardous household waste collections, litter collections,

separate garden waste collections, waste from Civic Amenity Sites and waste collected separately for recycling/composting schemes

Household Waste Recycling Centre - A facility provided by the Local HWRC Authority that is accessible to local residents for the deposit of household waste that is not collected by the normal household waste collection round.

Sometimes known as mass-burn incineration, is the controlled burning of Incineration waste, either to reduce its volume or its toxicity. Can include energy recovery to produce heat or power. Ash residues still tend to be disposed of to landfill

Industrial Waste from any factory and from any premises occupied by an industry Waste

Waste which, when deposited into a landfill site, does not undergo any Inert Waste significant physical, chemical or biological transformation

Landfill Sites Land in which waste is deposited

A levy on landfill site operators with the explicit environmental objective of reducing the UK’s reliance on landfill as a means of disposal. The level of Landfill Tax the tax is £48 a tonne during 2010/11 and rises each year. A lower rate of £2.50/tonne applies to waste which is inactive. Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme - The Landfill Allowance Trading LATS Scheme introduces significant and innovative changes in waste policy and practice for the diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill.

Page 3 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Municipal Any waste controlled or directed by a Waste Collection Authority or a Waste Waste Disposal Authority

PPE Personal protective equipment

The segregation, collection and reprocessing of waste materials into the Recycling same products or different ones

Residual The elements of the waste stream that remains after recycling or Waste compostable materials have been separated or removed

Can be practised by the commercial sector with the use of products designed to be used a number of times, such as re-usable packaging. Re-Use Householders can purchase products that use refillable containers, or re-use plastic bags

Waste classed as arising from non household sources according to the Trade Waste Controlled Waste Regulations 1992

Transfer A facility where deposited bulked up and transported to a disposal or Station reprocessing point Suggests that: the most effective environmental solution may often be to reduce the amount of waste generated - waste reduction; where further reduction is not practicable, products and materials can sometimes be used Waste again, either for the same or different purposes – re-use; failing that, value Hierarchy should be recovered from waste, through recycling, composting or energy recovery from waste, only if none of the above offer an appropriate solution should waste be disposed Action to prevent waste being produced in order to minimise or reduce the Waste amount of waste requiring final disposal. Minimising waste saves on Minimisation collection and disposal costs and helps to reduce the demand for raw materials WCA Waste Collection Authority WCC Warwickshire County Council WDA Waste Disposal Authority WDF WasteDataFlow WEEE Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Page 4 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Foreword by Councillor Alan Cockburn Chair, Warwickshire Waste Partnership

This Business Plan sets out the route map for the Warwickshire Waste Partnership over the coming years, to continue to implement the principles of the Warwickshire Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

This document lays out our partnerships objectives, strategies, to management Warwickshire waste in ways that are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. If everyone used resources the way we did in Warwickshire and the rest of the western world, we would need 2.7 planets to support the human race. This is simply not sustainable. The Warwickshire Waste Partnership believes that we should be able to live within our means, only using our fair share of the earth’s resources and sustaining Warwickshire legacy for generations to come. Waste has a very large part to play in this!

Over the last decade the way which we manage waste in Warwickshire has change significantly. As partners we must continue work together to meet the clear targets we have set ourselves for minimising and recycling waste. In the current economic climate, however, we are all looking at ways to work more efficiently. By working together we will strive to achieve better value more integrated waste management within Warwickshire.

Together we now recycle, reuse or compost over 48% of our household waste. I would like to thank the public and other stakeholders, for recycling more waste than ever and looks forward to working with them to tackle the challenge of further improvements

The next few years will provide us with a number of milestone events and will require us to work in a transparent and honest manner in the true spirit of partnership. In doing so, we will achieve our objectives and more, working towards sustainable waste management for our County and our people and contributing to the unique and beautiful environment which is Warwickshire.

Councillor Alan Cockburn Chair, Warwickshire Waste Partnership

Page 5 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Executive Summary

The Warwickshire Waste Partnership (the Partnership) is the group of Councils in Warwickshire that collect and dispose of the County’s municipal waste. The Partnership comprises all five District and Borough Councils (Waste Collection Authorities) as well as the County Council (Waste Disposal Authority). The vision of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership is to: 1. To manage Warwickshire waste in ways that are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. 2. To respect the limits of our environment - using only our fair share of the earth’s resources and sustaining Warwickshire legacy for generations to come 3. To embed the principles of the Waste Hierarchy into every day life in Warwickshire 4. To provide high quality waste service fit for the 21st Century to all our residents

To achieve this vision the partnership has set short and medium term objectives. The key medium term objectives for the partnership, to be achieved by 2015 are to: 1. Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 500 kg per head. With no more than 200 kg per head of residual waste 2. Recycle, compost and reuse 60% of our municipal waste by 2015 3. Increase recycling by all Partners to a minimum of 40% 4. Give Warwickshire an effective voice in dialogue with Government and other agencies with the capacity to influence sustainable waste management

The Partnership will support these objectives through, but not be limited to, the following options:  Promoting awareness and behavioural change to increase capture rates and quality  Using new methods for communications  Landfill avoidance such as home composting and reuse shops at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs)  Investigation into food waste collection for Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council (NBBC) and North Warwickshire Borough Council (NWBC)  Kerbside recycling collections  Considering Alternate Weekly Collections of residual waste where and when appropriate  Improved HWRC facilities  Increasing range of materials collected via the HWRCs and scheme to reduce recyclables being put into the residual waste stream

The short term objectives for 2011/12 are to:

1. Update the Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Warwickshire following the release of the updated guidance from government

Page 6 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 2. To assess the best way to monitor the sustainability of Warwickshire municipal waste management 3. Review the Partnerships position on the delivery of recycling and waste collections, and road map its future delivery 4. To work sub-regionally to improve value for money on joint procurement either as a whole partnership or in clusters 5. Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 530 kg per head. With no more than 265 kg per head of residual waste

The Partnership will use the 2010/11 Business Plan to as the main source of reference for elected members, officers, stakeholders and others interested in the work of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership. Once all Partners have endorsed the Business Plan through their Committee process the Partnership will monitor its progress and achievements.

To achieve the targets laid out above action plans may need to be developed. Each target will be allocated a “Member Champion”, who will help to guide and monitor achievements against the target, along side the Lead Officer. The Partnership will also require individual officers or the relevant the officers working group to provide regular monitoring reports to the Partnership, as well as potentially providing individual authorities scrutiny committees with reports as and when requested.

Updates and reports on each target will be reported at the Partnership meetings throughout the year.

Page 7 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Section A - Background

1. Our Vision

The vision of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership is to:

 To manage Warwickshire waste in ways that are environmentally, economically and socially

sustainable.  To respect the limits of our environment, using only

our fair share of the earth’s resources and sustaining Warwickshire legacy for generations to come

 To embed the principles of the Waste Hierarchy into every day life in Warwickshire

st  To provide high quality waste services fit for the 21 Century to all our residents

1.1 The Warwickshire Waste Partnership

In 2005 the Partnership adopted the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Warwickshire (the Strategy). This document is underpinned by a vision to work together to minimise the amount of waste generated and manage what is produced in ways that are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. The Strategy sets out the strategic framework for the management of municipal waste and confirms the local authority’s commitment to working together. The first review of the Strategy was planed for 2010 but due to a delay in government guidance has be rescheduled for 2011. The review will addresses developments in legislation, policy and market forces and take account of the improvements in performance achieved by the partner authorities over the past five years.

The Partnership has seen Warwickshire’s recycling rate increase significantly over the past five years. The improvements have resulted in levels of recycling and composting performance that range between 27% and 60% across the Partnership.

Waste continues to be one of the most challenging areas facing local government today. Although Warwickshire has surpassed the Governments 40% recycling targets in 2009/10 by recycling, composting and reusing over 48% of household waste there is still much work for the Partnership to do.

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

3.3.1 Partnership Members

The partner authorities are:

 North Warwickshire Borough Council (NWBC)  Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council (NBBC)  Rugby Borough Council (RBC)  Stratford District Council (SDC)  Warwickshire County Council (WCC)  Warwick District Council (WDC)

The District and Borough Councils are Waste Collection Authorities (WCAs) and the County Council is a Waste Disposal Authority (WDA).

The Partnership is made up of elected Members and Officers from all of these authorities. The group was established in 1998, when it was known as the Warwickshire Waste Forum. It was set-up to forge closer working relationships between the County and District/Borough Councils, particularly with respect to developing the joint Municiple Waste Management Strategy.

In 2005, the Warwickshire Waste Forum became the Warwickshire Waste Partnership, with a formal Memorandum of Understanding being adopted to promote closer Partnership Working between the Authorities.

1.2 Warwickshire Waste Partnership Objectives

The Partnership has both short and medium term objective to reach its visions.

1.2.1 Medium Term Objectives 2011 – 2015

The key medium term objectives for the partnership to be achieved 2015 are to: Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 500 kg per head. With no more than 200 kg per head of residual waste Recycle and compost and reuse 60% of our municipal waste by 2015 To increase recycling by all Partners to a minimum of 40% Give Warwickshire an effective voice in dialogue with Government and other agencies with the capacity to influence sustainable waste management.

The Partnership will support these objectives through, but not be limited to the following options:

Promoting awareness and behavioural change to increase capture rates and quality Use new methods for communications

Page 9 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 Landfill avoidance such as home composting and reuse shops at HWRCs Investigation into food waste collection for NBBC and NWBC Kerbside recycling collections Considering Alternate Weekly Collections of residual waste where and when appropriate Improved HWRC facilities Increasing range of materials collected via HWRCs and scheme to reduce recyclables being put into the residual waste stream

1.2.2 Short Term Objects 2011/ 2012

The short term objectives for 2011/12 are to:

Update the Municipal Waste Management Strategy following the release of the updated guidance from government To assess the best way to monitor the sustainability of Warwickshire’s municipal waste management Review the Partnerships position on the delivery of recycling and waste collections, and road map its future delivery To work sub-regionally to improve value for money on joint procurement either as a whole partnership or in clusters Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 530 kg per head. With no more than 265 kg per head of residual waste More details on how these will be achieve can be found in section B and C of this document.

1.2.3 Authority Targets 2011/ 2012

As well as those where working in Partnership is required, each Partner also has targets and goals which they are working towards. Although these are individual targets and goals, knowledge and help may sometimes be needed from other Partners or the Partnership as a whole. The tables below set out these targets and goals and there timescales.

Table 1 (below) – NBBC Goals and Targets for 2011/12

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

Recycling Trial of comingled collection from flats. 2011

Recycling Participation survey (2nd part) 2011

Study of collection rounds to ensure optimal Collection routing. Appraisal of alternative collection 2011 Efficiency schemes via route optimisation modelling.

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Table 2 (below) – NWBC Goals and Targets for 2011/12

North Warwickshire Borough Council

Revised Kerbside Recycling - Service to include 2010/11 Recycling plastics and cardboard recycling – Continued

promotion of the service

Recycling Participation survey (2nd part) 2011

Study of collection rounds to ensure optimal routing. Collection Appraisal of alternative collection schemes via route 2011 Efficiency optimisation modelling.

Table 3 (below) – RBC Goals and Targets for 2011/12

Rugby Borough Council

Recycling Introduction of kerbside textile collections June 2011

Collection Restructure collection rounds to maximise efficiency May 2011 Efficiency Targeting promotions in challenging areas such as Recycling high density housing March 2012

Table 4 (below) – SDC Goals and Targets for 2011/12

Stratford District Council

60% combined recycling & composting rate in Recycling March 2012 2011/12

Waste Waste Reduction - Reduce number of Kg per property March 2012 Minimisation from 2010/11 figure Recycling When results of waste analysis known, target material for and Waste March 2012 recycling and/or diversion Minimisation

Table 5 (below) – WCC Goals and Targets for 2011/12

Warwickshire County Council

To successfully bring six HWRCs in-house and 1st December HWRCs procure a recyclables framework 2011 Street To successfully procure a facility to recycle street December Sweepings sweepings 2011 Lower To successfully procure a design and build contract March House for the Lower House Farm HWRC and Transfer 2011 Farm Station, and commence building

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Table 6 (below) – WDC Goals and Targets for 2011/12

Warwick District Council

Community To target areas where participation in kerbside Ongoing Recycling recycling is low, using promotional materials,

Officers road shows and door stepping.

To measure the success of the scheme which Recycling on encourages the separation of recyclable litter April 2011 the Go into separate compartments, rather than mixed in traditional litter bins. Continue to develop and implement recycling Service initiatives including textile sacks, textile banks, Ongoing Developments recycling small WEEE, recycling from schools and flats etc Carry out review of services and move Service additional properties to the main alternate week June 2011 Developments collection scheme

To complete contract modelling of the waste Contract August 2011 collection services, including an assessment of Tendering 2013 alternative recycling schemes.

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

1.3 Partnership Structure

NBBC NWBC RBC SDC WCC WDC

Warwickshire Waste

Partnership

Municipal Waste Management Strategy (MW MS) for Warwickshire

Sub Waste Strategy Infra stru ctu re and Regional Im plementatio n Working Board Procurem ent Projects

Communication Task and Finish Operations Task and Finish and Education Strategy Group Work Stream Group Work Stream Group

Page 13 of 35 2. The Role of the Business Plan

So why does the Warwickshire Waste Partnership need a business plan?

2.1 Purpose of the Business Plan

This Business Plan will provide an understanding of how the principles of the Warwickshire Municipal Waste Management Strategy will be translated into action plans to achieve the goals sought by the Partnership. The Business Plan sets the direction and provides the overarching management tool to facilitate budgeting, resource allocation, communication strategy, staffing, marketing and performance monitoring.

2.2 Role of the Business Plan

This Business Plan will be the main source of reference for elected members, officers, stakeholders and others interested in the work of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership.

The Business Plan mainly covers in detail the financial years 2010/11, however, it also out lines goals for 2011/12 to 2014/15. Once all Partners have endorsed the Business Plan through their Cabinets the Partnership will monitor its progress and achievements.

2.3 Time Table

The Waste Strategy and Partnership Manager (Warwickshire County Council) will be responsible for co-ordinating the Business Plan on behalf of the Partnership on an annual basis. Table 7 below outlines the timescales for the Business Plan.

Table 7 (below) – Timescale for the drafting, endorsing and monitoring the Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan

Date Task/Action Who

Draft of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership Warwickshire 7th December 2010 Business Plan presented and discussed at Waste Warwickshire Waste Partnership Partnership

Waste Updates made to draft business plan. Copies Strategy and December 2010 circulated for final comment. Partnership Manager Agreement sort to endorse Warwickshire January to March Waste Partnership Business Plan from all All Partners 2011 Partner’s Cabinets/Executives Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Warwickshire 8th March 2011 Plan endorsed at Warwickshire Waste Waste Partnership meeting Partnership Work starts on work streams highlighted in the 2nd April 2011 All Partners Business Plan Warwickshire Update on implementation of the Business 14th June 2011 Waste Plan and performance monitoring Partnership

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

First discussion on 2012/13 targets and objectives Warwickshire 27th September 2011 Waste Update on implementation of the Business Partnership Plan and performance monitoring Draft of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011/12 presented and Warwickshire discussed at Warwickshire Waste Partnership 6th December 2011 Waste Update on implementation of the Business Partnership Plan and performance monitoring Waste Updates made to draft business plan. Copies Strategy and December 2011 circulated for final comment. Partnership Manager Agreement sort to endorse Warwickshire December 2011 to Waste Partnership Business Plan from all All Partners March 2012 Partner’s Cabinets/Executives

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan endorsed at Warwickshire Waste Warwickshire Partnership meeting 6th March 2012 Waste Update on implementation of the Business Partnership Plan and performance monitoring

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

3. Background on current waste management arrangements within Warwickshire

Waste dealt with by members of the Partnership falls in to two main categories

Household Waste – This includes waste from household kerbside i.e recycling, composting and residual waste, street sweeping, bulky waste collections, hazardous household waste collections, litter collections, and waste from HWRCs and local recycling centres (bring sites) Municipal Waste - This includes all household waste, as well as, any other collected directed by a Waste Collection Authority or a Waste Disposal Authority such as trade waste, and inert waste i.e. rubble and hardcore,

For the purpose of this Business Plan waste referred to is Municipal unless otherwise stated.

3.2 Total Waste Arisings

Over the last 50 years waste production has growth significantly. Over the last three years, however, total municipal waste in Warwickshire has started to fall. In 2008/9 there was a 7,326 tonne fall in total municipal waste, this continued in 2009/10 with a 4,385 tonne fall, despite a growth in the population in Warwickshire.

The figures in the tables below set out the levels of waste arising in Warwickshire in 2009/10.

Table 8 (below) - Total municipal waste arisings in Warwickshire (2009/10)

NBBC NWBC RBC SDC WDC WCC TOTAL

Residual 36,596 26,045 19,529 21,711 25,092 31,403 152,271

Composting 8,738 5,116 9,711 16,487 13,432 11,622 65,106

Recycling 8,925 2,994 10,575 14,272 10,963 16,076 63,845

Reuse 0 0 3.4 0 0 2,732 2,735

TOTAL 54,259 34,156 39,818 52,468 49,486 57,774 292,602

* Other technologies refers to residual waste which has been disposed by Incineration (with or without energy recovery), made into Refuse Derived Fuel, or tyre repossessing

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Table 9 (below) – kg of municipal waste per head in Warwickshire (2009/10)

NBBC NWBC RBC SDC WDC WCC TOTAL

Population 121,200 62,200 91,000 117,800 134,600 526,700 526,700

Residual 302 419 215 184 186 60 289

Composting 72 82 107 140 100 22 135

Recycling 74 48 116 121 81 31 134

Reuse 0 0 0.03 0 0 5 5 (Inc. reused inerts)

TOTAL 448 549 438 445 368 117 539

* Other technologies refers to residual waste which has been disposed by Incineration (with or without energy recovery), made into Refuse Derived Fuel

3.3 Waste Collection Authority (WCA) Kerbside collection systems

3.3.1 Household Waste Collections

All the District and Borough Councils in Warwickshire provide kerbside collections of recyclables, compostables and residual waste. With in this, however, there are variation in the materials collected, method of collection and the frequency of collections. These are due to a variety of reasons including local needs, political views and times at which new schemes were introduced. The difference in collection policies has lead to a variation in recycling and composting performance and possibly also a variation in waste arisings (see table 3, above). Table 4 below sets out some of the key areas of the method of collecting household waste across the partnership.

Table 10: Kerbside Residual waste collection arrangements

NBBC NWBC RBC SDC WDC

Standard Bin Size 240 Litre 240 Litre 240 Litre 240 Litre 180 Litre

Collection Frequency Weekly Weekly Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly No Side Waste Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Policy? No. of properties on communal bin 8% 5% 1,895 1,100 8,000

Residual Waste Residual collections No. of properties on 130 413 70 2,840 6,400 sack collections

Page 17 of 35

Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 Table 11: Kerbside Recycling waste collection arrangements

NBBC NWBC RBC SDC WDC

Standard Bin Size - - 240 Litre 240 Litre -

Standard Box Size 35 Litre 55 Litre - - 55 Litre Reusable sacks used Yes Yes No No Yes as standard ? Kerbside Kerbside Co- Co- Kerbside Method of collection Sort Sort Mingled Mingled Sort

Collection Frequency Weekly Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly

Materials Collected Paper      Cardboard      Mixed Ridged Plastics -     Just Plastic Bottles - - - -  Cans     

Recycling Glass      Textiles - -    Drink cartons - - -   Aerosols      Aluminium Foil/containers      Batteries  - - -  Engine Oil  - - -  Stillage Collection Vehicle Stillage RCV RCV Stillage and RCV % of properties with 95% 100% 98% 100% 87% collection

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 Table 12: Kerbside Recycling waste collection arrangements

NBBC NWBC RBC SDC WDC

Standard Bin Size 240 Litre 240 Litre 240 Litre 240 Litre 240 Litre

Collection Frequency Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly

Unlimited but officer Number of bins visits to 1 2 2 Unlimited allowed assess after 2nd bin

1st bin free of charge Charge for extra then each - No No TBC bins? subsequen t bin Composting £31.50 Materials Collected

Garden Waste      Food Waste - -    Collection Vehicle RVC RVC RVC RVC RVC % of properties with 95% 100% 92% 100% 77% collection

3.3.2 Trade Waste Collections

Residual trade waste is collected by three of the collection authorities; North Warwickshire Borough Council Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council Rugby Borough Council

In addition trade recycling is also offered by Rugby Borough Council. Current 80 commercial customers have taken advantage of this service

In Stratford a trade recycling service was established by the Council's waste contractor with funding from WCC.

In Warwick, businesses have to make their own arrangements with private waste contractors to have their waste removed.

3.4 Waste Collection Authority (WCA) Bring Sites

All waste collection authorities in Warwickshire maintain a bring bank network. These vary in size depend on the kerbside collections. Today bring sites make up a much small portion of the WCAs recycling rate than 5 years ago. There are currently 126 bring scheme sites located across Warwickshire, e.g. at supermarkets, car parks and

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 shopping centres. Table 13 shows the number of bring bank schemes in each area and the range of materials collected.

Table 13: Bring bank schemes in Warwickshire (2007/08)

NBBC NWBC RBC SDC WDC

Total Number of 42 22 30 6 26 Sites

Materials Collected

Sites 7 9 - - 21 Paper Tonnes 98 201 - - 103 2011 all sites to Sites 2 - - 4 Card take paper and card Tonnes - 2 - - 1.56 Sites 42 20 - - 26 Glass Tonnes 241 214 - - 394 Sites - 2 - - 4 Plastic Tonnes - 15 - - 1 Sites 22 11 - - 26 Metal Tonnes 5 12 - - 13 Sites 7 9 12 6 10 Textiles Tonnes 51 40 35 1 95

Sites - 7 2 - 2 Books Tonnes - 4 1 - - Co- Sites - - 30 6 - Mingled not Tonnes - - 908 recorded - separately

In-house or Primarily Contracted In- House Contracted Contracted Contracted? Contracted

In 2008 all of Stratford District sites become co-mingled, and 2009 all of Rugby Boroughs Councils site.

3.5 Household Waste Recycling Centres

The County Council currently provides nine Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC). These are spread across the county, with at least one site located in each district/borough area.

North Warwickshire Borough – Grendon HWRC Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough – Judkins HWRC Rugby Borough – Hunters Lane HWRC

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 Stratford District – Burton Farm, Shipston, Stockton, Wellesbourne HWRCs Warwick District – Cherry Orchard and Princes Drive HWRCs

Figure 14: Location of HWRC in Warwickshire in 2009/10

Seven of these HWRCs are run by private companies under the terms of agreed contracts. The remaining two sites at Burton Farm near Stratford Upon Avon and at Hunters Lane in Rugby, are operated directly by the Authority through the Waste Management Group. The contract for six the sites run by HW Martins end in November 2011. The timetable for re-tendering these sites has led to the need to review the current service provision. The contract for the site run by Waste Recycling Group Ltd ends in March 2012.

3.3.1 Household Waste Acceptance

As can be seen from table 15 (below), most sites accept the majority of household wastes which are not classed as hazardous. Hazardous chemicals, for example, are restricted at the HWRCs and as such can only be taken to Princes Drive. Householders taking hazardous waste here must complete a form (available on the website, by email or by phone).

Asbestos is accepted at the largest sites, but only in small amounts. A resident may take up to three small pieces a month, wrapped and sealed to these sites. Anyone with more than this must pay for disposal of through a private contractor

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 Tyres are not accepted free of charge at any HWRC. They are not deemed to be household waste, and as such, it is recommended that they are taken back to Garages. Tyres are, however, accepted as commercial waste for a charge at Princes Drive.

Table 15: Household Waste accepted at HWRC in Warwickshire in 2009/10

Material Burton Farm Burton Orchard Cherry Grendon Lane Hunters Judkins Drive Princes Shipston Stockton Wellesbourne Asbestos √ √ √ Automotive batteries √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Books √ √ √ √ Cardboard √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Cardboard beverage packaging √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Chemicals √ Chipboard and mdf √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Engine Oil √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Gas bottles/ Cylinders √ General MSW √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Glass (bottles and jars) √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Green garden waste only √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Household batteries √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Ink & toner cartridges √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Mobile phones √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Other Scrap metal √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Paint √ Paper √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Plasterboard √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Plastic Bottles √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Plastic Mixed √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Rubble and Hard core √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Soil √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Telephone directories √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Textiles & footwear √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Tyres Vegetable Oil √ √ √ √ √ WEEE - Cathode Ray Tubes √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ WEEE - Fluorescent tubes and other light bulbs √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ WEEE - Fridges & Freezers √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ WEEE - Large Domestic App √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ WEEE - Small Domestic App √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Wood (including treated) √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √

3.3.2 Trade Waste/ WCA Waste Acceptance

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

The foremost waste which is currently tipped at the transfer stations is “street sweepings”, that result from the districts and boroughs road cleaning activities. This material consists primarily of sand and soil generated during the routine cleaning of roadways but may also contain some high levels of seasonal leaf or blossom and other miscellaneous wastes such as litter. Due to the techniques used to by street sweeping vehicles, when this waste is tipped it often has a higher than average water content. This can cause difficulty at the sites due to the significant moisture loss which can occur between the sweepings being brought in (and weighed at the weighbridge) and unloaded, and them being bulked up and combined with other waste to leave the site. i.e. not weighed separately. This will put a disproportionate weight to “sweepings” as apposed to the HWRC general waste.

Table 16: Trade Waste accepted at HWRC, and materials accepted into the transfer Stations in Warwickshire in 2009/10

Material

rinces Drive Transfer Hunters Lane HWRC Lane Hunters Transfer Lane Hunters Station HWRC Drive Princes P Station Asbestos √ √ Clinical √ √ Residual Waste √ √ Bio Waste √ √ Street Sweepings √ √ Tyres √ Gas Bottles √ √ Trade Waste - Residual √ √ Trade Waste – Green Waste √ √ Trade Waste - Glass √ √ Trade Waste – Paper √ √ Trade Waste – WEEE √ √ Trade Waste - Metal √ √ Trade Waste - Cardboard √ √ Trade Waste – Gas bottles √ Trade Waste – Inerts √ √ Trade Waste – Plaster Board √ √

Trade waste is accepted at the sites, although this is not positive from a Landfill Allowance (LATS) view point. All waste which the Council collects and sends to landfill, including business waste, will count against the allowance that it has been given by government. The acceptance of trade waste at the sites does, however, provide a

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 important facility to small businesses to dispose of their waste and recyclables. This also provides an income stream for the council at the Hunters Lane site.

3.3.3 HWRC 2010/11 Tonnages by Site

As can be seen in table 17, the amount of waste that each HWRC deals varies considerably.

Table 17: Waste tonnage collected at HWRCs in 2009/10

Burton Farm Burton Cherry Orchard Grendon Lane Hunters Judkins Drive Princes Shipston Stockton Wellesbourne

Composting 1,427 1,022 1,132 1,893 1,102 4,278 390 127 274

Landfilled 2,362 1,840 1,473 3,730 4,026 3,033 984 383 658

Other 0 19 0 5 0 169 0 7 0 Technologies*

Inert and Soil 913 818 701 447 2,579 2,430 418 219 285 (landfilled)

Recycling 1,682 1,858 1,355 1,913 2,818 4,947 878 368 568

Reuse 12 65 0 1,051 0 211 65 13 62 (Inc. reused inerts)

TOTAL 6,397 5,622 4,661 9,104 10,548 14,988 2,735 1,118 1,838 * Other technologies refers to residual waste which has been disposed by Incineration (with or without energy recovery), made into Refuse Derived Fuel

The sites split are into three categories

Primary Sites – Those with a throughput of over 9,000 tonnes a year i.e. Hunters Lane, Judkins and Princes Drive. Secondary Sites – Those with a through put of between 4,000 and 9,000 tonnes a year i.e. Burton Farm, Cherry Orchard and Grendon Tertiary Sites – Those sites with a through put under 3,000 tonnes a year i.e. Shipston, Stockton and Wellesbourne

The Primary sites have on average a six times greater though put than the average tertiary site.

The only site measuring significant amounts of reuse is Hunters Lane, this is due to over 1,000 tonnes on inert material being sent for aggregate uses.

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 3.3.4 HWRC Recycling Rate by Site

As can be seen in table 18 (below), during 2009/10 the recycling rate varied markedly across the sites. The large variations between the “Site Recycling Rate” and the “NI192 Recycling Rate”, in the main, are due to inert waste such as soil and rubble, even if this waste has come from a household is classed as construction and demolition waste. This is a non- household waste category. The NI192 rate only refers to waste which is classed as Household waste by the Controlled Waste Regulation 1992. At the majority of sites this inert waste was landfilled, due to the low cost (around £6 a tonne) and the location and availability of sites.

Table 18: Recycling Rate at HWRCs in 2009/10

Burton Farm Burton Cherry Orchard Grendon Lane Hunters Judkins Drive Princes Shipston Stockton Wellesbourne Municipal Recycling 48% 52% 53% 45% 37% 45% 55% 45% 55% Rate

NI 192 Recycling 56% 60 % 61% 54% 49% 75% 48% 55% 48% Rate

3.3.5 HWRC 2010/11 Site Visit Numbers

In 2010 vehicle counting equipment was installed at seven of the HWRCs. This has enabled us to gain a snap shot of the vehicles passing through the site each day within hour time slots. Although, to date, there is only data covering a small period of time, as this increases analysis will continue.

Using the limited data to hand thus far, the information has been extrapolated to give an estimate for what the year site usage may be. This has been done by taking the number of site visits for between April and September and dividing it between the sites tonnage throughput for the same months. This average weight of waste per visit was then divided over the site throughput for the whole year.

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 Table 19: Visits to HWRC between April and June and estimated yearly site usage

Drive s Burton Farm Burton Cherry Orchard Grendon Lane Hunters Judkins Prince Shipston Stockton Wellesbourne 50,454 Q1 Usage 60,964 56,060 53,351 92,105 115,132 23,350 6,877 13,982 est. 47,288 6,300 Q2 Usage 58,942 52,543 51,255 88,414 110,518 23,235 13,544 est. est. Average weight 26kg 46kg deposited per 34kg 28kg 46kg 46kg 37kg 31kg 35kg est. est. visit Est. Yearly 300,000 210,221 198,160 172,000** 199,453 325,043 78,161 37,652 51,297 Usage est.

Weekend Usage* 33% 39% 36%** 38% N/A 35% 23% 78% 30%

Weekday Usage* 67% 61% 64%** 62% N/A 65% 77% 22% 70%

* Adjust for bank holidays ** Estimated from 2005 Data

By far the busiest sites are Princes Drive and Judkins, which concurs with the tonnages passing through the site. It is estimated that around 45% of all visits to the HWRCs pass through these two sites alone.

The least busy site is Stockton with under 1.5% of all HWRC traffic passing through the sites. Due to the site only being open Saturday to Monday the weekend/weekday usage ratio is skewed. Weekend usage at the sites open all day, seven days a week is between 30% and 39%

3.6 Other Waste Streams

As well as the main waste streams detailed above the authorities within the partnership also deal with other wastes.

3.3.1 Street Sweepings

In Warwickshire we dispose of over 10,000 tonnes of street sweepings to landfill each year. Street sweeping are classed as household waste, and as such are current included on the residual proportion of National Indications such as NI192.

3.3.2 Cleansing Waste

Street cleansing and litter is often higher in the public’s awareness than other environmental issues and when asked about the state of their local environment will highlight issues around the aesthetic qualities of their street environment such as litter and dumped rubbish.

Many of the Warwickshire District and Borough Councils are currently trialling or installing “Recycle on the Go” litter bins. The aim is to get recycling bins in public

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 places, not only to increase the levels of recycling within street cleansing, but also to provide a clear message to the public about the need to recycling in all walks of life.

3.3.3 Bulky Waste

Organised collections of furniture and household appliances take place in all Borough and District Councils, but the current arrangements vary significantly along with the charges for the collection. HWRCs offer free disposal of large household items, but the items need to be taken to the site and not all residents may have access to suitable transport.

Currently the majority of bulky waste collected at the borough and district councils is sent to landfill. Reuse could be further encouraged through the collection system by linking more with community groups and the reuse charities shops at the HWRCs.

3.3.4 Clinical Waste

Clinical waste is produced in the home as a result of a number of factors including long- term medical conditions, recovery from a hospital stay or following the receipt of healthcare treatment from healthcare professionals. Clinical waste produced by individuals who treat themselves at home is classed as household waste. Where health care workers visit to provide healthcare, however, clinical waste produced may remain the responsibility of the primary care trusts or local health trusts. The legislation that state these waste classifications ids currently under review by Defra.

Whilst the quantity of clinical waste collected by local authorities within Warwickshire is relatively low, it involves sensitive issues often involving frail and vulnerable customers. Therefore there is a need to provide a suitable collection service for clinical waste produced in the home. In addition syringes/needles and the like discarded in public places that have been collected during street cleansing activities need to be included as clinical waste and disposed of appropriately.

3.3.5 Hazardous Waste

Many households use hazardous materials such as paint, paint thinners and strippers, medicines and pet care products, garden chemicals, batteries, motor products such as engine oil and brake fluid. Historically, some building products contained asbestos and many garden sheds and garages were constructed of asbestos cement sheeting. It is essential that hazardous materials are handled through suitable arrangements, to reduce the exposure risk of personnel working in close proximity of such waste.

Currently the only place which accepted Hazadous Waste in Warwickshire is Princes Drive HWRC. Householders taking hazardous waste here must complete a form (available on the website, by email or by phone).

3.3.6 Fly-Tipping

Fly-tipping is the unauthorised ‘deposit of waste on land’. Although of high public concern, it is likely that the increasing cost and tightening regulatory requirements on the handling of waste will inevitably increase the risk of materials being fly-tipped, particularly the more hazardous wastes.

The law has been considerably strengthened in order to allow Local Authorities to deal with environmental problems with the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, and the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005, providing enhanced powers and penalties. Nevertheless fly-

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 tipping remains a continuing problem and must be considered as anti social behaviour, an environmental crime and at its worst can lead to serious pollution of the environment and harm to human health. It imposes significant costs on Local Authorities, which must then be recovered through the Council Tax.

3.7 Existing waste management contracts

Within the Partnership there are a number of disposal and collection contracts in place. The length of contract remaining will influence where potential savings through greater joint working my take place. Table 20 and 21 highlights current contracts which are relevant to this Business Case.

Table 20: Details of current contract arrangements

Type of Authority End Date Details contract

All The current contract for waste collection and WDC 2013 Collection street cleansing will end on 31st March 2013.

All Current contract 7 years with option for a 7 SDC 2015 Collection year extension.

Recycling NWBC 2013 Collection

Recycling NBBC 2014 Collection

5+2 years MRF RBC 2014 Pure - Ettington

November The current contract for 6 HWRCs will end on HWRCs WCC 2011 30th November 2011 Haulage November This contract has been procured to end at the Hunters WCC 2011 same to as the above HWRC contract Lane Nuneaton April The current facility will close in April 2012 to WCC HWRC 2012 make was for a newly built facility

November This contract has been procured to end at the WEEE WCC 2011 same to as the HWRC contract Monitoring of old 1st March WCC Landfill 2011 Sites

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 Table 21: Current Known Procurements for New Services

Type of Authority Start Date Details contract Lower House The provision of a HWRC to replace the Farm April current facility at Grendon and transfer station WCC HWRC and 2012 to support NWBC, NBBC and South Transfer Staffordshire Station To enable the selling of materials from the Recycling November WCC HWRCs and potential other areas in the sub- Framework 2011 region Street December Joint procurement with Coventry to recycle Sweepings WCC 2011 the street sweepings from the whole county Recycling Tyre 1st April WCC To replace current informal arrangements Disposal 2011

Investigations into options for the north of the Bio-waste WCC 2011/12 county

Residual Procurement of residual waste capacity post WCC 2013 Waste Project Transform

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Section B – The Business Plan

To achieve the targets laid out in this section action plans may need to be developed. The Partnership will require individual officers or the relevant the officers working group to provide regular monitoring reports to the Partnership, as well as potentially provide individual authorities scrutiny committees with reports as and when requested. Target 1 - Update the Strategy following the release of the updated guidance from government

Updating Warwickshire’s Municipal Waste Management Strategy, any relevant consultations needed, and agreement by all partners.

B.1 Link to Partnership Vision and Medium Term Objects Working towards and achieving this targets supports the Partnership Vision of:

 To manage Warwickshire waste in ways that are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.  To respect the limits of our environment - using only our fair share of the earth’s resources and sustaining Warwickshire legacy for generations to come  To embed the principles of the Waste Hierarchy into every day life in Warwickshire

 To provide high quality waste service fit for the 21st Century to all our residents

Its also supports the Medium Term Objectives of: Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 500 kg per head. With no more than 200 kg per head of residual waste Recycle and compost and reuse 60% of our municipal waste by 2015 To increase recycling by all Partners to a minimum of 40% Give Warwickshire an effective voice in dialogue with Government and other agencies with the capacity to influence sustainable waste management.

B.2 Timescales

To publish updated Municipal Waste Management Strategy by March 2011

B.3 Lead Officer and Supporting Member

Member Champion: To be confirmed Lead Officer: Kitran Eastman - Warwickshire County Council

B.4 Monitoring And Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation of this target will done by comparing project progress against the agreed milestone in its project plan.

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Target 2 - To assess the best way to monitor the sustainability of Warwickshire municipal waste management

Alongside the review of the Warwickshire’s Municipal Waste Management Strategy, to investigate into options for the most suitable way to measure the sustainability of Warwickshire’s municipal waste management. Following this investigation to present to the Partnership potential options for approval.

B.1 Link to Partnership Vision and Medium Term Objects Working towards and achieving this targets supports the Partnership Vision of:

Its also supports the Medium Term Objectives of: Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 500 kg per head. With no more than 200 kg per head of residual waste

B.2 Timescales

To complete investigations and present report to the Partnership by March 2011

B.3 Lead Officer and Supporting Member

Member Champion: To be confirmed Lead Officer: Kitran Eastman - Warwickshire County Council

B.4 Monitoring And Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation of this target will done by comparing project progress against the agreed milestone in its project plan.

Target 3 - Review the Partnerships position of the delivery of recycling and waste collections, and road map its future delivery

To carry out a review of current waste systems and taking into account new developments, drivers and legislation present a road map for the potential development of future waste systems in Warwickshire.

B.1 Link to Partnership Vision and Medium Term Objects Working towards and achieving this targets supports the Partnership Vision of:

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011  To manage Warwickshire waste in ways that are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.  To respect the limits of our environment - using only our fair share of the earth’s resources and sustaining Warwickshire legacy for generations to come  To embed the principles of the Waste Hierarchy into every day life in Warwickshire

 To provide high quality waste service fit for the 21st Century to all our residents

B.2 Timescales

To complete investigations and present report to the Partnership by March 2011

B.3 Lead Officer and Supporting Member

Member Champion: To be confirmed Lead Officer: To be confirmed

B.4 Monitoring And Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation of this target will done by comparing project progress against the agreed milestone in its project plan.

Target 4 - To work sub-regionally to improve values for money on joint procurement either as a whole partnership or in clusters

To continue working under the “total place” banner on sub regional waste collection and disposal issues for the benefit of all Partners

B.5 Link to Partnership Vision and Medium Term Objects Working towards and achieving this targets supports the Partnership Vision of:

 To manage Warwickshire waste in ways that are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.

 To provide high quality waste service fit for the 21st Century to all our residents

Its also supports the Medium Term Objectives of:

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011 Give Warwickshire an effective voice in dialogue with Government and other agencies with the capacity to influence sustainable waste management.

B.6 Timescales

To be confirmed

B.7 Lead Officer and Supporting Member

Member Champion: To be confirmed Lead Officer: Sean Lawson – Rugby Borough Council

B.8 Monitoring And Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation of this target will done by comparing project progress against the agreed milestone in its project plan.

Target 5 - Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 530 kg per head. With no more than 265 kg per head of residual waste

To push the continuation of the current fall in waste per head through waste minimisations schemes and campaigns

B.1 Link to Partnership Vision and Medium Term Objects Working towards and achieving this targets supports the Partnership Vision of:

Its also supports the Medium Term Objectives of: Reduce the amount of municipal waste produced in Warwickshire to 500 kg per head. With no more than 200 kg per head of residual waste

B.2 Timescales

To report progress against target to each Partnership meeting

B.3 Lead Officer and Supporting Member

Lead Officer: To be confirmed Supporting Member: To be confirmed

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

B.4 Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation of this target will done through the data collected for and entered into WasteDataFlow by all Partners. Data will be collated by Warwickshire County council in consultation with other Partners.

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Warwickshire Waste Partnership Business Plan 2011

Section C – The Implementation Options

A. Waste Prevention and B. Reuse C. Recycling D. Recovery and Disposal Minimisation

Review of Waste Strategy A.1 – Love Food Hate Waste Campaign (with sub region) C.1 – Increasing capture Rates B.1 – Promotion of Reuse Shops A.2 – Home Composting C.2 – Increasing participation Communications B.2 – Promotion of Free-cycle, D.1 – How much does waste cost (Including Master rates ebay etc campaign & Education Composters/Gardeners) C.3 – Sort before you go @

A.3 – No waste gifts HWRCs A.4 – Sort before you go @ HWRCs A.5 – Home Compost Bins Distribution/Green bin C.4 – HWRC improvements swap B.3 – Expansion of HWRC C.5 – The future for green and D.2 – The future for residual A.6 – New developments to charity reuse shops bio waste collections waste collections Infrastructure provide home compost B.4– Increase bulky waste reuse, C.6 – New street sweepings D.3 – W2R Project bins potential with the 3rd contract D.4 – Review the need for A.7 – Municipal parks and Sector C.7 – The future for recycling Transfer Stations gardens composting collections material at source C.8 – New HWRCs Contracts D.5 – Procurement of residual C.9 – Street Sweepings waste capacity for 2013 C.10 – (JPO) Tyres, Fuel, D.6 – (JPO) Clinical Waste A.8 – LA procurement polices B.5 – New HWRCs reuse shops Agency Staff, Training, D.7 – (JPO) Tyres, Fuel, Agency Procurement Vehicles and simmilar Staff, Training, Vehicles C.11 – (JPO) Route analysis, and simmilar cross board collections D.8 – (JPO) Route analysis, cross board collections *JPO – Joint Procurement Options

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Agenda No 13

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14th March 2011

Report Title Sexual Entertainment Venue Licensing Policy – Report from Licensing and Safety Committee Portfolio Sustainable Environment

Ward Relevance All

Prior Consultation Licensing and Safety Committee

Contact Officer Joe Collins, Team Leader, Public Health and Licensing, Tel: ext 3667

Report Subject to Call-in Yes

Report En-Bloc No

Forward Plan Yes

Corporate Priorities This report relates to the following priority(ies):

Enable our residents, visitors and enterprises to enjoy, achieve and prosper

Statutory/Policy Background Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, as amended by the Policing and Crime Act 2009. Guidance from government. Summary The Council have now agreed to adopt the amended schedule 3 of the Local Government (miscellaneous provisions) act 1982, which allows us to consider applications for sexual entertainment venue licences for premises in the Rugby Borough area. Cabinet and full Council have agreed that a policy be formulated that clearly states the position of the Council with regards to sex encounter (sexual entertainment) establishments. A policy has been drafted, which is attached as an appendix to this report.

CAB14MAR2011 1

Risk Management There are no risk management implications arising Implications from this report.

Financial Implications There are no financial implications arising from this report.

Environmental Implications There are no environmental implications arising from this report.

Legal Implications The Council has now adopted the amended schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, which allows us to consider applications regarding sexual entertainment venue premises. A policy would set guidelines to consider when assessing an application.

Options 1: Cabinet consider the attached draft policy, to see if they agree with it and want to make any amendments, and recommend that the policy be sent out for public consultation for a period of 12 weeks. Risks: None Benefits: The policy would set guidelines for Licensing and Safety Committee to use when considering any applications for sexual entertainment venue premises. 2: Cabinet decide not to approve the policy, but assess each application individually. Risks: There would be no guidelines, and applicants could challenge any refusal to grant a licence on the grounds that it was an arbitrary decision. Benefits: None

Recommendation (1) The draft policy on the licensing of sexual entertainment venue premises in the Rugby Borough Council area be considered; (2) the draft policy be sent out for public consultation for a period of 12 weeks; and (3) the application fee and annual licence fee, be the same as the current fee for sex establishment licence, which is £4,500.

CAB14MAR2011 2

Reasons for The policy will set guidelines, which enable Licensing Recommendation and Safety Committee, to consider applications for sex encounter premises. The policy will be consulted with the public and various local organisations so it is agreed with them. Applicants will be able to look at the policy before applying and know the criteria, for judging their application

CAB14MAR2011 3

Agenda No 13

Cabinet – 14th March 2011

Sexual Entertainment Venue Licensing Policy

Report of the Licensing and Safety Committee

Recommendation

(1)The draft policy on the licensing of sexual entertainment venue premises in the Rugby Borough Council area be considered; (2) the draft policy be sent out for public consultation for a period of 12 weeks; and (3) the application fee and annual licence fee, be the same as the current fee for sex establishment licence, which is £4,500.

1. Background.

The Council have now agreed to adopt the amended schedule 3, of the Local Government (miscellaneous provisions) Act 1982.

A report on this was agreed by Licensing and Safety Committee on the 26th October 2010, and it was recommended to Cabinet, that they agree to the Council adopting this legislation, as well.

Cabinet agreed this at their meeting on the 22nd November 2010, and full Council agreed at the meeting on the 15th December 2010.

This adoption of the legislation, will come into force on the 1st March 2011, and enable the Council to consider applications for sexual entertainment venue premises. These can only be considered after the 1st September 2011.

A separate recommendation was made to Cabinet at the same time, for a Policy to be formulated, that clearly states the position of the Council with regards to sex encounter (sexual entertainment) establishments.

The draft policy was discussed at the Licensing and Safety Committee on the 25th January 2011, and members thought it should go out to public consultation. They also thought that a copy should go to all members of the Council. There could be a member’s workshop to discuss it fully, during the consultation period, if required. Parish councillors could also be involved.

One comment made by members concerned the govt guidelines on what is not a sexual entertainment venue in the legislation. Licensed premises can hold up to 11 events with relevant material per year, lasting up to 24 hours, without having to be licensed as a sexual entertainment venue.

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Members would like Cabinet to change the policy so that each event would be no more than 12 hours on each occasion and with one month between events.

It was agreed to bring this to the attention of Cabinet, but point out that the guidelines were based on legislation.

2. Legal position

Sexual entertainment establishments are defined in the Act as premises, where relevant entertainment is provided before a live audience, for the financial gain of the organiser or entertainer. Relevant entertainment is clearly defined in the Act, and would include lap dancing and pole dancing.

3. Policy

This is attached as appendix 1 and has been based on a Policy from a neighbouring authority.

The Policy also allows the Council to set a limit of how many sexual entertainment venues would be allowed in the Borough, or a specific area. A ground for refusal would be if there was an application and approving it would lead to a number of sexual entertainment premises, greater than the limit.

Cabinet are requested to recommend that it be sent out for public consultation for 12 weeks.

The consultation would be to all responsible authorities, Ward Councillors, and could also be to local religious groups as well.

4. Fee

It is recommended that the application fee and the annual licence fee be the same as the current fee for sex establishment licences of £4,500.

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Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date of Meeting: 14th March 2011

Subject Matter: Sexual Entertainment Venue Licensing Policy

Originating Department: Sustainable Environment Portfolio Holder

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

Document Officer’s File No. Date Description of Document Reference Reference

* Exempt information is contained in the following documents:

Document No. Relevant Paragraph of Schedule 12A

______

* There are no background papers relating to this item.

(*Delete if not applicable)

CAB14MAR2011 6 APPENDIX 1

Statement of Licensing Policy for premises to be licensed as sex

establishments

L&S25JAN11 APP 1 Sex Establishment Policy Draft APPENDIX 1

Background

This Statement of Licensing Policy sets out the council’s requirements for premises to be licensed as sex establishments within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (as amended).

Section 2 of the Act provides that local authorities may resolve that schedule 3 will apply to their area, which has the effect of requiring premises operating as sex establishments in that authority’s area to be licensed. Adoption of schedule 3 also allows the council to set terms and conditions and fees for the grant, renewal, transfer and variation of such licences and the number of licences that may be issued in the area, including nil.

Rugby Borough Council has not imposed any restriction on the number of licences to be issued. The fees have been published by the council since it adopted schedule 3 in July 1983.

The Policing and Crime Bill contained an amendment to schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 replacing the existing definition of a ‘sex establishment’ with the definition of a ‘sexual entertainment venue’. This amendment removes the exemption for premises to be licensed where a premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003, which authorises the provision of regulated entertainment, is in force.

Definitions of the different types of ‘sex establishment’ can be found in the Appendix A to this policy.

The Council will monitor the continuing expansion of the leisure industry, which provides an essential contribution to the local economy in jobs and revenue in the District, in order to maintain a balance between those interests and the interests of preserving the heritage of the area and protecting the interests of residents.

This ‘Statement of Licensing Policy’ sets out the policies that the council will generally apply when making decisions on applications. It also sets out information about the application process, what is expected of applicants and how people can make objections about applications. It also sets out the types of controls that are available to the Council when decisions are made about licence applications and explains what action can be taken if complaints are received.

L&S25JAN11 APP 1 Sex Establishment Policy Draft APPENDIX 1

Contents Page

1 Introduction ...... 1

2 Definition of ‘sex establishment’ ...... 1

3 Location of Licensed Premises...... 1

4 Making an application...... 2

5 Fees ...... 2

6 Advice and Guidance ...... 2

7 Grant, renewal or transfer of licences...... 2

8 Variation of licences ...... 3

9 Objections ...... 3

10 Determining applications ...... 3

11 Conditions ...... 4

12 Refusal of licences ...... 4

13 Revocation of licences ...... 4

14 Cancellation of licences...... 4

15 Complaints ...... 5

16 Enforcement...... 5

Appendix A Definitions ...... 6

Appendix B Requirements ...... 9

Appendix C Application Form...... 11

Appendix D Public Notice...... 16

Appendix E Conditions ...... 17

Appendix F Refusals and Revocations ...... 19

L&S25JAN11 APP 1 Sex Establishment Policy Draft APPENDIX 1

1 Introduction

1.1 Rugby Borough Council resolved to apply the amended Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 on the 15th December 2010, to come into force on the 1st March 2011. This ensures that anyone wishing to operate a ‘sex establishment’ within the district must first obtain a licence from the council.

1.2 This Statement of Licensing Policy for Sex Establishments sets out the council’s requirements for premises to be licensed as ‘sex establishments’ within the meaning of the Act (as amended).

1.3 The advice and guidance contained in the appendices attached to this Statement of Licensing Policy is intended only to assist readers in consulting the policy and should not be interpreted as legal advice or as constituent of Rugby Borough Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy.

1.4 Readers are strongly advised to seek their own legal advice if they are unsure of the requirements of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 or schedules issued under the Act.

2 Definition of ‘sex establishment’

2.1 A ‘sex establishment’ is defined under the Act as a ‘sex shop’, a ‘sex cinema’ or a ‘sexual entertainment venue’. Full definitions of those terms can be found in Appendix A to this policy.

2.2 It includes any premises, vehicle, vessel or stall used as a sex establishment but does not apply to the sale, supply or demonstration of articles which are manufactured for use primarily for the purposes of birth control or primarily relate to birth control.

3 Location of Licensed Premises

3.1 The council acknowledges that a concentration of licensed premises in a particular area can result in a potential fear of crime, anti-social behaviour, noise pollution and other disturbance to residents. In such cases the amenity of local residents can be placed under severe pressure.

3.2 Whilst the council have not imposed a limit on the number of premises that may be licensed in any area, and whilst treating each application upon its own merits, the council will not normally licence premises that are in close proximity to: -

(a) a residential area;

(b) a school, nursery or any other premises substantially used by or for children under 16 years of age;

(d) a church or other place of religious worship.

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3.3 Applications in respect of premises must state the full address of the premises. Applications in respect of a vehicle, vessel or stall must state where it is to be used as a sex establishment.

3.4 The council would normally expect that applications for licences for permanent commercial premises should be from businesses with planning consent for the property concerned.

4 Making an application

4.1 An application for the grant, renewal, transfer or variation of a licence must be made in writing to the council in accordance with the requirements shown in Appendix B.

4.2 A specimen application form and notice for public advertisement is attached in Appendix C.

5 Fees

5.1 The application process involves paying a non-returnable application fee, which includes the costs for inspections of the premises and processing the application. The fees are reviewed annually against any rise in council costs of administering the licence regime.

6 Advice and Guidance

6.1 The council will seek to liaise with applicants and/or mediate between applicants and others who may make objections, to achieve a satisfactory outcome for all involved, wherever possible and where resources permit.

6.2 Where an applicant considers that mediation and liaison may be likely or probable, it is recommended that the applicant discuss his proposal with the licensing section and those from who they think objections are likely prior to submitting their application.

7 Grant, renewal or transfer of licences

7.1 The council may grant to any applicant and renew a licence for the use of any premises as a ‘sex establishment’ and will include the terms and conditions specified by the council in Appendix E, together with any other conditions that may be attached at a hearing. In the case of a ‘sexual entertainment venue’ any conditions attached to the premises licence issued under the Licensing Act 2003 will remain applicable to any licence issued for a ‘sex establishment’

7.2 A licence will remain in force for one year, or such shorter period specified in the licence, unless previously cancelled or revoked.

7.3 Rugby Borough Council may, if they think fit, transfer a licence to any other person upon application by that person.

7.4 Where an application for renewal or transfer of a licence is made before the date of expiry of the existing licence, the licence shall remain in force until such time as the application has been determined.

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8 Variation of licences

8.1 The holder of a licence may apply to the council to vary the terms, conditions or restrictions on or subject to which the licence is held.

8.2 The process will be similar to the application process whereby the variation requested must be advertised and consulted upon with a hearing to decide the outcome if necessary.

9 Objections

9.1 Objections may be made to an application by any person.

9.2 An objection must be in writing and state the grounds on which the objection is made.

9.3 Objections may only be made within the period of 28 days following the date on which the application was given to the council.

9.4 The council will not consider any objection that does not contain the name and address of the person making it.

9.5 Where objections are made the council will provide copies to the applicant. The council will not divulge the identity of the objector/s to the applicant without their permission to do so.

9.6 Where objections are made and not withdrawn, a hearing before the Council’s Licensing and Safety Committee will be held, unless all parties agree a hearing is unnecessary.

9.7 In all cases, applicants and those making objections that are genuinely aggrieved by a decision of the council are entitled to appeal to the Magistrates’ Court within 21 days of receiving confirmation of the decision in writing.

9.8 Where no objections are made, the council will grant the licence subject to the terms and conditions shown at Appendix E

10 Determining applications

10.1 When considering applications, the council will have regard to:

(a) the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982

(b) any supporting regulations;

10.2 This policy does not, however, undermine the rights of any person to apply for a licence and have the application considered on its individual merits, nor does it override the right of any person to make objections on any application where they are permitted to do so under the Act.

10.3 When determining applications, the council will take account of any comments made by the Chief Officer of Police and any objections made.

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10.4 In all cases, the council will consider each application on its own merit.

11 Conditions

11.1 The council recognises that all applications should be considered on an individual basis and any condition attached to such a licence will be tailored to each individual premises.

11.2 No condition will be imposed that cannot be shown to be necessary.

11.3 The conditions that may be attached to a licence are shown in Appendix E, but this is not an exhaustive list and others may be added if thought relevant.

12 Refusal of licences

12.1 Except where the council are prohibited from granting, renewing, varying or transferring a licence, the council will not refuse a licence without first: -

 Notifying the applicant or holder of the licence in writing of the reasons;

 Giving the applicant or holder of the licence the opportunity of appearing and making representations before the council’s Licensing and Safety Committee.

12.2 The circumstances in which the council must or may refuse a licence are shown in Appendix F

13 Revocation of licences

13.1 The council may revoke a licence: -

 on any of the grounds specified in paragraph 1 of Appendix F of this policy;

 on either of the grounds specified in paragraph 3 (a) and (b) of Appendix F of this policy.

13.2 The council will not revoke a licence without first giving the holder of the licence the opportunity of appearing and making representations before the council’s Licensing and Safety Committee.

14 Cancellation of licences

14.1 The licence-holder may surrender the licence at any time and may request the council in writing to cancel the licence. No refund will be applicable.

14.2 In the event of the death of a licence-holder, the licence will be deemed to have been granted to his personal representatives and will remain in force for 3 months from the date of death, unless previously revoked.

14.3 Where the council are satisfied that it is necessary for the purpose of winding up the estate of the deceased licence-holder, it may extend or further extend the period in which the licence remains in force.

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15 Complaints

15.1 Where possible and appropriate the council will give early warning to licence holders of any concerns about problems identified at premises and of the need for improvement.

16 Enforcement

16.1 Rugby Borough Council is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the licensing regime and will have regard to the Department of Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform’s Regulators’ Compliance Code and council’s own Enforcement Policy. The council will carry out its regulatory functions in a fair, open and consistent manner.

16.2 The council recognises the interests of both citizens and businesses and will work closely, with partners, to assist licence holders to comply with the law and the conditions attached to the licence.

16.3 However, proportionate but firm action will be taken against those who commit serious offences or consistently break the law or breach the conditions of the licence.

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Appendix A

Definitions

‘Sex Cinema’ 1) A sex cinema is any premises, vehicle, vessel or stall used to a significant degree for the exhibition of moving pictures, by whatever means produced, which— a) are concerned primarily with the portrayal of, or primarily deal with or relate to, or are intended to stimulate or encourage— i) sexual activity; or ii) acts of force or restraint which are associated with sexual activity; or iii) are concerned primarily with the portrayal of, or primarily deal with or relate to, genital organs or urinary or excretory functions. But does not include a dwelling-house to which the public is not admitted. 2) No premises shall be treated a sex cinema by reason only— a) If they may be used for an exhibition of a film (within the meaning of paragraph 15 of schedule 1 of the Licensing Act 2003) by virtue of an authorisation (within the meaning of section 136 of that Act), of their use in accordance with that authorisation; or b) Of their use for an exhibition to which section 6 of that Act (certain non-commercial exhibitions) applies given by an exempted organisation within the meaning of section 6 (6) of the Cinemas Act 1985.

‘Sex Shop’ 1) A sex shop means any premises, vehicle, vessel or stall used for a business which consists to a significant degree of selling, hiring, exchanging, lending, displaying or demonstrating— a) sex articles; or b) other things intended for use in connection with, or for the purpose of stimulating or encouraging— i) sexual activity; or ii) acts of force or restraint which are associated with sexual activity. 2) No premises shall be treated as a sex shop by reason only of their use for the exhibition of moving pictures by whatever means produced.

Sex Article 3) A sex article means— a) anything made for use in connection with, or for the purpose of stimulating or encouraging— i) sexual activity; or ii) acts of force or restraint which are associated with sexual activity; b) anything to which sub-paragraph 4 below applies. CAB14MAR2011 Sexual Entertainment Venue Lic Policy - App 1

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4) This sub-paragraph applies to— a) any article containing or embodying matter to be read or looked at or anything intended to be used, either alone or as one of a set, for the reproduction or manufacture of any such article; and b) any recording of vision or sound which— i) is concerned primarily with the portrayal of, or primarily deals with or relates to, or is intended to stimulate or encourage, sexual activity or acts of force or restraint which are associated with sexual activity; or ii) is concerned primarily with the portrayal of, or primarily deals with or relates to, genital organs, or urinary or excretory functions.

‘Sexual Entertainment Venue’ A ‘Sexual Entertainment Venue’ is any premises at which relevant entertainment is provided before a live audience for the financial gain of the organiser or the entertainer. 1) In this paragraph relevant entertainment means- a) any live performance; or b) any live display of nudity; which is of such a nature that, ignoring financial gain, it must reasonably be assumed to be provided solely or principally for the purpose of sexually stimulating any member of the audience (whether by verbal or other means). 2) The following are not sex encounter venues: - a) sex cinemas and sex shops; b) premises at which relevant entertainment is provided as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) no more than eleven times within 12 months, not longer than 24 hours on each occasion and more than one month between each event; or c) premises specified or described in an order made by the relevant national authority 3) The relevant national authority may by order amend or repeal paragraph 3(b) above 4) For the purposes of this Schedule references to the use of any premises as a sexual entertainment venue are to be read as references to their use by the organiser. 5) Other definitions: ‘audience’ includes an audience of one; “relevant entertainment” means any live performance or any live display of nudity which is of such a nature that, ignoring financial gain, it must reasonably be assumed to be provided solely or principally for the purpose of sexually stimulating any member of the audience (whether by verbal or other means). “display of nudity” means— (a) in the case of a woman, exposure of her nipples, pubic area, genitals or anus; and (b) in the case of a man, exposure of his pubic area, genitals or anus;

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“the organiser”, in relation to the provision of relevant entertainment at premises, means any person who is responsible for the organisation or management of— (a) the relevant entertainment; or (b) the premises; “premises” includes any vessel, vehicle or stall but does not include any private dwelling to which the public is not admitted; “relevant national authority” means— in relation to England, the Secretary of State; and for the purposes of sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) it does not matter whether the financial gain arises directly or indirectly from the performance or display of nudity.”

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Appendix B Requirements for applying for grant, variation, transfer or renewal of a sex establishment licence Grant of a licence 1) To apply for the grant of a sex establishment licence an applicant must: - a) send the council: - i) a completed application form; ii) a plan to the scale of 1:100 of the premises to which the application relates; iii) the fee; b) display a notice on or near the premises; c) advertise the application in a local newspaper; d) send a copy of the application and plan to the Chief Officer of Police, Warwickshire Police Licensing Team, Police Station, Priory Road, Warwick, CV34 4NA at the same time as submitting the application to the council. Plan requirements 2) The plan must show: - a) the extent of the boundary of the building, if relevant, and any external and internal walls of the building and, if different, the perimeter of the premises; b) the location of points of access to and egress from the premises; c) the location of escape routes from the premises; d) fixed structures (including furniture) or similar objects temporarily in a fixed location (but not furniture) which may impact on the ability of individuals on the premises to use exits or escape routes without impediment; e) in a case where the premises includes a stage or raised area, the location and height of each stage or area relative to the floor; f) in a case where the premises includes any steps, stairs, elevators or lifts, the location of the steps, stairs, elevators or lifts; g) in the case where the premises includes any room or rooms containing public conveniences, the location of the room or rooms; h) the location and type of any fire safety and any other safety equipment including, if applicable, marine safety equipment; and i) the location of a kitchen, if any, on the premises. j) Any private rooms for adult entertainment 3) The plan may include a legend through which the matters mentioned or referred to above are sufficiently illustrated by the use of symbols on the plan.

Public notices 4) A notice must be displayed at or on the premises to which the application relates for a continuous period of not less than 28 consecutive days from the day following the day the

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application was given to the council, where it can be conveniently read from the exterior of the premises. 5) Where the premises cover an area of more than 50 square meters, a further identical notice must be displayed every 50 metres along the external perimeter of the premises abutting any highway. 6) The notice must be on pale pink paper sized A4 or larger and printed legibly in black ink or typed in black in a font size equal to or larger than 16. 7) The notice must state: - a) details of the application and activities that it is proposed will be carried on or from the premises, b) the full name of the applicant, c) the postal address of the premises, or in the case where there is no postal address, a description of the premises sufficient to enable the location and extent of the premises to be identified, d) the date, which should be shown as the day after the application is submitted. e) That it is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine (£5000) for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the offence. 8) A similar notice must be published in a local newspaper or similar document within 7 days of giving the application to the council. 9) A sample public notice is show as Appendix D Variation of a licence 10) The holder of a licence may apply at any time for any variation of the terms, conditions or restrictions on or subject to which the licence is held. 11) The process of applying for a variation is the same as that for applying for an initial grant except that a plan of the premises is not required unless the application involves structural alterations to the premises. Renewal of a licence 12) The holder of a licence may apply for renewal of the licence. In order for the licence to continue to have effect during the renewal process, a valid application together with the appropriate fee must be submitted before the current licence expires. 13) The process of applying for renewal of a licence is the same as that for applying for an initial grant except that a plan of the premises is not required. Transfer of a licence 14) A person may apply for transfer of a licence at any time. 15) The process of applying for transfer of a licence is the same as that for applying for an initial grant except that a plan of the premises is not required.

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Appendix C

APPLICATION FOR GRANT / RENEWAL / VARIATION / TRANSFER* OF A SEX ESTABLISHMENT LICENCE

Before completing this form please read the guidance notes at the end of the form. If you are completing this form by hand please write legibly in block capitals. In all cases ensure that your answers are inside the boxes and written in black ink. Use additional sheets if necessary. You may wish to keep a copy of the completed form for your records.

I / We

(Insert name/s of applicant/s – please read guidance note 1) apply for the Grant / Renewal / Variation / Transfer* of a Sex Establishment Licence for the premises described in Part 1 below (the premises) in accordance with schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (*delete as necessary) Part 1 - Premises Details (Please read guidance note 2)

Postal address (including trading name, post code and telephone number of premises)

Part 2 - Applicant Details Please state whether you are applying for a licence as a) an individual or individuals * please complete section (A & C) b) a person other than an individual *

i. as a limited company please complete all sections

ii. as a partnership please complete all sections

iii as an unincorporated association or please complete all sections

iv other (for example a statutory corporation) please complete all sections

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(A) Individual Applicant Details (Please read guidance note 3)

Mr Mrs Miss Ms Other Title

Family Name First names

Date of birth

Current postal address including post code

Telephone number

E-mail address

National Insurance No.

Telephone number

E-mail address

(Continue on separate page if necessary) (B) Other Applicants (Company, etc.) Please provide name and registered address of applicant in full. Where appropriate please give any registered number.

Name

Address including post code

Registered number

Description of applicant (e.g. partnership, company, etc.)

Telephone number

E-mail address

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The premises will trade as:

A Sex Cinema A Sex Shop A Sexual entertainment venue

I would like the premises will trade on the following days and between the following times:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

From From From From From From From

To To To To To To To

(D) Licensing History Has any person or the corporate or unincorporated body referred to in this application: -

Been disqualified from holding a licence for a sex establishment?

Been refused the grant / renewal / transfer of a licence for a sex establishment?

Been the holder of a sex establishment licence when that licence has been revoked?

If ‘Yes’ to any of the above please provide details:

Part 3 - Declaration

I/We: Please tick yes

Enclose the fee (Please make payable to Rugby Borough Council)

Enclose evidence of identity containing a photograph in respect of each individual applicant / partner / director, as applicable

Enclose either a criminal conviction certificate or criminal record certificate or the results of a subject access search of the police national computer by the National Identification Service

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Understand that if the above requirements have not been complied with my application will be rejected

Understand that the information given may be used in conjunction with other authorities for the prevention and detection of fraud, and will be held on computer, subject to the Data Protection Act 1998.

Confirm that the information supplied in this application is true to the best of my / our knowledge and belief.

IT IS AN OFFENCE, LIABLE ON CONVICTION TO A FINE NOT EXCEEDING LEVEL 5 ON THE STANDARD SCALE, TO MAKE A FALSE STATEMENT IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS APPLICATION (C) Signatures (Please read guidance note 4) Signature of applicant.

Signature/s

Date

Capacity

(D) Contact Details (Please read guidance note 5)

Contact name

Contact postal address including post code

Telephone number (if any)

E-mail address (optional)

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Notes for Guidance

1) Insert the name/s of individual applicant/s or partners or the trading name under which the business operates.

2) Include the postal address, including name by which the premises that is to be used as a sex establishment is to be known.

3) The full name, date of birth and home address of each individual applicant/partner/director must be supplied together with photographic evidence of identity, e.g. a certified copy of passport or driving licence, and either a criminal conviction certificate (issued under section 112 Police Act 1997), a criminal record certificate (issued under section 113A Police Act 1997) or the results of a subject access search under the Data Protection Act 1998 (b) of the Police National Computer by the National Identification Service.

4) The application form must be signed. Where there is more than one applicant, all applicants must sign the application form.

5) This is the address that we shall use to correspond with you about this application.

6) A plan of the premises must be submitted with the application, drawn to a scale of 1:100 showing all external and internal doors and windows and the position of counters, display stands, booths, video / tv / film screens, exhibition areas, dance / performance / stage areas fixed seating and tables, bars / counters from which refreshments are available and private rooms.

7) Copies of the application together with a plan of the premises must be submitted to: -

 Licensing Team, Environmental Services Dept, Town Hall, Rugby Borough Council,

Evreux way, Rugby. CV21 2RR.

 Chief Officer of Police, Warwickshire Police Licensing Team, Police Station, Priory Road, Warwick, CV34 4NA

8) A notice containing details of the application must be advertised on the premises to which the application relates for a continuous period of not less than 28 days from the day following the day on which it was given to the licensing authority, in a position from which it can be conveniently read by members of the public.

9) A notice containing details of the application must be published in a newspaper circulating in the local vicinity of the premises within 7 days of the application be given to the licensing authority.

10) Fees can be obtained via the council’s website or by contacting Licensing Section, Rugby Borough Council at [email protected]

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Appendix D

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982

Sex Establishment Licence

Public Notice

[Name of person applying for licence] is applying to Warwick District Council for a [sex cinema/sex shop/sexual entertainment venue] licence at [name and address of premises]

Any person wishing to make representations in relation to this application may do so by writing to:

Licensing Authority Rugby Borough Council

Town Hall

Evreux Way

Rugby

Warwickshire CV21 2RR

Representations may be made for 28 consecutive days from the date of this Notice.

A copy of the application for the grant of the above licence is kept by the Licensing Authority at the above address. The application can be viewed Monday to Thursday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, and 9.00 am to 4.30 pm on Fridays, except Bank Holidays.

It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for making a false statement is a Level 5 fine on the Standard Scale.

[Date] – This must show the day after the day that the application was received by the Licensing Authority

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Appendix E

Conditions

Access to premises

1) Access must be afforded at all reasonable times to authorised officers of the council and the police and fire services.

Hours of Opening

2) The hours that a sex shop may open to the public are from 0930 – 1800hrs on weekdays (Monday to Saturday).

3) A Sex Shop shall not open on Sundays, Christmas Day or Good Friday.

Management and Staffing of the Licensed Premises

4) Where the licensee is a body corporate or an unincorporated body any change of director, company secretary or other person responsible for in the management of the body is to be notified in writing to the council within fourteen days of such change and such written details as the council may require in respect of any new director secretary or manager are to be furnished within fourteen days of a request in writing from the council.

5) A person shall only be approved for the purposes of the foregoing condition if the council considers him or her to be a suitable person to have control of the premises.

6) At all times during which the premises are open to the public, one or more approved persons shall be present on the premises and shall be responsible for their management.

7) No person under the age of 18 shall be admitted to the licensed premises or employed by the licensee to work at the licensed premises.

8) The licensee shall ensure that no part of the licensed premises shall be used by prostitutes (male or female) for soliciting or for any immoral purposes.

9) Neither the licensee nor any employee or other person shall seek to obtain custom for the licensed premises by means of personal solicitation, by means of flyers, handouts or any like thing, outside or in the vicinity of the licensed premises.

10) The copy of the licence and these conditions shall be displayed in accordance with paragraph 14(1) of Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 in a conspicuous position at the premises for the customers to see.

External Appearance

11) No advertisements or other notices or items shall be displayed so as to be visible from the exterior of the premises, subject to conditions 13 and 14.

12) The council shall approve the design of the front elevation of the establishment

13) As a general rule the name of the premises shall be of an uncontentious nature

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APPENDIX 1

14) The exterior and entrance to the licensed premises shall be suitably screened so as to prevent any part of the interior being visible from outside the shop.

15) On the external facing of the inner door, there shall be displayed a notice in accordance with the requirements of the Indecent Displays (Control) Act 1981 namely:

“WARNING

Persons passing beyond this notice will find material or activities on display which they may consider indecent. No admittance to persons under 18 years of age”

Maintenance and Repair

16) The licensee shall maintain the licensed premises in good order, repair and state of cleanliness at all times, which will include the need to maintain the front and rear of the premises in a clean and tidy condition

17) The licensee shall take appropriate measures to ensure that refuse and discarded sex articles or waste stock from the premises are kept secure from public accessibility pending removal from site.

18) The licensee shall comply with any fire prevention and safety measures that may be required by the Fire Authority.

General

19) No part of the premises shall be let

20) Any breach of the conditions above may result in the licence being revoked and the licensee being prosecuted, where appropriate.

CAB14MAR2011 Sexual Entertainment Venue Lic Policy - App 1

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APPENDIX 1

Appendix F

Refusals and revocations of licences 1. The council must refuse to grant or transfer a licence to: - (a) A person under the age of 18; (b) A person who is for the time being disqualified from holding a licence; (c) A person who is not resident in the United Kingdom or was not so resident throughout the period of 6 months immediately preceding the date upon which the application was made; (d) A body corporate which is not incorporated in the United Kingdom; (e) A person who has, within the period of 12 months immediately preceding the date upon which the application was made, been refused the grant or renewal of a licence for the premises, vehicle, vessel or stall in respect of which the application is made, unless the refusal has been reversed on appeal. 2. The council may refuse (a) an application for grant or renewal of a licence on one or more of the grounds shown in paragraph 3 below; (b) an application for transfer of a licence on either or both of the grounds shown in paragraph 3 (a) and (b) below. 3. The grounds for refusal are: - (a) That the applicant is unsuitable the licence by reason of having been convicted of an offence or for any other reason; (b) That if the licence were to be granted, renewed or transferred the business to which it relates would be managed by or carried on for the benefit of a person, other than the applicant, who would be refused the grant, renewal or transfer of such a licence if he made the application himself; (c) That the number of sex establishments in the relevant locality that the application is made is equal to or exceeds the number which the council considers is appropriate for that locality; (d) That the grant or renewal of the licence would be inappropriate having regard to: - i. The character of the relevant locality; ii. The use to which any premises in the vicinity are put; or iii. The layout, character or condition of the premises, vehicle, vessel or stall in respect of which the application is made. 4. Nil may be an appropriate number for the purposes of paragraph (3)(c) above.

CAB14MAR2011 Sexual Entertainment Venue Lic Policy - App 1

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Agenda No 14

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14th March 2011

Report Title Joint Review of Antenatal and Postnatal Services for Teenage Parents in Warwickshire Portfolio Sustainable Inclusive Communities

Ward Relevance All

Prior Consultation The report has been considered by the Customer and Partnerships Committee, and is being reported to the relevant overview and scrutiny committees in the partner authorities involved in this report. It is also to be reported to Warwickshire County Council's Cabinet. The review itself involved wide-ranging consultation, which is detailed in the report. Contact Officer Debbie Dawson, Tel: 01788 533592

Report Subject to Call-in This report is not subject to Call-In because: Cabinet is not required to make any decision.

Report En-Bloc Yes

Forward Plan Yes

Corporate Priorities This report does not specifically relate to any Council priorities, but should be considered by the Panel/Cabinet for the following reasons: By convention, all scrutiny reviews involving councillors from this authority are submitted to Cabinet. The issues addressed are pertinent to the council's wider duties in relation to community well- being. Statutory/Policy Background

Summary The report presents the findings and recommendations of a joint scrutiny review, involving councillors from Rugby Borough Council,

CAB14MAR2011 Joint review of antenatal and postnatal services 1

Warwickshire County Council and Nuneaton and Bedfordshire Borough Council. The recommendations are not relevant to this Council and therefore the report is submitted to Cabinet for consideration and noting.

Risk Management There are no risk management implications arising Implications from this report.

Financial Implications The review was funded by the Centre for Public Scrutiny as part of a national pilot project.

Environmental Implications There are no environmental implications arising from this report.

Legal Implications There are no legal implications arising from this report.

Equality and Diversity No new or existing policy or procedure has been recommended.

Options There are no options to be considered

Recommendation The final report of the joint review of antenatal and postnatal services for teenage parents in Warwickshire be noted.

Reasons for There are no review recommendations relevant to this Recommendation Council so Cabinet is not required to take any further action.

CAB14MAR2011 Joint review of antenatal and postnatal services 2

Agenda No 14

Cabinet - 14th March 2011

Joint Review of Antenatal and Postnatal Services for Teenage Parents in Warwickshire

Report of the Customer and Partnerships Committee

Recommendation The final report of the joint review of antenatal and postnatal services for teenage parents in Warwickshire be noted.

1. BACKGROUND

In the autumn of 2009 the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) announced that it was to produce a scrutiny toolkit aimed at informing and supporting any scrutiny review that sought to tackle health inequalities. Resources were made available to pay for four pilot reviews and bids were invited from local councils.

Warwickshire County Council, Rugby Borough Council and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council were successful in their joint bid for a review of the antenatal and postnatal services provided for teenage parents in Warwickshire. This subject was selected on the basis of evidence that, whilst a considerable amount of work is being done in Warwickshire to meet the particular needs of teenage parents, this is inconsistent both in terms of its quality and distribution across the county. National evidence suggests that a lack of support to teenage parents (who may be highly vulnerable) can result in long term health and well-being problems for them and their children.

Councillors Noreen New and Carolyn Robbins represented this Council on the review. Councillor Claire Watson also sat on the joint panel as a County Council representative.

2. JOINT REVIEW REPORT

The final report of the review panel presents the findings and recommendations of the review and details the evidence on which these are based. A copy of the report has been placed in the Members’ Room for information.

The group’s report was considered by the County Council’s Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in December and will be reported to the County Council’s Cabinet.

CAB14MAR2011 Joint review of antenatal and postnatal services 3

The Customer and Partnerships Committee are considering the report at their meeting on 3 February 2011 and any matters arising will be reported to Cabinet.

The review recommendations do not relate specifically to the work of this Council, so no action is required from Cabinet. The report is submitted for noting.

CAB14MAR2011 Joint review of antenatal and postnatal services 4

Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date of Meeting: 7th February 2011

Subject Matter: Joint Review of Antenatal and Postnatal Services for Teenage Parents in Warwickshire

Originating Department: Sustainable Inclusive Communities Portfolio Holder

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

There are no background papers relating to this item.

CAB14MAR2011 Joint review of antenatal and postnatal services 5 Appendix 1 Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council

Joint Review of Antenatal and Postnatal Services for Teenage Parents in Warwickshire

Autumn 2010

Appendix 1

INDEX

Foreword ……………………………………………………… 1

Introduction and Recommendations ………………………. 2

The Review Process ………………………………………… 2

Input into the Centre for Public Scrutiny Toolkit ………….. 4

The Task and Finish Group’s Conclusions and Recommendations ……………………………………… 5

Appendix 1

Foreword by Councillor Angela Warner

Becoming a parent is probably the most significant life-changing experience a person will have. Seemingly overnight the routines we follow daily are turned upside down and for most people this can be traumatic and exciting at the same time. For young mums and dads however the thrill that parenthood should bring can in many instances be offset by anxiety and loneliness.

This review, funded by the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) as part of its health inequalities initiative, has sought to understand the challenges that teenage parents in Warwickshire face and to appreciate the services that are available to them. The process we have followed and the lessons we have learned are being fed into the CfPS development of a scrutiny toolkit aimed at health inequality.

One outstanding feature of this review is that it has been undertaken collaboratively by three councils Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council. Such joint working is becoming increasingly important especially if we are to maximise the benefits of what we do and ensure joint service delivery when it is appropriate.

The review has highlighted the differences and similarities between services for teenage parents in different parts of Warwickshire. It is clear from the evidence we have gathered that there is no single model for service delivery that would meet everybody’s requirements. The key, however, is to ensure that everyone in Warwickshire (regardless of where they live) is able to access the services to which they are entitled.

I am confident that the conclusions we have reached and the recommendations we have made will help to improve services for teenage parents just at a time when financial constraints are making efficiency and effectiveness the key words of service delivery.

I should like to thank all those people from the councils involved, and outside, who have contributed to this review. Without their support and that of the Centre for Public Scrutiny it would not have been possible.

1 Appendix 1

1.0 Introduction and Recommendations

1.1 In the Autumn of 2009 the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) announced that it was to produce a scrutiny toolkit aimed at informing and supporting any scrutiny review that sought to tackle health inequalities. Resources were made available to pay for four reviews and bids were invited from local councils. Warwickshire County Council along with Rugby Borough Council and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council prepared and submitted a joint bid. (The bid submission document can be found at appendix A of this report).

1.2 The focus of the review was to be the antenatal and postnatal services provided for teenage parents in Warwickshire. This subject was selected on the basis of evidence that indicated that whilst a considerable amount of work is being done in Warwickshire to meet the particular needs of teenage parents this is inconsistent both in terms of its quality and distribution across the county. National evidence suggests that a lack of support to teenage parents (who may be highly vulnerable) can result in long term health and well-being problems for them and their children.

1.3 In January 2010 the CfPS announced the winners of the bidding process. The joint Warwickshire bid had been successful.

1.4 Over the next few months evidence was gathered from a number of sources. A summary of the process undertaken is contained in the following section of this report. The evidence gathering stage lasted until September 2010 and culminated in a major select committee style meeting held in Rugby Town Hall on the 27th of that month.

1.5 When the councillors who constituted the task and finish group were satisfied that they had learned as much on the subject as they could they convened to agree their conclusions and recommendations.

1.6 This report aims to give the reader a brief overview of the review process before summarising the Task and Finish group’s conclusions. For the sakes of brevity the evidence gathered is not reproduced in the report or its appendices. It can, however, be made obtained on request.

2.0 The Review Process

2.1 In July 2009 the Centre for Public Scrutiny launched its Health Inequalities Scrutiny Programme. The aim of this initiative is to “raise the profile of overview and scrutiny as a tool to promote community well-being and help councils in addressing health inequalities within their local community.” The programme was funded by the Healthy Communities Programme at Local Government Improvement (formerly the IDeA). One of its main outputs was the establishment of Scrutiny Development Areas. Initially it was envisaged that four areas would be developed, but eventually this was escalated to ten across the country.

2 Appendix 1

Local authorities with ideas for scrutiny were invited to bid for support which took the form of funds (up to £5000) and expert advice (6.5 days of an advisor’s time).

2.2 Scrutiny officers from Warwickshire County Council, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and Rugby Borough Council worked together to identify a suitable topic for scrutiny and following discussions with the Respect Yourself Campaign it was agreed that there was a clear need to examine antenatal and postnatal services for teenage parents across Warwickshire. The bid was submitted in December 2009 and in January 2010 the County Council was informed that it had been successful. (The three other district/borough councils in Warwickshire were invited to join the review but for various reasons they declined to do so).

2.3 There then followed a lengthy period during which the Task and Finish group was selected from the three Local Authorities. In addition to the elected members, each council supplied an Overview and Scrutiny Officer to support the review. A coordinator from WCC’s Respect Yourself Campaign provided support throughout. The elected members from the three councils were,

Warwickshire County Council

Councillor Angela Warner Councillor Clare Watson

Rugby Borough Council

Councillor Noreen New Councillor Carolyn Robbins

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

Councillor Don Navarro Councillor Tom Wilson

2.4 The early stages of the review were occupied by desk top research and by briefings from the Respect Yourself Campaign Co-ordinator and others. National guidance and the results of major studies were considered at a series of meetings. Armed with an extensive selection of background information the review moved onto its next stage. This took the form of a major select committee style meeting held at the end of September 2010. To that meeting were invited representatives from a range of organisations involved in delivering services to teenage parents. These included midwives, health visitors, Children’s Centre managers, those involved in the delivery of education outside of school, information services, Young Parents’ Forums leads and Connexions. All “witnesses” were given a good opportunity to share their experiences with the Task and Finish group members and with each

3 Appendix 1

other. Detailed questioning provided the elected members with a considerable amount of evidence, the value of which was that it was obtained largely from those delivering services on the ground. Prior to the select committee meeting witnesses were provided with a questionnaire that sought to establish their views regarding opportunities and challenges facing the services they provide. The value of these questionnaires was that when completed they gave the elected members an idea of the areas they might like to explore further in the meeting.

2.5 A further component of the review was that members of the Task and Finish group visited Children’s Centres to talk to young parents and practitioners. In practice, the young parents tended to be young mothers. The evidence from these visits was rich and varied and was duly fed back to the rest of the group for consideration.

2.6 The final stage of the evidence gathering process was a “mopping up” exercise. This was used to fill any remaining gaps in members’ knowledge and understanding of the subject. For example, given that the review was intended to look county-wide it was clear after the select committee that some input from midwives in the south of the county, who were unable to attend, would be of benefit. Thus a visit to Warwick Hospital was organised to meet with the Head of Community Midwifery.

2.7 Having satisfied itself that it had gathered and considered all the evidence it might require the Task and Finish group set about reaching its conclusions and developing its recommendations. This process took a considerable length of time (five hours spread over two meetings) partly because of the scale and complexity of the evidence considered but principally because of the Task and Finish group’s desire to ensure that they arrived at the right recommendations.

2.8 At the end of this report the reader will find an action plan. (See Appendix B). This contains all the recommendations with an indication of which organisation or individual will be responsible for implementation of them. This will help with monitoring the implementation of the recommendations whilst ensuring that people know who is responsible for them.

3.0 Input into the Centre for Public Scrutiny Toolkit

3.1 As noted above the review was funded by the Centre for Public Scrutiny with a view to gathering information to be used in the development of a health inequalities scrutiny toolkit. Twice during the course of the review the Task and Finish group was able to contribute to the toolkit development process. Elected Members and officers reflected on the review process to that stage and made suggestions on how future reviews on health inequalities could operate.

4 Appendix 1

3.2 The CfPS will combine the intelligence gathered from the scrutiny development areas and will produce its toolkit in the spring of 2011.

3.3 It should be noted that as this report is focused on services for teenage parents none of the recommendations refer specifically to future scrutiny of health inequalities or to the toolkit.

4.0 The Task and Finish Group’s Conclusions and Recommendations.

4.1 Conclusion 1

4.2 Throughout this review the Task and Finish group has been very aware that most of the evidence it has considered has been anecdotal and subjective. There is very little in the way of strong objective data. National reports such as “Teenage Parents - Next Steps” and local initiatives such as Bigmouth have relied heavily on gathering evidence on the experiences of young parents. Such evidence is useful particularly for a topic such as this where the human dimension is highly significant. Nevertheless the paucity of objective fact-based evidence means that it is difficult to establish accurately whether actions and initiatives being pursued by various agencies are having a positive effect. This is particularly the case during these difficult financial times. If new projects are to be pursued it is essential that evidence exists both of the need for them and ultimately the benefits they have accrued.

Recommendation 1

Those statutory and voluntary organisations that provide services for teenage parents be encouraged to establish objective performance management frameworks with which positive outcomes for teenage parents can be accurately measured.

4.3 Conclusion 2

4.4 National and local evidence make it clear that teenage parents do not always receive the quality of service they would want or require. The task and finish group has gathered a wide range of evidence relating to different services. No single service or provider was highlighted as being inadequate but there is evidence that on occasions teenage mothers feel they are being “talked down to”, ignored or made to feel unwelcome. Teenage dads have reported similar experiences. The task and finish group is aware that some teenage parents can present their own challenges to service providers and recognises that the expectations of one will not always match that of another. The key, however, may lie in the collection of feedback from teenage parents. Where this feedback is negative service providers should be prepared to act on it rather than simply ignoring it.

5 Appendix 1

Recommendation 2

That to ensure that they are providing the right services in the best possible way all providers of services for teenage parents actively seek feedback from their customers and act on their findings.

4.5 Conclusion 3

4.6 The task and finish group was impressed by certain aspects of services provided by midwives in Warwickshire. In particular the initiatives currently being pursued by the Providing Information and Positive Parenting Support (PIPPS) team at the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton were commended. Whilst the group recognises that it may not be desirable or possible to precisely replicate the model being operated in Nuneaton in other parts of the county it is felt that certain aspects of the PIPPS work should be copied. Children’s centres play a key role in terms of the provision of services for teenage parents and this is acknowledged in the recommendation below.

Recommendation 3

That following the lead set by the George Eliot Hospital and the Providing Information and Positive Parenting Support (PIPPS) team based there other hospitals in Warwickshire are encouraged as a minimum to, a. Identify a member of the community midwifery team to specialise and develop an understanding of the particular needs of teenage parents. b. Provide as much continuity as possible so that teenage parents have only one or two midwives to get to know. c. Consider the use of antenatal and postnatal outreach services being delivered from Children’s Centres or other community venues.

4.7 Conclusion 4

4.8 The members of the task and finish group have heard on a number of occasions of the particular experiences of teenage fathers. Exclusion and disengagement were common themes. The group is very interested in the strategy for young fathers that the Respect Yourself Campaign is in the process of commissioning. Overview and Scrutiny has a clear role in helping in the development of strategy and for this reason it is felt that the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee should be given the opportunity to input into this strategy as it evolves.

6 Appendix 1

Recommendation 4

To help ensure member engagement the Respect Yourself Campaign be requested to consult the Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the draft strategy for young fathers when it becomes available.

4.9 Conclusion 5

4.10 The value of the Common Assessment Framework is being increasingly acknowledged by practitioners and councillors across the county. However this task and finish group has been concerned to hear that on a number of occasions when Family Support Meetings have been arranged and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service has been invited officers from that agency have failed to attend. Non- attendance by an agency can seriously compromise the outcome of the meeting. This in turn undermines the value of the Common Assessment Framework. For this reason the group feels that the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust (that provides the CAMHS service) should be reminded of the need to attend CAF meetings.

Recommendation 5

The Portfolio Holder for Health writes to the Chief Executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust with a request that whenever a Common Assessment Framework is undertaken that requires input from the Trust an officer from the Trust (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services) attends Family Support Meetings. If the Trust is requested to send an officer to a Family Support Meeting but is unable to do so then it is asked to ensure that apologies are provided with the reason for non-attendance.

4.11 Conclusion 6

4.12 Members were very interested to learn of the services provided by Connexions to teenage parents. They were, however, concerned to learn of the recent removal by Connexions of the post of Personal Advisor to Pregnant Teenagers and Teenage Parents. Whilst the group realises that it would not be appropriate to propose a reversal of that decision it does consider that some alternative approach to fill the gap left is now required.

Recommendation 6

That given the decision to remove the post of Personal Advisor for Pregnant Teenagers and Teenage Parents, the Strategic Director for Children, Young People and Families is requested to explore ways in which the gap left by the decision can be filled through work in partnership with other agencies or the voluntary sector.

7 Appendix 1

4.13 Conclusion 7

4.14 During the September select committee meeting the task and finish group was impressed by the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP), its planned work and the rationale behind its creation. The group did, however, wonder how the work of the FNP will fit with that of other organisations and considers that a report on progress will be required.

Recommendation 7

That the Family Nurse Partnership be asked to report in twelve months time to the Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on a) progress with this initiative and b) how its services complement others.

4.15 Conclusion 8

4.16 As referred to above the Task and Finish group was impressed by the work of the PIPPS team operating from the George Eliot Hospital. It was, however, surprised to learn that a considerable amount of the PIPPS midwives’ time is taken up on basic administrative duties. Whilst it would not presume to tell the management of the George Eliot Hospital how to manage its staff the task and finish group feels that it is worth highlighting this matter for consideration by the hospital.

Recommendation 8

In recognition of the excellent work of the PIPPS team, management at the George Eliot Hospital is requested to reflect on whether the midwives that make up the team would be able to deliver more services if the administrative burden currently placed on them was reduced.

4.17 Conclusion 9

4.18 A recurrent theme in this review has been the challenge that young parents have in accessing the services that are available to them. The group is aware that in many instances these people find it a challenge entering a new and strange environment and feel that they will be judged in some way. Members commend the work done at Children’s Centres and in recognition of that good work would encourage managers at those centres to do everything they can to welcome teenage parents.

8 Appendix 1

Recommendation 9

Acknowledging the key role played in communities by Children’s Centres, managers of those facilities be asked to work to encourage teenage parents to attend and access services by making them feel particularly welcome when they do attend.

4.19 Conclusion 10

4.20 Members acknowledge the major contribution that midwives make to the wellbeing of teenage mothers, and specifically their critical role in ensuring that the transition between antenatal and postnatal care is managed effectively. To this end, they request that midwives ensure that care is in place and continues with health visitors and other appropriate professionals and services. Also that midwives take every opportunity to ensure that teenage parents engage with Children’s Centres services.

Recommendation 10

Midwives ensure that at the end of the period of midwifery care, a successful transition to health visitor care and other appropriate professionals and services takes place, as well as ensuring that prior to the end of the midwifery care, teenage parents have been given opportunities to engage with Children’s Centre services.

4.21 Conclusion 11

4.22 The voluntary and community sector will play an increasing role in providing a range of community services. Every opportunity should be sought to engage with this sector.

Recommendation 11

That the Respect Yourself Campaign Co-ordinator be requested to liaise with the Council’s Voluntary and Community Sector Relationships Manager to identify any ways in which the Voluntary and Community sector can be utilised to help meet the needs of teenage parents. Particular emphasis should be placed on addressing transport issues and the dissemination of information and advice.

4.23 Conclusion 12

4.24 The Task and Finish group acknowledges that the majority of secondary schools are supportive of teenage parents. The Guidance provided to schools regarding their responsibilities towards young (school-age) teenage mothers is quite clear. There is, however, evidence that the degree to which schools adhere to that guidance may

9 Appendix 1

vary. Whilst the Task and Finish group would not attempt to micromanage schools it does feel that they should all make every effort to follow the Guidance.

Recommendation 12

That the Strategic Director of Children, Young People and Families be requested to write to all secondary schools in Warwickshire reminding them of the need to follow the current, “Supplementary Guidance on the Education of School Age Parents”.

4.25 Conclusion 13

4.26 There are a range of outstanding questions pertaining to the current proposal to raise the education participation age from 16 to 18. The Task and Finish group is concerned about the potential impact of this on young parents and that the extra support that will be needed, will be in place.

Recommendation 13

That the Strategic Director of Children, Young People and Families be requested to provide a brief to the Children and Young People and Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees on the impact of the raising of the education participation age on teenage parents.

4.27 Conclusion 14

4.28 The Task and Finish group has concluded that without an effective referral system many teenage parents will miss out on the services they need. Whilst the system appears generally effective the group feels that certain elements of it need further development. The Respect Yourself Campaign introduced Midwifery Referral Forms to ensure referral between midwives and Connexions and Children’s Centres took place. While the three Community Midwifery teams across Warwickshire have put this system in place, the system could be further tightened. In addition, teenage parents may be referred to services but then not attend. While teen parents cannot be forced to attend, the group feels that if support was in place through outreach workers from Children’s Centres and Family Information Service, there would be more chance of the referral being successful.

10 Appendix 1

Recommendation 14

That the Respect Yourself Campaign Co-ordinator be asked to continue to meet with representatives of midwives, Children’s Centres and Connexions to explore ways in which the midwifery referral system can be further enhanced thus ensuring that teenage parents receive all the support they need. Also that the Family Information Service and Children’s Centre Managers ensure that outreach workers support teen parents who have been referred to other services, to attend appointments.

4.29 Conclusion 15

4.30 The group has been very impressed with exercises such as Bigmouth. At the same time it feels that from what it has heard, particularly from young parents themselves, the opportunities to communicate concerns and other views are limited. It is recognised that by their very nature teenage parents do not remain as such for long. However, the group feels that whilst they are under 20 and facing the particular challenges that they do they should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and ideas. The Respect Yourself Campaign has commissioned the Youth and Community Service to start up and run existing Young Parent’s Forums (five across the county). These are now operating to varying degrees and are funded until March 2011 at least.

Recommendation 15

That in partnership with other statutory and voluntary organisations the County Council through the Respect Yourself Campaign looks at ways in which the voice of teenage parents can continue to be strengthened especially in light of the recent budget cuts’ announcements and possible changes to the Youth and Community Service.

4.31 Conclusion 16

4.32 Elected members were interested to find out about the Family Information Service. They were however concerned that they had not heard of it sooner and felt that more should be done to promote it.

Recommendation 16

That the Family Information Service be requested to produce a briefing for all members and partner organisations setting out the type of information it holds (and is responsible for) and how it can be accessed.

11 Appendix 1

4.33 Conclusion 17

4.34 The group believes that one of the main outcomes from the September select committee meeting was the opportunity witnesses had to share their knowledge and experience. It is clear that professionals working with pregnant teenagers and teenage parents are occupied on a daily basis delivering the services for which they are employed. The group acknowledged that finding time to network and share experience is limited but feels that time invested now would help to avoid problems and duplication of effort later.

Recommendation 17

Midwifery managers consider the best way of regularly disseminating good practice between themselves, their staff and their partners.

12 Appendix 1

APPENDIX A

Supporting Scrutiny - Invitation to bid for Scrutiny Development Area status for the Health Inequalities Scrutiny Programme

WARWICKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL, NUNEATON AND BEDWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL AND RUGBY BOROUGH COUNCIL.

JOINT REVIEW OF ANTENATAL AND POSTNATAL SERVICES FOR TEENAGE PARENTS IN WARWICKSHIRE

Section 1- Details of the lead authority submitting the bid and the contact officer, details of partner organisations, management and governance arrangements for the project.

Lead Authority Warwickshire County Council

Lead Authority Contact Paul Williams Overview and Scrutiny Officer Warwickshire County Council Customers, Workforce and Governance Directorate PO Box 34 Shire Hall Warwick CV 34 4RR

Tel - 01926 418196

e-mail - [email protected]

Partner Organisations Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council Contact – Shirley Round, Principal Democratic Services Officer (Overview & Scrutiny)

Rugby Borough Council Contact – Paul Ansell, Scrutiny and Policy Officer Respect Yourself Campaign Team Contact: - Kathy Siddle, Respect Yourself Campaign Co- ordinator

Management and Governance Arrangements for the Project

The project will be overseen by Warwickshire County Council as the lead authority.

Appendix 1

Although to be finalised it is anticipated that the review will be undertaken by a panel comprising at least two elected members from each of the three partner authorities. In identifying these members the principal considerations will be whether they have an interest in the topic area and a desire to bring about a positive improvement to the lives of those young people who might otherwise miss out on the services they require.

In the case of Warwickshire County Council it is likely that elected members will be selected from the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Children Young People and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Member representatives from Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and Rugby Borough Council will be drawn from appropriate committees to be agreed.

Support for the member panel will be provided by the Overview and Scrutiny Officers from the three partner authorities.

On completion of the review the panel will report to the appropriate decision making bodies of the three authorities. It is expected that the Executive body of each of the three authorities will be asked to approve the panel’s recommendations with a view to their implementation.

Section 2- Details of the proposed project

A – What is the Topic Area?

The review will focus on current provision of antenatal and postnatal services for teenage parents in Warwickshire. Members and officers of the three partner authorities have based their choice of topic on the following:-

 According to the Department of Health in September 2008 there were 425 young parents in Warwickshire. Many but not all of these young people live in the north of the county.

 Anecdotal evidence from young people indicates that in a number of instances the antenatal and postnatal services available to them are either not known, inadequate or unattractive.

 It is recognised by Warwickshire’s Respect Yourself Campaign that

o Teenage parents have particular needs that older parents do not.

o Whilst in one area of the county provision is being made to accommodate those specific needs the rest of Warwickshire is not well provided for.

B - Why this Topic is considered Important

The three partner authorities acknowledge that both nationally and locally some work has been done to develop an understanding of the challenges facing teenage

Appendix 1

parents. The 2007 report Teenage Parents Next Steps (Dept. of Health) identifies three areas where teenage parents and their children are disadvantaged. These are,

 Poor Child Health Outcomes

o Teenage parents frequently book late for antenatal care (on average at 16 weeks gestation). o Many teenage mothers smoke through pregnancy. This compares poorly with older mothers including those in lower socio-economic groups. o Breastfeeding rates are around a third lower than the average for all mothers. o The incidence of infant mortality amongst young parents is 60% higher than rates for children born to mothers aged 20-39. o Children born to teenage mothers are more likely to be born pre- term with a 25% higher risk of low birth weight.

 Poor Emotional Health and Wellbeing

o Teenage mothers have high rates of poor mental health after birth compared to older mothers. o 61% of teenage mothers live alone. The lack of a strong emotional relationship with a partner can contribute to a young mother’s poor emotional health and well-being.

 Poor Economic Wellbeing

o Of the 294 young parents known to the Warwickshire Connexions Service in September 2008 51.7% were not in education, employment or training. o In April 2001 (at the time of the last Census) 40% of teenage mothers who had given birth in the last three years still had no qualifications. o Young parents are 20% more likely to be living in poverty than older parents. o Children born to teenage parents have a 63% higher risk of living in poverty compared to babies born to mothers in their twenties.

It is acknowledged that the incidence of unplanned and teenage pregnancies and deliveries occur in areas of high deprivation. In one such area in Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth additional support is now provided to meet the needs of young parents. However, this prompts the three key questions that drive the need for this review,

1. Are the bespoke services provided in Nuneaton and Bedworth sufficient to meet the needs of teenage parents in that area? 2. In recognition of the benefits for young parents of services aimed at their specific needs what lessons can be learned from the experience of those delivering and receiving the services in question?

Appendix 1

3. How do we address the inequality resulting from the fact that services available in one part of Warwickshire are not readily available to all young parents in the county?

In 2008 the Respect Yourself Team in Warwickshire undertook a consultation exercise with young parents to help develop their understanding of the challenges they face both before and after the birth of the child. The consultation was called “BIGMOUTH!”. That consultation resulted in a report and a series of recommendations aimed largely at the interface between young parents and service providers. The consultation was of significant interest because it drew directly on the experiences of those young parents who were prepared to share their views. However, by its nature the BIGMOUTH! consultation relied heavily on anecdotal evidence.

The review that funding from the CfPS will support will be broader in that it will involve elected members (vital if political support is to be given to the implementation of any recommendations), practitioners from local authorities and the health economy and representatives from the voluntary and community sector.

A decision will be required as to whether young parents will be called on again to share their experiences. The BIGMOUTH! reports provide much of the evidence that might be required from young parents. If they are to be engaged with, it may be as recommendations are being considered.

The overall aim of the review is to improve the health and well being of all young parents and their children in Warwickshire. The review will do this by

 Considering opportunities for greater partnership working by public agencies and the voluntary and community sector.  Reviewing the role of local authorities in disseminating information to young parents and providing venues for the delivery of services and advice to them.  Improving our appreciation of the challenges facing young parents and the long term effects of a lack of awareness and support on their health and well-being as well as that of their children.  Developing an enhanced understanding of the distribution of young parents and an appreciation of the particular challenges being confronted by young parents in areas not currently supported by bespoke services  The development of a series of recommendations aimed at reducing health inequalities across the whole of Warwickshire.

Warwickshire as Scrutiny Development Area

It is considered that when completed the review will provide a good example of how working in partnership can bring about positive outcomes for people from all communities.

Appendix 1

C - Who the Partnership will Involve

A final list of those to be included in the review would be developed as the project is scoped. However the following are provisionally suggested.

NHS Warwickshire LINks Youth and Community Service Town and Parish Voluntary organisations School representatives Councils Teenage parents Respect Yourself Health Workers Campaign

D - How the Partnership will run the Review

The review will be undertaken by the member panel. It will be divided into five stages common to most scrutiny reviews. These are,

1. Scoping – The panel will need to agree the aims and objectives of the review along with key lines of inquiry, who it wishes to speak to and when it has to be undertaken by. This process is the key to a successful review and whilst its conclusions will not need to be adhered to rigidly it will form the basis of everything that comes afterwards. It is important at this stage to identify tangible improvements that the review seeks to achieve along with ambitious targets.

2. Evidence Gathering – This will potentially be the most time consuming element of the review. It will be necessary to ensure that the right people are invited to engage in the process. It may be that some people or agencies will be reluctant to become involved but it will be the task of the panel and supporting officers to ensure that no valuable source of information remains untapped.

Methods for evidence gathering may include:

o Select committee style meeting(s) o Focus group event(s) o The use of internet forums/Facebook/Twitter/websites/texting

3. Drawing Conclusions and Making Recommendations - Once it has gathered the evidence it needs the group will be required to arrive at its conclusions and produce its recommendations.

4. Implementation and follow-up - Any recommendations, once agreed, will need to be implemented. To assist this process it will be necessary to develop an action plan listing what needs to be done, by when and by whom. A key element to this action plan will be recognition of the cost of any initiatives to be followed.

Appendix 1

Progress with implementation will be monitored initially by the review group and then by practitioners. A post review evaluation will be undertaken after 18 months to establish the positive benefits it has brought about.

Every effort will be made to ensure that learning points from this process will be disseminated to people and agencies involved with this topic. The report will also be placed in the CfPS library for the use of other Overview and Scrutiny officers and members.

When will the review be undertaken?

The programme for the review is:-

Scope February 2010 Evidence gathering March 2010 to October 2010 Conclusions/Report November 2010

Section 3 – How the Project Meets the Evaluation Criteria

1. It is hoped that all questions have been answered satisfactorily.

2. Section 2(D) above lists some of the approaches to be pursued. Because this topic area covers a broad spectrum of organisations it will be necessary to utilise a range of approaches to engage with them.

3. This bid is founded on the understanding that a teenager should, with the right information and support be able to manage parenthood. In addition it recognises that the pressures that parenthood can bring are likely to be attended by health and economic problems.

4. Warwickshire County Council has previously demonstrated its commitment to the completion of reviews supported by the Centre for Public Scrutiny. All three partner authorities have a good track record of successful scrutiny as evinced in the CfPS library.

5. It is expected that partner agencies, that are already working closely together, will use this process and the learning points from it to develop their independent and joint scrutiny functions further.

Section 4 – Project Costs Project element Forecast Cost

Select Committee meeting £600 Focus group events £1200 Meetings with young parents (?) £500

Publication of panel Report £1000 Total £3300

Appendix 1

APPENDIX B Joint Review of Antenatal and Postnatal Services for Teenage Parents in Warwickshire

Action Plan November 2010

Recommendation Responsible Officer Implementation Comments or Agency date 1. Those statutory and voluntary Chair of Task and December 2010 One off letter to accompany copy of organisations that provide services for Finish group to write report teenage parents be encouraged to establish objective performance management frameworks with which positive outcomes for teenage parents can be accurately measured. 2 That to ensure that they are providing Chair of Task and December 2010 One off letter to accompany copy of the right services in the best possible Finish group to write report way all providers of services for teenage parents actively seek feedback from their customers and act on their findings. 3 That following the lead set by the Chair of Task and December 2010 One off letter to accompany copy of George Eliot Hospital and the Finish group to write report Providing Information and Positive Parenting Support (PIPPS) team based there, other hospitals in Warwickshire are encouraged as a minimum to,

a. Identify a member of the community midwifery team to specialise and develop an

Appendix 1

understanding of the particular needs of teenage parents.

b. Provide as much continuity as possible so that teenage parents have only one or two midwives to get to know.

C. Consider the use of antenatal and postnatal outreach services being delivered from Children’s Centres or other community venues. 4 To help ensure member engagement, Respect Yourself As appropriate Date of first draft of strategy by 31 Mar the Respect Yourself Campaign be Campaign From April 2011 2011 requested to consult the Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the draft strategy for young fathers when it becomes available. 5 The Portfolio Holder for Health writes Portfolio Holder for December 2010 Progress to be monitored via CAF Co- to the Chief Executive of the Coventry Health ordinator and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust with a request that whenever a Common Assessment Framework is undertaken that requires input from the Trust an officer from the Trust (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services) attends Family Support Meetings. If the Trust is requested to send an officer to a

Appendix 1

Family Support Meeting but is unable to do so then it is asked to ensure that apologies are provided with the reason for non-attendance. 6 That given the decision to remove the Strategic Director for March 2011 post of Personal Advisor for Pregnant Children, Young Teenagers and Teenage Parents the People and Families Strategic Director for Children, Young People and Families is requested to explore ways in which the gap left by the decision can be filled through work in partnership with other agencies or the voluntary sector. 7 That the Family Nurse Partnership be Family Nurse December 2011 Briefing note should suffice. Subject to asked to report in twelve months time Partnership wish of committee chair. to the Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on

a) progress with this initiative and

b) how its services complement others. 8 In recognition of the excellent work of Chief Executive – As appropriate the PIPPS team, management at the George Eliot Hospital George Eliot Hospital is requested to NHS Trust reflect on whether the midwives that make up the team would be able to deliver more services if the administrative burden currently placed on them was reduced. 9 Acknowledging the key role played in Strategic Director for As appropriate RYC to commission Mystery Shopping of communities by Children’s Centres, Children, Young remaining (N & B already carried out)

Appendix 1

managers of those facilities be asked People and Families Children’s Centres by 31 March 2011 if to work to encourage teenage parents funding available. This should highlight to attend and access services by Head of Early Years where Centres have carried out this making them feel particularly welcome and Children’s action. when they do attend. Centre Area Managers 10 Midwives ensure that at the end of the Midwifery managers As appropriate period of midwifery care, a successful at GEH, Warwick transition to health visitor care and and Rugby (via other appropriate professionals and UHCW) services takes place, as well as ensuring that prior to the end of the midwifery care, teenage parents have been given opportunities to engage with Children’s Centre services. 11 That the Respect Yourself Campaign Respect Yourself January 2011 Co-ordinator be requested to liaise Campaign Co- with the Council’s Voluntary and ordinator Community Sector Relationships Manager to identify any ways in which the Voluntary and Community sector can be utilised to help meet the needs of teenage parents. Particular emphasis should be placed on addressing transport issues and the dissemination of information and advice. 12 That the Strategic Director of Children, Strategic Director of January 2011 Young People and Families be Children, Young requested to write to all secondary People and Families schools in Warwickshire reminding them of the need to follow the current,

Appendix 1

“Supplementary Guidance on the Education of School Age Parents”. 13 That the Strategic Director of Children, Strategic Director of March 2011 Young People and Families be Children, Young requested to provide a brief to the People and Families Children and Young People and Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees on the impact of the raising of the education participation age on teenage parents. 14 That the Respect Yourself Campaign Respect Yourself December 2011 RYC Coordinator meet with the three Co-ordinator be asked to continue to Campaign Co- Community Midwifery Managers, attend meet with representatives of midwives, ordinator a county Children’s Centre meeting and Children’s Centres and Connexions to liaise with Connexions. explore ways in which the midwifery referral system can be further One off letter to go to Children’s Centre enhanced thus ensuring that teenage Area Managers and Family Information parents receive all the support they Service need. Also that the Family Information Service and Children’s Centre Managers ensure that outreach workers support teen parents who have been referred to other services, to attend appointments. 15 That in partnership with other statutory Respect Yourself March 2011 and voluntary organisations the Campaign Co- County Council through the Respect ordinator Yourself Campaign looks at ways in which the voice of teenage parents can continue to be strengthened especially in light of the recent budget cuts’ announcements and possible

Appendix 1

changes to the Youth and Community Service. 16 That the Family Information Service be Family Information March 2011 requested to produce a briefing for all Service members and partner organisations setting out the type of information it holds (and is responsible for) and how it can be accessed. 17 Midwifery managers consider the best Midwives together December 2011 way of regularly disseminating good with Respect practice between themselves, their Yourself Campaign staff and their partners. Co-ordinator

Agenda No 15

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet Date of Meeting 14th March 2011

Report Title Conservation Area Character Appraisals

Portfolio Economy, Development and Culture

Ward Relevance Avon and Swift, Dunchurch & Knightlow, Fosse, Hillmorton, Prior Consultation Ward Members, Parish Council’s, Warwickshire County Council and members of the public.

Contact Officer Rajvir Bahey – ext 3735

Report Subject to Call-in Y

Report En-Bloc Y

Forward Plan Y

Corporate Priorities 4. Enable and sustain an environment which our residents can take pride in and which impress our visitors.

Statutory/Policy Background Local Plan Saved Policy GP1 National Planning Policy Statement 5

Summary Conservation Area Character Appraisals identify the key components of a landscape or townscape which constitute an area’s special historical/architectural interest and which justifies designation. They assist in informing the local community and the planning process in design considerations, in determining Planning Applications and form the basis for Conservation Area Management Plans where necessary.

Risk Management None Implications

Financial Implications None

Equality and Diversity None Implications

Environmental Implications Appraisals assist in the management of Conservation Areas and in their preservation and enhancement.

Legal Implications None

Options Option 1. To endorse Conservation Area Character Appraisals as material consideration for planning and development proposals.

Risks None

Benefits  This would enable the Council to use the documents as guidance to residents, developers and planning officers and enable work to commence on management plans

Option 2. Do not endorse the Conservation Area Character Appraisals

Risks Not adopting will prevent work commencing on management plans where enhancements will be devised for the particular conservation area risking poorer Conservation outcomes and preservation or enhancement would be discouraged.

Benefits Would allow further time for the draft appraisals to be reviewed.

Recommendation The Conservation Area Character Appraisals for Clifton Upon Dunsmore, Dunchurch, Hillmorton Locks and Monks Kirby be endorsed for use as material consideration for the planning process. Reasons for Appraisals will assist in the assessment of Recommendation development proposals and the production of management strategies in Conservation Areas where necessary.

Agenda No 15 Cabinet - 14th March 2011

Conservation Area Character Appraisals

Report of the Economy, Development and Culture Portfolio Holder

Recommendation

The Conservation Area Character Appraisals for Clifton Upon Dunsmore, Dunchurch, Hillmorton Locks and Monks Kirby be endorsed and used as a material consideration for the planning process.

1 INTRODUCTION

Conservation Areas were introduced by the Civic Amenities Act in 1967 and are defined by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Section 69 of the Act places a duty on the Local Authority to review its Conservation Areas from time to time and section 71 to formulate proposals for their preservation and enhancement. There are presently 19 Conservation Area designations in Rugby Borough.

When designating new, or reviewing existing, areas, it is vital for the special interest that justifies designation to be defined, understood and recorded in detail. This is important to providing a sound basis, defensible on appeal, for local policies and development control decisions as well as for proposals for preserving or enhancing the Area. The existence of a clear definition of the Conservation Area’s special interest, in the form of an Appraisal, also helps to reduce uncertainty for owners and others when investing or developing in the Area is being considered.

Government policy stresses the need for Local Planning Authorities to define the special interest, character and appearance of all Conservation Areas in their districts. An Authority’s performance in defining special interest and publishing management proposals based on character appraisals was subject of a three-part heritage ‘Best Value Performance Indicator’ (BV219b). Its purpose was to monitor an Authority’s performance in relation to sections 71 and 72 of the 1990 Act. Though the performance indicator has been removed the appraisals will still form the basis for future Conservation Area Management Plans/Strategies and will be material consideration for the planning process.

The appraisals of the Clifton Upon Dunsmore, Dunchurch, Hillmorton Locks and Monks Kirby Conservation Areas have been placed in the Members’ Room for information. Their structure follows English Heritage advice contained in the document ‘Guidance on Conservation Area Appraisals, 2006’.

The Appraisals have been consulted upon for a six week period with a notice displayed in the local press, sent to the relevant Parish Councils and Ward Members. Appendix 1 displays consultation comments received during the consultation period and whether the responses resulted in a change to the respective document.

Some consultation responses expressed concern about the period of consultation carried out throughout the development of the appraisals. It is acknowledged that a longer period of consultation and different forms of consultation would have been beneficial however timescales and budget constraints made this difficult. It should also be noted that the appraisals are the starting point for the production of conservation management plans required specifically where strengthening of conservation areas is required. The production of conservation management plans will require a significant amount of consultation which will be key to tackling issues within the specific area.

Comments were also received regarding certain elements of conservation areas not being mentioned within appraisals. The appraisals are a subjective analysis of the current conservation area and are not intended to provide a full history of how the conservation has evolved throughout the years. As stated within the appraisal not every element of the conservation area can be highlighted within the report. Omissions of particular elements within a conservation area does not mean they are not important.

Consultation comments that didn’t result in any changes to the document were as a result of the content falling outside the remit of the appraisals or too detailed for the appraisal in accordance with the English Heritage guidance on completing the documents.

Name of Meeting: Cabinet

Date Of Meeting: 14th March 2011

Subject Matter: Conservation Area Character Appraisals

Originating Department: Planning

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

Document Officer’s File No. Date Description of Document Reference Reference

* Exempt information is contained in the following documents:

______

* There are no background papers relating to this item.

(*Delete if not applicable)

5 APPENDIX ONE

REPORT OF REPRESENTATION FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH VARIOUS PARTIES ON DUNCHURCH CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL.

CONSULTEE SUMMARY OF RESPONSE/RECOMMENDATION REPRESENTATION

Mr Waller Insufficient consultation The budget and time scales dictated that consultation and community involvement could not take place prior and during the work being carried out. Further community involvement would be a major part of the management plan.

Revise the boundary This is not recommended as part of the appraisal.

Stocks not listed. The national list of listed buildings has been used for the appraisal and at the time of writing there was no reference to them being delisted.

Approved schemes will affect The appraisal can only take into the character identified account what is on site at the time of the assessment.

Changes to shop fronts etc. The control of such have a negative impact and development is under the should be more tightly jurisdiction of central controlled. government. A management plan could seek to enhance such existing elements.

Gates not mentioned. The appraisal cannot cover every element and what is included is of course subjective. Omission does not mean the feature is not of importance.

Dates vary between the The appraisal is not intended to appraisal and other sources. be a historic analysis but is more about establishing the grain of each part of the settlement.

REPORT OF REPRESENTATION FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH VARIOUS PARTIES ON THE MONKS KIRBY CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL.

OUTCOME OF SUMMARY OF RESPONSE/RECOMMENDATION CONSULTATION REPRESENTATION

MK Parish Council Congratulate RBC on the Noted appraisal.

Lack of consultation. Further consultation would have been beneficial; however budget constraints made that difficult. Further community input would be part of the management plan that should follow the appraisal.

There is one cul de sac This is noted, however, it is not of sufficient value to mention in the appraisal. It is acknowledged that this is subjective.

Landscaping proposals could be The appraisal generally seeks rethought. additional high quality landscaping where appropriate in order to at times reduce the visual impact of certain buildings. A more comprehensive landscaping appraisal as part of a management plan would benefit the area.

Lack of assessment of post war The appraisal concentrates on development. the elements that justify the conservation area designation, i.e. generally the older and historically important buildings and groups of buildings. It is noted that the village has a large amount of more modern housing, generally it is not of a standard that would justify the designation without the older elements. The absence of comment does not however imply that the buildings are of no merit, this is made clear in the report. Again the management plan, which would enhance the conservation area, would be the place for more discussion on the modern elements.

Neutral or negative. The word negative is not generally encouraged by English Heritage, hence the use of neutral. However, it is noted that some elements are negative, it is perhaps more acceptable to state they are neutral and seek to enhance through a management plan.

Future Enhancements are too This is meant only as a list and vague. the management plan would deal with specific schemes.

Corrected MK appraisal All changes to be implemented – remove the words “for info” where relevant.

REPORT OF REPRESENTATION FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH VARIOUS PARTIES ON CLIFTON CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL.

CONSULTEE SUMMARY OF RESPONSE/RECOMMENDATION REPRESENTATION

Lynda Palmer P3 Hillmorton Lane and not Text to be amended. Road as referred to.

P 4 para. 1 observation that The importance of windows is many windows have been stressed in the document and changed. highlighted as a potential enhancement, not considered an additional reference is needed at this point.

P5 Further conservation status The extension of conservation sought. area boundaries is beyond the scope of this report. The conservation area needs to be assessed separately to conclude whether the boundaries are satisfactory.

P5 para 4 Some buildings are The appraisal seeks to identify viewed from the rear and new key views but cannot go into views can be created through, more detail. Enhancements for example, altering through the opening up of landscaping. interesting views are encouraged but would form part of a future management plan.

P6 para 1 The church is also Noted but no change required. used for community purposes.

P6 para 5 The school has This will benefit the permission for an extension to conservation area; however the replace the temporary class appraisal is an assessment at a rooms. given point in time and cannot assess buildings yet to be built.

P7 para 2 There are only two Text to be amended to large buildings on Hillmorton Hillmorton Lane and to state Lane two buildings not three.

P7 para 3 & 4 No mention of The appraisal states that the Vicarage Hill or Avon Street or omission of elements does not the lychgate. mean they are not important, however, not every element can be included.

P8 para 1 & P9 para 6 This area Noted but no change needed. is called Dunsmore plus farms and reference to Clifton Manor.

P10 para 1, P11 para 2 & 3, P12 Important unlisted buildings are para 1, P13 para 3, P14 para 1, discussed in the appraisal and in 3 and 4, relate to important the unlisted buildings section. old buildings in the village or Again not mentioning a single elements of these buildings. building or element does not imply it is not important.

P 13 para 5 Everard Close not Noted and text to be amended. Edwards Close

P16 para 3 The Bull was a This to be added into the text. former farmhouse.

P 16 para 4 & P18 para 5 North To be amended. Again the Road not North Street. No appraisal is a general mention of Manor Lane. assessment and cannot make reference to every element.

P 19 para 1. There are small Text to be amended to make outbuildings to the rear. reference to these.

P 19 para 4. No mention of Important trees are covered in Cedar tree and new church the appraisal, again this is a door. general assessment. The church door cannot be mentioned as it was not in situ at the time of the appraisal.

P20 No mention of hanging The tiles are mentioned on the tiles from the rear. front as they are more prominent.

P21 para 3 Hillmorton Lane not Text to be amended. Road & para 5 and South Street. P24 para 2/P26 para 1 No Whilst this may be an important mention of the rose feature the appraisal cannot garden/important walls. include every element.

P25 The School is in Station To be amended. Road.

P27 para 4 Churchyard an Text to include this. important open space.

P27 para 6 Hillmorton Lane & Amend in text. North Road.

P31 para 1 Advice on Advice is available from the fenestration. Council and could be part of any future management plan.

Opportunities & Enhancements Comments noted and are mostly supportive subject to cost/practical implications.

P 32 para 1 Reference made to Amend text. North Road.

Maurice Rogers Additional history and historic Happy for additional elements elements of the church could to be included though limited be incorporated. additions should be made to ensure the appraisal remains sufficiently concise.

Occupier of 55 North Road Questions open space shown No objection to the removal of adjacent to 55 North Road. this green space on the plan.

Cllr Hunt P13, 21, 23, incorrect road To be amended. names.

P21 final para formerly 4 To be amended in the text. cottages not three.

P26 Bull Inn wall This could be included in the para relating to important walls.

P27 boundary treatment to the Specific landscaping proposals open area, car park resurfaced would be in the management and omission of trees to North plan. Car park resurfacing Street noted and the omission of trees does not mean they are not important, however, not every element can be incorporated into the report.

P29 poor surface treatment This could be clarified in the belongs to the cottages and not text though the description is the pub. not to apportion responsibility but to describe the location.

REPORT OF REPRESENTATION FOLLOWING CONSULTATION ON HILLMORTON LOCKS CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL.

Cllr Lawrence P23 Not church car park, The text could be modified to footpath hard to use, current describe the land as an area for tenant does not maintain the parking adjacent to the church area. for clarity. The use of the footpath is not relevant to the appraisal.

P22 Maintenance of New Inn The sign is an important sign, consultation with element of the building helping Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to explain the history of the (WWT). structure. However, the building is not listed and therefore the Council do not have the power over any repainting. An approach would need to be made to the owner. No consultation took place with the WWT as this is beyond the scope of the appraisal.

P22 Problems with industries. This is beyond the scope of the appraisal. Provided the users of the building comply with any relevant planning conditions the Council cannot get involved.

RUGBY BOROUGH COUNCIL

CLIFTON UPON DUNSMORE CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL

June 2010 CONTENTS

Page

1 Introduction 3 2 Location and context 5 3 General character and form 6 4 Landscape setting 7 5 Historic development 9 6 Archaeology 11 7 Architecture, building materials and features 13 8 Detailed Architectural Assessment: 15 Area 1: Main Street 16 Area 2: Church Street 19 Area 3: Lilbourne Road/Hillmorton Lane/South Road 22 9 Contribution of unlisted buildings 26 10 Street furniture 27 11 Green and open spaces and trees 28 12 Key views and vistas 30 13 Existence of any neutral areas 30 14 Conclusions 31 15 Preservation and enhancement 31 16 Appendices 33

2 INTRODUCTION

Clifton upon Dunsmore is situated approximately two miles east of Rugby. It is the most easterly village in the county and lies on the border with Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. The settlement is situated on a small hill and retains its identity as a village. It is approached from Rugby, Newton, Hillmorton and Lilbourne with all but the town approach having a predominantly countryside character.

The Conservation Area covers the central core of the village. Main Street, Church Street and Lilbourne Road comprise the historic spine with the heart of the village at the meeting point of these roads. Parts of North Road, South Road and Hillmorton Lane complete the Conservation Area. The remainder of the village generally comprises twentieth century expansion surrounding the linear form of the Conservation Area.

Conservation Areas were introduced by the Civic Amenities Act in 1967. A Conservation Area is defined by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Section 69 of the Act places a duty on the Local Authority to review its Conservation Areas, Section 71 requires the Authority to formulate and publish proposals for their preservation and enhancement. Clifton upon Dunsmore is one of 19 Conservation Areas in the Borough.

Local Authorities have a duty to identify, designate, preserve and enhance Conservation Areas within their administrative area. The aim in a Conservation Area is to preserve or enhance not merely individual buildings but all those elements, which may include minor buildings, trees, open spaces, walls, paving, and materials etc., which together make up a familiar and attractive local scene. The relationship between buildings and spaces within Conservation Areas creates a unique environment, which provides a sense of identity and amenity for residents and an irreplaceable part of our local, regional and national heritage.

The positive identification of areas for designation helps focus attention on its qualities and encourages a sensitive approach to any proposed development. The Local Planning Authority will exercise particular care to ensure that change, where it occurs, will preserve or enhance the character of an area. The designation of a Conservation Area ensures the quality of design and context are considerations in determining Planning Applications.

There are different planning controls in Conservation Areas and anyone proposing development should seek advice from Rugby Borough Planning Authority. In addition to planning controls that govern alterations and extensions Planning Permission would be required for the following development in Conservation Areas:

3 • The cladding of any part of the exterior of a dwelling with stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles; • An extension extending beyond a wall forming a side elevation of the original dwelling; • An extension having more than one storey and extending beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling; • Any enlargement of a dwelling consisting of an addition or alteration to the roof; • The provision of a building, container, enclosure, swimming or other pool where it would be situated on land between a wall forming a side elevation and the boundary of the dwelling or to the front of the original principle elevation; • The installation, alteration or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe which fronts a highway and forms either the principal elevation or a side elevation of a dwelling; • The installation, alteration or replacement of a microwave antenna on a dwelling, or within the grounds, on a chimney, wall or roof slope facing onto and visible from a highway or on a building greater than 15 metres in height.

In addition Conservation Area consent is required where in excess of 115 cubic metres of buildings are to be demolished. Conservation Area designation also protects trees within the boundary by requiring owners to give the Local Planning Authority six weeks notice of their intention to carry out any work on trees that have a trunk in excess of 75mm in diameter measured 1.5 metres from the ground.

All Planning Applications for development which would affect the character of a Conservation Area must be advertised in the local press and site notices posted.

This document is an appraisal of Clifton upon Dunsmore Conservation Area. It is based on guidelines issued by English Heritage, the Government’s advisor on the historic built environment, and has been prepared by Rugby Borough Council. The principal objectives of the appraisal are to:

• define and record the special interest of Clifton upon Dunsmore Conservation Area to ensure there is full understanding of what is worthy of preservation; • increase public awareness of the aims and objectives of Conservation Area designation and stimulate their involvement in the protection of its character and to inform decisions made by Rugby Borough Council, the Parish Council and local residents; • reassess current boundaries to make certain that they accurately reflect what is now perceived to be of special interest and that they are readable on the ground;

4 • assess the action that may be necessary to safeguard this special interest and put forward proposals for their enhancement.

It is however not intended to be wholly comprehensive in its content and failure to mention any particular building, feature or space should not be assumed to imply that they are of no interest. This assessment should be read in conjunction with the Rugby Borough Local Plan 2006 saved policies, submission Core Strategy, and national policy guidance particularly Planning Policy Statement 5 Planning for the Historic Environment and its practice guide. These documents provide more detailed information on local and national policy relating to Conservation Areas.

MAP 1 CONSERVATION AREA DESIGNATION

LOCATION AND CONTEXT

Clifton upon Dunsmore is a relatively small Conservation Area. The designation commences with the school and incorporates all the buildings to the east on Main Street. The area continues as the road forks north into Church Street and east onto Lilbourne Road. Its conclusion is denoted by the village triangles and the northern part of Hillmorton Lane.

5 The designation follows a linear form incorporating a single depth of buildings and covers the central area of the village. The area is influenced by its countryside setting, retaining a rural character on the outer edges of the Conservation Area and a village appearance within.

The Conservation Area comprises mainly residential properties but retains its historic economic centre with the village pub, shops and services clustered at the eastern end of Main Street. Community uses include the nursing home and village hall.

The land and buildings within the Conservation Area are generally of good visual quality and are well maintained. There is however potential of development pressure including infilling open spaces with new dwellings or unsympathetic extensions or alterations to historic buildings. The removal of native planting, the planting of inappropriate species or the erection of alien boundary treatments such as close boarded fencing would have an adverse impact. In addition, the use of front gardens as hardstanding for vehicles would seriously erode the character of the designation.

GENERAL CHARACTER AND FORM

The village is relatively large with buildings to the north, south and west of the Conservation Area. This adds depth to the more narrow designation in the centre. The historic core however retains its intimacy and the wider context of the village is not easily read once within the Conservation Area.

The Conservation Area falls into three broad character areas. Linked by the church at the centre Main Street, Church Street and Lilbourne Road/Hillmorton Lane, form the three areas.

Main Street commences with the school at the western end and contains a number of key landmark buildings including The Elms and the Bull Inn. These are interspersed by historic buildings of individual character along the northern side of Main Street which have a less imposing style and siting. On the southern side of Main Street the character is modern set in a landscaped environment.

Photograph 2 The Elms

Church Street commences with the church as its southern focal point. Terracing dominates on the western side with a number of variations on a theme with cottages completing the transition from Conservation Area to countryside.

The third area is Lilbourne Road and Hillmorton Lane. The church is again the dominant presence at the western point and commences a series of two large buildings set in spacious and landscaped grounds on the northern side of Lilbourne Road. The buildings are linked by the historic boundary walls abutting the highway. To the south are a mix of buildings with terracing and outbuildings providing consistency of siting and a sense of enclosure.

LANDSCAPE SETTING

Despite its close proximity to Rugby, Clifton upon Dunsmore has a countryside setting. While the approach from the town is more developed in character with housing on the southern side of Rugby Road the northern part is bordered by tree-lined fields. This reinforces the separate identity of the village.

From the north the approach into the village from Newton is again tree lined with fields to each side. The allotments and cemetery on the western side continues the green theme.

7 The approach from Lilbourne is characterised by sporadic houses with fields surrounding. Hedges line the highway with a cluster of trees announcing the arrival of the village. This approach is similar to that from Hillmorton.

Photograph 3 Important mature landscaping

The character of the village, with fields to all sides, is strengthened by the landscaped theme within the settlement. The Conservation Area contains a number of large undeveloped green spaces, both public and private, and a plethora of mature trees. These provide a landscaped setting to buildings and streets and act as a backdrop to many buildings.

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

The name Clifton upon Dunsmore is from the location, a Cliffe in Saxon times denoting rocky ground and Dunsmore meaning the top of a hill. The Saxons settled in the Avon Valley as it provided a defensible location with natural drainage and clean water. During the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042- 1066) Clifton upon Dunsmore was in the possession of the Sheriff of Warwick, founder of the Arden family. Through patronage it is likely that the monks of Coventry built a dwelling on the site of the present church. The village is recorded in the Doomsday Book as having circa 30 houses of timber, mud and thatch and a population of circa 70.

As the popularity of the settlement grew in the fourteenth century the church was extended with the addition of the nave and north and south aisles. The tower was added in the sixteenth century. At this time the village was under the ownership of Robert Whitney of Herefordshire and his descendents continued as absentee Lords of the Manor until it was sold to the Bridgeman family in 1663. The village was devastated by the plague which saw 84 deaths out of a population of 122.

Agriculture was inefficient with the medieval open field strip farming system, the result of which can still be seen in the fields bordering the River Avon. This produced sufficient supplies to survive on enough but efficiency improved in the seventeenth century through the enclosure of open fields. In 1654, there were 40 houses recorded, mostly wooden frames with wattle and daub and thatch. By 1730 the same number were recorded but mostly now of brick and slate suggesting greater affluence.

The Bridgemans kept the estate until they broke it up and sold to several different buyers. The Manor House and manorial rights went to the Townsend family. They stayed in the village until 1984 and had an important influence, especially Thomas Sutton Townsend. He built Townsend Memorial Hall on the site of the Red Lion, paid for urgent repairs to St Mary’s Church and extended and altered the Manor House.

Overall the layout of the historic village core has not greatly altered for centuries. The roads approaching from Rugby, Lilbourne and Newton meet at the Y junction at the centre of the village with a rectangular pattern of roads around the centre formed by North Road and South Road.

The oldest part of the village follows the three main roads within the Conservation Area where the majority of the buildings comprise former farmhouses and small workers cottages. In the 1960s properties on the southern side of Main Street were demolished and replaced by housing. In the 1970s much of the park around Clifton Manor was sold to build the current flats.

Photograph 4 The Old Hall

St Mary the Virgin Church is the oldest building in the Conservation Area, dating from the thirteenth century with later additions and alterations. Other notable historic buildings include Sunnyside on Main Street which dates from the sixteenth and eighteenth century, The Old Hall from the seventeenth century and Clifton Manor and the Shelter Shed, on North Road, from the eighteenth century. Much of the remainder of the designation accommodates Victorian buildings with later infilling from the twentieth century.

10 MAP 2 CLIFTON IN 1905

ARCHAEOLOGY

The Conservation Area is almost entirely within the area recorded as the probable extent of the medieval settlement of Clifton-upon-Dunsmore, based on documentary and cartographic evidence. The Church of St. Mary is medieval in origin, with restoration work carried out in the 19th century.

A number of historic buildings lie within the Conservation Area. This includes Clifton Old Hall, originally 17th century with later alterations and Clifton Manor, early 18th century with 19th century alterations. The Wesleyan Chapel on North Road, established in 1862, is now a private residence.

Two World War Two air-raid shelters have been recorded in South Road and Main Street. The Cross in Church Street dates from 1897, but is said to incorporate older fragments of St. Thomas’ Cross.

11 HER Records MWA4156 Church of St Mary, Clifton upon Dunsmore MWA4157 Wesleyan Chapel, North Road, Clifton on Dunsmore MWA4160 Clifton Old Hall MWA4185 Clifton Manor MWA4184 Cross, Church Street, Clifton upon Dunsmore MWA8874 Brick built domestic surface shelter MWA8877 Brick built domestic surface shelter MWA9507 Clifton Upon Dunsmore Medieval Settlement MWA4165 Excavation of C18/19 House off Allens Lane

MAP 3A ARCHAEOLOGY MWA RECORDING

The Conservation Area broadly follows the Historic Settlement Core of Clifton- upon-Dunsmore identified by the HLC. Post-1955 settlement extends to the north and south of this Historic Core, within the Conservation Area.

MAP 3B ARCHAEOLOGY HISTORIC LANDSCAPE SETTING

HLC Records HWA6946 Settlement HWA6951 Settlement HWA6952 Settlement HWA6953 Settlement HWA6954 Settlement HWA6959 Settlement HWA6964 Civic and Commercial

ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING MATERIALS AND FEATURES

Clifton upon Dunsmore has buildings dating from the thirteenth century to the present day. The church originally dates from the thirteenth century with other buildings remaining from the sixteenth to the end of the last century. The largest number of buildings date from the Victorian era and include the majority of the terracing.

The relative affluence of Clifton upon Dunsmore and the surrounding area, together with its proximity to larger settlements such as Rugby, has ensured that the vast majority of the building stock is in good order and virtually all buildings are occupied.

The built form includes key landmark buildings which are of different appearances but form a characteristic group of structures which dominate. These include the school, The Elms, the church, pub and Clifton Manor. A number of dwellings were formerly large farmhouses and would have been set in more spacious grounds than exist now. Buildings of historic importance, but of varying character, are found throughout the Conservation Area and include Sunnyside and The Old Hall. Terracing is also a common feature.

Along Lilbourne Road and Church Street there is a strong sense of enclosure from the terracing, high brick walls and mature trees.

Parts of the historic core of the village have been redeveloped with housing from the 1960s onwards. Examples include the majority of the southern side of Main Street, Goodacre Close, Everard Close and The Elms Paddock. The Beeches flats date from the 1980s and incorporate three storeys with varying eaves heights and materials to relieve the scale of the building.

Traditional materials include brick walls and plain clay tile or slate roofs. Many of the terraces are rendered and some of the original roofing materials have been replaced with concrete tiles. The key landmark buildings comprise sandstone (church), brick and smooth render. Ridge tiles are generally plain although decorative ridge tiles are evident of buildings such as the Post Office and Old Hall. Roof pitches vary with steeply pitched roofs on Clifton Manor, Bakehouse Cottage and The Bull Inn. Thatch, such as on Sunnyside, is now relatively rare. Formerly thatched buildings include Elm Cottage and Cob Barn.

Photograph 5 A thatched roof on Main Street

14 Chimneys feature prominently with many being relatively plain and functional with corbelled tops. Variety is provided by Clifton Manor with a stack straddling both roofs with 7 flues, Townsend Memorial Hall and the Post Office with square stacks at 45 degree angles and The Elms with a tall straight stack with fluted render. A barleytwist chimney is found on The Heath.

Eaves vary with the terraced housing in the village centre having simple eaves. Bakehouse Cottage has plain overhanging eaves, Avon Cottages have simple corbelled eaves and along Lilbourne Road many houses have saw tooth corbelling with fascia boards.

The majority of boundaries with the highway are of brick and include attractive entrances and gate piers such as serving Clifton Manor and the church car park.

The more minor material and architectural detailing includes hanging tiles on the first floor at the Townsend Memorial Hall cottages and at the post office. A number of ledged and braced timber plank doors remain carrying heavy door furniture of the period. Earlier terraced houses have low doorways with a mix of brick arched and horizontal stone lintels. There are two main styles of bargeboards, ornate timber such as Townsend Memorial Hall or deep and plain such at Sunnyside. There is a variety of window styles including original timber and iron frames. Older windows are predominantly sash or leaded. Sliding sash windows are mostly horned with some sashes surviving at The Elms. Cast iron windows feature on the Bakehouse Cottage.

DETAILED ARCHITECTURAL ASSESSMENT

In order to make the appraisal more legible and informative the detailed assessment of the architectural and historic character has been divided into three smaller areas (see map 4 below). These sub areas have been chosen to incorporate buildings and spaces which relate to each other both geographically and characteristically and comprise:

Area 1: Main Street Area 2: Church Street Area 3: Lilbourne Road/Hillmorton Lane

It must be noted that sub areas can overlap and transition can take place. The zones are therefore used as a tool to analyse and understand the area rather than to define whole areas as separate entities.

15 MAP 4 SUB-AREAS

AREA 1: MAIN STREET

This area leads the transition from the Rugby approach into the historic heart of the village. To the north of Main Street are a series of key landmark buildings. These are of different characters but share a dominant scale and siting. In between historically important and visually attractive buildings fill the spaces, again of differing appearances. At the centre of the village is the economic hub with the pub and shops. There are more modern buildings on the southern side of Main Street, linked by open green spaces and a high level of landscaping.

The approach into this part of the Conservation Area is the least rural. There are suburban houses on the southern side of the road with fields to the north. This results in a relatively gradual transition into the designation and leads to the school, the first landmark building. Of red brick with contrasting blue bricks forming diapers and yellow brick quoins under a tiled roof, the building is large and attractive. The building comprises Gothic vernacular and denotes the commencement of the historic part of the village. It is linked visually, historically and socially to the village and is a focal point on entering and leaving the Conservation Area.

The Elms is a dominant building of three storeys, immediately abutting the highway. Its principle front elevation faces down the road and is the main focal point. It is rendered with a hipped roof above overhanging eaves with prominent two storey gables on the side and front elevations. The building dates from the mid nineteenth century with alterations such as the bay windows on the front elevation from the late nineteenth century. The Elms has classical elements with the diminishing hierarchy of fenestration and symmetry. The siting and scale accentuates the impact of the building.

This landmark element continues with the Bull Inn. The building was formerly a farmhouse and dates from the eighteenth century, is two storey with small dormers in the steeply pitch front roof. It is of red brick and has a cottage appearance with a subservient wing to the rear.

Although fronting onto Church Street, St Mary the Virgin Church is the final landmark building. Main Street leads into Church Street with the stone church dominant in the street scene.

In between these key structures are a number of historically important buildings. Opposite the school on North Road is a single storey outbuilding with a mud wall under a corrugated roof abutting the highway. This provides an unusual element in the street scene. The dwelling it serves, a whitewashed two storey building under a slate roof, nestles amongst a tree dominated site in the background.

This outbuilding theme continues with a further single storey building abutting Main Street, now converted into residential use. This would originally have served School Farmhouse, a two storey red brick and slate Victorian house. With prominent chimneys it is set behind a boundary wall and hedge. To the east of The Elms is 7 Main Street. This is a two storey cottage with a steeply pitched roof and a front gable and lower wing to the side. The building is set well into the site and nestles amongst the landscaping within the site.

An attractive red brick wall topped with blue coping draws the eye to Sunnyside Cottage, a two storey building dating from the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Of brick within a cruck frame the thatch roof dominates with two chimney stacks and a decorative thatched ridge. The building is set close to the road and has a low cottage appearance. Trees to each side place the dwelling in a landscaped setting which is supported by a large rear garden partially visible from the public realm.

Adjacent is a terrace of four dwellings. Built in two stages in the early and later Victorian period, three are red brick and one is rendered. Although some of the original windows, doors and slate have been lost and the buildings are set well into the site, they pick up on the terraced theme along Church Street and Lilbourne Road. The impact of the buildings on the street scene is reduced by

17 the mature beech trees in the front gardens. This setting is enhanced by the brick boundary wall.

Photograph 6 Terracing along Main Street

While there is no cohesive architectural theme in this sub-area the buildings are linked by the landscaping along the northern side of Main Street. Hedges and trees provide a green character which reduces the visual impact of the smaller scale buildings. Red brick boundary walls are also important in the street scene.

The character on the southern side of Main Street is a series of modern buildings set in a well-landscaped environment. The green theme commences with the series of village greens and grass verges opposite the school and continues with open front gardens and landscaped grounds. The Beeches, built in the 1980s, is three storeys and acts as a pinch point with The Elms opposite. Further east there are 1960s houses with an open plan character. The shopping precinct completes the built development on the southern side, with a parking area to the rear. This is the economic hub of the village, with the pub to the north.

The juxtaposition of Main Street, Church Street and Lilbourne Road broadly constitute how the village stood in the mid nineteenth century and provides a traditional village scene.

18 This sub-area is therefore characterised by historic landmark buildings on the northern side of Main Street interspersed by lower impact but historically and visually important buildings. To the south the buildings are generally more modern. On both sides of the road the common theme is the landscaping and boundary treatment. Trees, hedges and red brick walls provide a strong sense of enclosure and provide a green setting to the buildings.

AREA 2: CHURCH STREET

This sub area is characterised by the church as the dominant focal point at the village centre, terracing along the western side of Church Street and a gradual transition into the countryside with cottages leading to the fields.

The approach from Newton is through hedge and tree lined fields leading to the cemetery and allotments. A number of cottage style dwellings emerge on both sides of the highway. A pair of semi-detached red brick cottages front onto the green triangle at the junction of Church Street and North Street. It comprises prominent brick gables with white bargeboards and a slate roof. The setting is enhanced with the cottage-style front garden, simple estate-type boundary treatment and greens in the foreground. Opposite is The Old Chapel, a Gothic two storey dwelling set in a well landscaped garden.

Further into the village the western side of Church Street is dominated by terracing. Commencing opposite the church The Bakehouse has a single storey element with small metal-framed windows. This leads into the main terrace. Of two storeys the group contains a number of variations within a theme and results in an attractive composition. The first terrace has a central gable with lower wings, some red brick, some rendered. Chimneys punctuate the roofline and the terrace has rhythm through regular door and window openings. The terrace is sited adjacent to the highway resulting in a powerful built form and a strong sense of enclosure. Important outbuildings are to the rear.

19 Photograph 7 Rhythm provided by terracing

The second terrace is more uniform. It shares a common eave and ridge line with red brick, painted brick and render on the elevations. A regular pattern of window and door openings retain the rhythm of the composition despite the alterations to the original brick elevations, slate roof and timber fenestration. Chimneys are an important element forming a rhythmic pattern above the roof. The last in the terrace, Fern Cottage, retains the original fenestration. Towards the centre of the terrace the ground floor fenestration would suggest a former shop use. Again the terrace abuts the pavement and provides a strong sense of enclosure.

Behind this terrace are long, narrow rear gardens culminating in a line of small scale outbuildings.

To the eastern side of Church Street 2 and 2a are dwellings which back onto the highway. Along the road a two storey robust and relatively unadorned wall immediately abuts the highway. The primary elevation faces onto the rear gardens. The outer wall has the appearance of an outbuilding, echoing the character of buildings on Lilbourne Road and, together with the terracing, provides a strong sense of enclosure.

The key building is the church. A landmark structure it has an open setting with no strong boundary treatment between pavement and cemetery. The land to the rear is therefore relatively open and well treed with yew, silver birch and Norway maple. The western tower almost abuts the pavement and is the dominant feature on travelling into the village.

Photograph 8 View into the village along Church Street with the church as the focal point

The setting is provided by a dwarf brick wall with railings above as the pavement rises in level. This accentuates the importance of the church with its elevated foreground above the adjacent road. The front of the church grounds is also relatively open with mature trees adjacent to the junction with Lilbourne Road. The setting is completed by mature trees, historic red brick walls and railings along the rear elevation.

Further south the setting of the church is enhanced by the cottages, village hall and the former Post Office. Forming a group of buildings the hall, built in 1885, is the dominant structure. Of two storeys it has a large and unusual front gable with a decorative bargeboard and a lean to canopy on the ground floor. The building has significant depth and the side elevation is visible on approaching the centre of the village from the east.

Three cottages are attached. These are set well into the site behind cottage style front gardens with picket fencing forming the boundary. The cottages are one and a half storey with eyebrow dormer windows, a tiled roof and tile hanging on the first floor.

The former Post Office is set forward and abuts the road. The side elevation is therefore prominent providing a backdrop to the cottage gardens. The gable on the front elevation is prominent in the street scene and a focal point as Church Street joins Main Street.

Overall, this group introduces an Arts and Crafts element into the village with key features including tile hanging and the prominent chimneys, such as on the Post Office which straddle the ridge.

This area is therefore dominated by the church, the focal point on all approaches. The terracing provides a strong sense of enclosure and the junction leading to Lilbourne Road provides a traditional village scene with church, terracing and cottages in view.

AREA 3: LILBOURNE ROAD/HILLMORTON LANE

This sub area is characterised by a series of large buildings in spacious and well landscaped grounds along the northern side of Lilbourne Road. To the south there is a higher density of development with a mix of styles, dominated by buildings of individual character and terracing.

The approach from Lilbourne is via a countryside setting with grass verges, hedges and trees lining the fields. The series of greens as the village commences, complimented by the wide grass verges, allows for a gradual transition from countryside to village and the character of the countryside punctuates the village.

Along Hillmorton Lane the approach is similar and a further green triangle marks the junction with South Road. The village the eastern side is bordered by fields.

The western side is dominated by a robust outbuilding set behind a grass verge with mature Limes. Of red brick the two storey outbuilding has limited openings on the road side. Fenestration is attractive with curved lintels above metal framed windows. This decorative element contrasts with the more industrial taking in door on the southern elevation. The character is enhanced by the dominant red brick wall linking the outbuilding to the Old Hall.

The walls and outbuilding are read in conjunction with outbuildings closer to the Old Hall. Two and single storey red brick and tile outbuildings dominate on the approach from Lilbourne, these are attached to the house. Comprising three gables the seventeenth century building was formerly four cottages. It is timber framed with brick noggin and a plain tiled roof. The open front garden is read as part of the series of green triangles and grass verges.

Photograph 9 Outbuildings feature prominently on the street scene

This composition of outbuildings running into dwellings continues with The Heath. Formed by a collection of buildings running in line with the highway, and projecting into the site, the collection of buildings has a robust character of red brick and tile. The pedimented carriageway leads into a courtyard. The brick wall along the boundary provides a sense of enclosure and does not allow for a full view of the elevation. The Heath and Old Hall are associated by comprising large grounds to the rear with a backdrop of mature trees, many of which are visible from distance and fill spaces between buildings.

23 Photograph 10 Outbuildings along Hillmorton Lane

Orwell House continues the characteristic of a building of individual character having a dominant impact on the street scene. From the Regency period it comprises two storeys. The building is rendered and comprises classical elements such as the gables, fenestration and string courses and is of a formal appearance. The building is set side onto the highway with the gable being prominent and has a similar appearance and impact, albeit on a reduced scale, to The Elms.

Interspersed with these larger buildings are smaller scale cottages and terraces. To the west of Goodacre Close is a short terrace. Of red brick and plain tile the terrace has a formality in appearance. The set back provides small front gardens and the sash windows and keystone lintels provide a more formal appearance than the terrace further into the village. The second terrace has a more cottage appearance with gently curved lintels and larger windows, which may have incorporated Yorkshire sash. The terrace abuts the road, suggesting a lower position in hierarchy to the more formal terrace. Although many of the facades have been rendered the terrace retains its integrity. This cottage style is similar to the dwellings immediately to the east of the village hall, nos. 2 and 3.

Lilbourne Road is punctuated by a number of cul de sacs accessing modern housing developments. Often modern buildings have been erected and sometimes attached to older buildings at the mouth of the access to provide a greater sense of enclosure. Other than these the modern buildings are generally set well back and have a limited impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. Despite the openings the sense of enclosure remains as a

24 result of the high density of buildings, structures abutting the road and the links provided between buildings by red brick walls.

The common theme running along both sides of Lilbourne Road is the influence of red brick boundary walls. The northern side is dominated by walls abutting the pavement, meandering in and out and of different heights, materials and ages. Attractive brick gate piers with stone copings provide the entrance to the church car park as the wall runs virtually unbroken from the rear of the church to the green triangle.

Photograph 11 The eastern approach into the village

The wall provides a sense of enclosure and is supported by the mass of landscaping. The existing, and former, grounds to Clifton Manor comprise a large number of mature trees, close to the highway and covering large areas to the north. These provide a landscape dominated setting in which a small number of substantial buildings are set.

Clifton Manor is an early eighteenth century building with nineteenth century alterations. Of red brick and tile roof it is two storeys with attics illuminated by dormer windows. The front elevation has a classical theme with symmetry, a formal porch and arched brick lintels. The double plan roof is glimpsed on exiting the village. From the public realm the impact of the grounds is perhaps greater than the building. Although the house is sited in relatively close proximity to the highway the boundary walls and landscaping prevent clear views and only the upper floors are generally visible. The site also accommodates outbuildings, again not easily open to view.

25 Parts of the former grounds were developed in the latter part of the twentieth century. Large blocks of buildings are set in landscaped dominated grounds. The buildings are sited well into the plot and together with the landscaping this results in a minimal impact on the character or appearance of the Conservation Area.

The church concludes the theme of large buildings set in this landscaped environment.

This sub-area can therefore be characterised as two separate elements. Large scale buildings in well landscaped sites, linked by the boundary treatment on the northern side of Lilbourne Road, contrasts with the higher density of development and more mixed character on the southern side. The landscaping corresponds with the countryside setting and leads into the heart of the village.

CONTRIBUTION OF UNLISTED BUILDINGS

A number of the key landmark buildings are not listed. The school in Station Road is red brick with contrasting blue bricks and denotes the commencement of the historic core of the village. The building is large and located close to the highway and has a major impact on the street scene. The Elms is a large three storey building abutting the highway with two storey bay windows on the side and front elevations. Of a smaller scale, the character and appearance of Orwell House in Lilbourne Road is comparable to The Elms. The Bull Public House is a red brick, two storey building abutting the road. It occupies a corner location as Main Street joins Lilbourne Road and Church Street and is a focal point.

A number of less prominent buildings are important in supporting the landmark buildings. These are of different characters but provide good quality architecture and contribute to the overall appearance of the Conservation Area. These include 3, 7 and 9 Main Street.

Terracing is a reoccurring feature within the designation. Although alterations have taken place, and some buildings within the terrace were built at different times, they provide a coherent architectural statement. This results in a strong sense of built form and enclosure. The terracing to the west of The Bull is unusual in being set back from the highway. More characteristic is the terracing on the western side of Church Street and on the southern side of Lilbourne Road. North of the Church Street terracing is a small group of cottages which aid the transition between countryside and settlement.

Outbuildings and buildings which face away from the highway contribute. 2 and 2a, The Heath and to the rear of The Old Hall are important red brick buildings.

A number of red brick boundary walls make a valuable contribution to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. These walls link buildings

26 and provide a strong sense of enclosure. Key walls include adjacent to the pub, Clifton Manor, Sunnyside, the terracing on Main Street, The Old Chapel, The Heath and along the western boundary of Hillmorton Lane to the rear of The Old Hall.

MAP 5 LISTED BUILDINGS AND IMPORTANT UNLISTED BUILDINGS

STREET FURNITURE

Street furniture is an important element in the Conservation Area reinforcing local identity. Pavements bordered by concrete kerbs are found throughout the village and could be replaced with more sympathetic granite kerbstones. Overhead telegraph poles are prominent throughout the Conservation Area and the placing underground of these wires would remove clutter and provide an enhanced street scene. Street lighting is mixed with occasional traditional columns outnumbered by utilitarian street lights which do not benefit the Conservation Area.

Timber benches are provided on some of the green spaces within the village and the brick built bus shelter opposite the school echoes the style of that building. A more modern predominantly glazed bus shelter is located adjacent to the shops in the centre of the village.

A traditional red telephone box is adjacent to the public house and makes a traditional and positive statement in the Conservation Area.

27 Highway signs are relatively low-key and kept to a minimum. However, the church sign to the foreground of the memorial in the church grounds is superfluous and results in a cluttered appearance. Street signage is mixed and should match the older signage.

The setting of the church could also be improved through enhanced surface and boundary treatment. To the edge of the adjacent pavement the railings are rather plain and utilitarian. Railings incorporating subtle but additional decoration would benefit the street scene and setting of the church. The paving slabs abutting the church are also harsh. Enhanced surface materials, landscaping and some boundary treatment would be beneficial.

GREEN AND OPEN SPACES AND TREES

Open and green space is crucial to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The approach into the village from the north, east and south is through countryside. Before buildings commence the area is dominated by grass verges, hedges and trees providing a green entrance into the village and a gradual transition from countryside to settlement.

Important green and open spaces include the churchyard. This is unusually open with limited boundary treatment along Church Street and a dwarf wall along Lilbourne Road. The site is treed and provides a key green space at the centre of the village.

The Pocket Park has been formed on land formerly within the grounds of Clifton Manor. The land is relatively open and provides a large number of attractive and mature trees in a woodland setting. Beech is the dominant tree species.

A key landscape feature is the green islands at the junctions of Main Street and North Road, Lilbourne and Hillmorton Lane and Church Street and North Road. A further green triangle abuts the Conservation Area at the junction between Hillmorton Lane and South Road. They contain mature trees including beech, lime and horse chestnut. The triangles provide a green setting and are key visual features within the street scene. They also serve to reduce the impact of the roads and pavements and are read in conjunction with the many grass verges within and beyond the Conservation Area.

Key open spaces include those that are hardsurfaced but open and used by the public. The foreground to the shops is a wide space at the centre of the Conservation Area. It currently has an unattractive hard-surfaced appearance. Enhanced surface treatment and landscaping could improve the appearance while retaining its function. The car park adjacent to the church is bordered by an attractive brick boundary wall. Although enhanced surface treatment would improve its appearance the land ensures that on street vehicle parking is minimised. Both spaces are important in the public realm.

Trees play an important role in the Conservation Area. Of particular importance to the character and appearance of the designation is the line of limes along the rear boundary of houses fronting onto Station Road and beech trees adjacent to The Elms and to the front of the terraces in Main Street.

The churchyard is a focal feature at the centre of the village and the well planted site includes yew, silver birch, sycamore, Norway maple and beech. These are read in conjunction with the planting in the pocket park and grounds of the adjacent flats. Important trees in the grounds of Clifton Manor include Corsican and Scots pine, beech and ash.

There are many important specimen trees and small groups of trees which contribute to individual sites or the street scene. For example, trees to the rear of The Old Hall contribute to that site but are also visible from other vantage points within the designation. They also allow the landscaped setting of the village to pierce the settlement.

MAP 6 IMPORTANT GREEN AND OPEN SPACES

29 MAP 7 KEY VIEWS AND VISTAS

EXISTENCE OF ANY NEUTRAL AREAS

The environmental quality of the Conservation Area is generally good but there are a number of neutral elements. The slabs surrounding the church do not provide a suitable setting or foreground to the oldest building in the village. The foreground to the shops could also be enhanced through improved surface treatment and a greater degree of landscaping. The shops themselves are of little historic or architectural merit.

One of the characteristics of the Conservation Area is of more modern development between older elements. The 1960s open plan housing on the southern side of Main Street, The Heathlands, Goodacre Close and Everard Close are examples of modern architecture that have a neutral impact.

The wide access to the pub car park has poor surface treatment. The access could be narrowed and resurfaced to reduce the visual impact. Additional landscaping in the pub car park would also benefit the Conservation Area.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall historic character of Clifton upon Dunsmore Conservation Area has been well maintained and most architectural details in the older buildings have been preserved. The designation has a countryside setting with landmark buildings dominating Main Street with terracing on Church Street. On Lilbourne Road large buildings in spacious plots typify the northern side with terracing and brick buildings on the southern side. At the centre of the village the church is the dominant focal point.

The quality of the Conservation Area remains high with the later development generally having an unobtrusive impact. Enhancements could be achieved however with the improvement of surface treatment, reinstatement of original features such as fenestration and original roof materials and a more consistent approach to street furniture clutter.

PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT

General Condition

The Conservation Area is in a generally good condition in terms of building and maintenance of open spaces and landscaping. There are no buildings at risk or any in a serious state of disrepair.

Problems, pressure and capacity to change

Incremental changes to buildings can erode the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. Alterations to roof materials, fenestration and architectural detailing, such as chimneys or lintels, would affect the individual building and have an accumulative impact on the group of buildings and Conservation Area. Of these fenestration is perhaps the most important.

Boundary treatment is a further crucial element to the Conservation Area. Removal of the historically and visually important brick walls along Lilbourne Road or to the terracing on Main Street would significantly affect the character. Further hardstanding of front gardens to facilitate car parking would have a seriously detrimental impact on the Conservation Area, removing the landscaped buffer between the highways and buildings and affecting the setting of buildings.

Future management proposals

The Local Planning Authority has a duty to ensure that proposals for development either preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area. Rugby Borough Council is committed to this duty.

31 In order to ensure that proposals for development can be adequately addressed the submission of detailed plans and elevation will be required with the submission of any planning application within the Conservation Area. This is likely to require the submission of drawings relating to new building within its context and street scene. 1:50 scale drawings of plans and elevations are considered an appropriate scale. For more detailed proposals and for specific elements of a proposed scheme, for example fenestration details, scale drawings of 1:5 or 1:10 may be required. A Design and Access Statement will also be necessary.

Opportunities for enhancement

Although the visual quality of the Conservation Area is high there are areas where improvements could take place:

• underground existing overhead lines; • reintroduce more traditional and less utilitarian street lighting; • introduce more decorative railings adjacent to the church; • provide soft landscaping and enhanced hard surface treatment abutting the church in place of slabs, provide some low level (no more than one metre high) boundary treatment adjacent to the pavement to provide a greater sense of enclosure; • additional landscaping to minimise the impact of the car park and fencing to the side of The Elms; • reduce the width of the access serving the cottages adjacent to the pub, introduce better surface treatment to the access and a greater level of landscaping to the pub car park; • enhance the foreground to the shops with better surface treatment and a greater degree of landscaping to soften the appearance of the wide pavement; • consider the reinstatement of original features such as timber sash windows, timber doors and slate roofs to buildings that have lost the original, using the original as reference; • replace timber fencing to the eastern side of Clifton Manor with a native hedge; • consider replacement traditional shop fronts; • remove any unnecessary street clutter and fix road names to buildings; • provide a pitched roof over the single storey element of The Bakehouse.

APPENDIX 1

Summary of listed buildings in Clifton upon Dunsmore Conservation Area

Shelter Shed, Grade II. Shelter. Early C18. Cob rear wall, upon stone plinth, with later weatherboarding to front. Corrugated iron roof above thatch. One storey 3 bays with C20 one bay extension to left. Double door to centre left is C19 plank, as is further door to right end. Roof is hipped to right.

The Old Hall, Lilbourne Road, Grade II. House, formerly three cottages. C17 with later additions. Timber framed with brick noggin. Plain tiled roof with stacks to ridge. One storey with attic, 4 window range. Door is C17 plank with iron studs within C20 brick and timber porch. C20 lattice casements of 2 and 3 lights to ground storey and in attic; one dormer to left, one in each of the 3 gables. C20 bargeboards to gable. C18 brick barn to left has later stack to ridge and now forms part of the house and garage. C18 and C20 timber-frame and brick extensions to rear.

9 Sunnyside, Main Street, Grade II. House. C16 and C18., brick dated 1778. Cruck and timber framed, one pair of crucks remaining with later brick infill. Thatch roof with brick stacks to ridge and end. One storey plus attic; 3 window range, the bay to the right a C19 abutted extension. Originally a lobby entry plan. Door is C20 panelled. Attic storey has two late C18 swept dormer 3 light casements. 3 windows to ground storey are C20 casements.

Clifton Manor, Lilbourne Road, Grade II. House. Early C18 with C19 alterations. Brick, in Flemish bond with slate roof and brick stacks to ridge. 2 storeys and attic; 5-window range. Door is panelled and part glazed within reed pilaster doorcase with C19 pediment above. Windows are 12 pane horned sashes with moulded architraves and gauged brick lintels above. Brick plinth to ground storey and moulded wood eaves. Two C20 dormers in roof. C19 extension to left of one bay has part glazed doors. C19 extension to right is of one storey with attic; 2 window range. Windows to ground storey are 12 pane sashes.. dormers in roof are 16 pane casements. Left facade is C19. Canted bays on ground and first storey to right has 12 plan sashes with pilaster architraves and dentil cornice. Back facade has C19 extensions, to right an 8 panelled door within a Doric porch. To left of door a canted bay with 12 pane sashes, above a Venetian sash window. Dentil course to all C19 extensions.

2 Chest Tombs, Church of St Mary The Virgin, Church Street, Grade II. 4m south and east of chancel of Church of St Mary The Virgin. 2 chest tombs, dated 1717 and 1754, one is sandstone with plain panels, the other slate with sandstone tope, and has reeded pilasters to corners.

33 St Mary The Virgin Church, Grade II*. Church. C13 with C15 alterations and restored late C19. Coursed sandstone with some re-used tiles inset in chancel walls. Lead roof to nave and aisles, plain tile roof to chancel and porch. Nave with aisles, chancel and west tower. South wall of chancel has two C13 paired lancets with a single C19 lancet to right and round headed door to centre right. Single lancet to north wall east window. East end of roof has coped gable. South aisle of four bays is C13 with two C13 Y-tracery windows, restored C19. Window right is C14 with curvilinear tracery, restored C19. East and west walls of aisle have C13 windows of 3 lights. C13 hollow-chamfered doorway and C19 wood porch. North aisle is of 4 bays with C19 vestry to left. C13 tracery windows to north and east. C13 moulded door to right has pointed arch and hood mould with label stops vestry door to centre left is chamfered. C15 clerestory has four 2-light square headed windows to either side. Aisles are buttressed and roofs to nave and aisles have coped gables. Tower is of 2 stages: the first of C1300 and has restored window to west of intersecting tracery with curved quadruped below a small traceried opening. Small single light to stair projection to south. Second stage is C16 with three 2-light square headed openings, and clock face to south. String course to first and second stage, and battlements to roof. The nave and aisles rest upon a moulded plinth.

APPENDIX 2

Useful Contacts

A copy of this appraisal will be available at the Rugby library, the Rugby Borough Council office and on the Council’s website at www.rugby.gov.uk.

For specific information about the conservation area and conservation issues please contact:

Forward Planning Rugby Borough Council Town Hall Evreux Way Rugby CV21 2RR

Tel: 01788 533735 Email: [email protected]

The Historic Landscape Character Analysis was kindly provided by Warwickshire County Council. For further information relating to archaeology including the Historic Landscape Character Analysis contained in the appraisal contact:

County Archaeologist Warwickshire Museum Field Services The Butts Warwick CV34 4SS Tel: 01926 412276 Fax: 01926 412974

For further information relating to listed buildings and conservation areas contact:

English Heritage The Axis 10 Holliday Street Birmingham B1 1TG

Tel: 0121 6256820 Email: [email protected]

For detailed advice on repairing and restoring Georgian houses, contact:

The Georgian Group 6 Fitzroy Square London W1T 5DX

Tel: 087 1750 2936 Email: [email protected]

For “Care for Victorian Houses” leaflet, contact:

The Victorian Society 1 Priory Gardens Bedford Park London W4 1TT

Tel: 020 8994 1019 Email: [email protected]

For a range of technical advice leaflets, contact:

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) 37 Spital Square London E1 6DY

Tel: 020 7377 1644. Email: [email protected]

APPENDIX 3

Bibliography

Warwickshire Towns and Villages Geoff Allen

A History of Warwickshire

Clifton upon Dunsmore VDS 2004

Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS5)

Rugby Borough Local Plan 2006 Saved Policies

GLOSSARY

Bargeboards: board at the gable of a building covering the ends of the horizontal roof timbers and forming a ‘V’, often pierced and decorated.

Bay window: window of one or more storeys projecting from the face of the window at ground level.

Casement: window hinged at the side.

Corbel: block of brick projecting from a wall.

Dormer window: window standing up vertically from the slope of a roof.

Framed building: where the structure is carried by the framework.

Mullion: vertical member between the lights of a window opening.

Rendering: the process of covering outside walls with a uniform skin to protect from the weather.

36 Transom: horizontal member between the lights of a window opening.

Vernacular: the traditional local construction style.

37 RUGBY BOROUGH COUNCIL

DUNCHURCH CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL

June 2010 CONTENTS

Page

1 Introduction 3 2 Location and context 5 3 General character and form 6 4 Landscape setting 7 5 Historic development 10 6 Archaeology 12 7 Architecture, buildings and features 15 8 Detailed Architectural Assessment 17 Area 1: The historic core 18 Area 2: The Northern Section 26 Area 3: The Heath 27 9 Contribution of unlisted buildings 28 10 Street furniture 29 11 Key views and vistas 30 12 Existence of any neutral areas 31 13 Conclusions 31 14 Preservation and enhancement 32 15 Appendices 34

2 INTRODUCTION

Dunchurch is a large village to the south of Rugby, three miles from the town centre. The Conservation Area occupies the historic core centring on the cross roads and includes the commercial centre, large areas of open space and a modern housing estate to the north. As the history of the settlement is linked to transport the roads play a major role in the designation. There are a number of defining characteristics and architectural styles and the Conservation Area comprises a high quality environment.

Conservation Areas were introduced by the Civic Amenities Act in 1967. A Conservation Area is defined by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Section 69 of the Act places a duty on the Local Authority to review its Conservation Areas, Section 71 requires the Authority to formulate and publish proposals for their preservation and enhancement. Dunchurch is one of 19 Conservation Areas in the Borough.

3 • Any enlargement of a dwelling consisting of an addition or alteration to the roof; • The provision of a building, container, enclosure, swimming or other pool where it would be situated on land between a wall forming a side elevation and the boundary of the dwelling or to the front of the original principle elevation; • The installation, alteration or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe which fronts a highway and forms either the principal elevation or a side elevation of a dwelling; • The installation, alteration or replacement of a microwave antenna on a dwelling, or within the grounds, on a chimney, wall or roof slope facing onto and visible from a highway or on a building greater than 15 metres in height.

All Planning Applications for development which would affect the character of a Conservation Area must be advertised in the local press and site notices posted.

This document is an appraisal of Dunchurch Conservation Area. It is based on guidelines issued by English Heritage, the Government’s advisor on the historic built environment, and has been prepared by Rugby Borough Council. The principal objectives of the appraisal are to:

• define and record the special interest of Dunchurch Conservation Area to ensure there is full understanding of what is worthy of preservation; • increase public awareness of the aims and objectives of Conservation Area designation and stimulate their involvement in the protection of its character and to inform decisions made by Rugby Borough Council, the Parish Council and local residents; • reassess current boundaries to make certain that they accurately reflect what is now perceived to be of special interest and that they are readable on the ground; • assess the action that may be necessary to safeguard this special interest and put forward proposals for their enhancement.

4 for the Historic Environment and its practice guide. These documents provide more detailed information on local and national policy relating to Conservation Areas.

MAP 1 CONSERVATION AREA DESIGNATION

LOCATION AND CONTEXT

Dunchurch lies within an area known as Dunsmore. The landscape is characterised by interplay of low ridges and valleys. The character of Dunsmore is strongly influenced by the underlying geology and physical form of the land. The region lies across the junction between Mercia mudstone and Lower Lias clay and for the most part these beds are masked by deposits of sands, clays and gravels. Only along the clay floored valley of the nearby Leam do the rivers cut to the underlying bedrock. The plateau on which Dunchurch lies was formed by glacial deposits and the village is located on the highest point of the plateau.

The human development of the landscape is clearly related to the underlying physical character. The patterns of the settlement and enclosures exhibit features which are clearly distinctive. Much of the area was cleared and settled relatively early and signs of prehistoric occupation are becoming more obvious from archaeological work. The plateau to the north and west of Dunchurch had reverted to rough grazing land (heath) and waste by late Anglo-Saxon times and appears to have been an area of intercommoning at the period of the parish formation. Parishes extend from the highest point on the plateau and

5 arrangement made it possible for each parish to include a portion of meadowland, arable land and rough pasture. Each parish also had a frontage on a main river. In the early medieval period the needs of livestock were met by grazing on the fallow fields and on waste, supplemented by the provision of hay from alluvial water meadows. Enclosure of fields took place in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and today former heathland around Dunchurch is characterised by straight roads, large geometric fields with closely cropped hawthorn hedges and mature hedgerow Oaks.

In the east and south of Dunchurch the land falls away rapidly to form a plateau fringe area. This area is characterised by intensive farming and large arable fields.

GENERAL CHARACTER AND FORM

Within the designation there are a number of defining characteristics. Around the crossroads historic buildings are clustered in a relatively high density of development. The commercial core centres on this area with dwellings on the outer edges. The northern part has a lower density with large areas of formal and informal open spaces and open plan development from the latter part of the twentieth century.

The Conservation Area broadly falls into three character areas. The historic origins of the village around the cross roads forms the first area. This can be further divided up into a series of distinctive spaces; the eastern square, the southern portion of Vicarage Lane, the western square and Southam Road. This area contains buildings of all ages including timber framed, terracing, Dunchurch Hall, the church and the Almshouses.

Photograph 2 Guy Fowkes House, grander architecture close to the church

The second character area is the northern part of Vicarage Lane, the open plan housing development and the large open spaces. The landscape dominated setting of the housing incorporates the formal open spaces to the west and north and more informal woodland areas on the approach to Dunchurch Lodge.

Photograph 3 Landscaped setting in the northern part of the Conservation Area

The third character area is the smallest and is the pocket of historic development on The Heath. The buildings comprise thatched cottages from the seventeenth century and occupy a relatively isolated position within the Conservation Area.

The land and buildings within the Conservation Area are generally of good visual quality and well maintained. There is however pressure for future development. This includes unsympathetic extensions or alterations to historic buildings, the removal of native planting, the planting of inappropriate species and the erection of alien boundary treatments such as close boarded fencing. Incremental changes to windows and doors, loss of original brick through rendering or the loss of original slate or tile roofs would also erode the character.

LANDSCAPE SETTING, GREEN AND OPEN SPACES AND TREES

Landscaping plays a key role in the Conservation Area. Dunchurch has a countryside location with a rural setting on all approaches. The Conservation

7 Area is set well within the village and the only glimpse of this countryside setting is to the east along Daventry Road.

However, within and adjoining the Conservation Area there are a number of large green open spaces which contribute to the character and appearance of the designation. The northern section of the area comprises a formal playing field. A line of Scots pine runs along the southern boundary of this field. Immediately to the south the character becomes less formal with a woodland area surrounding the access to Dunchurch Lodge. This area is read in conjunction with the walled garden and avenues leading east from the Conservation Area. The northern avenue is composed of holly and lime, the southern avenue comprises Limes. The wood includes spruce, horse chestnut, Norway maple, holly, oak, beech and lime. The access to Dunchurch Lodge on Rugby Road provides a green approach to the wooded area.

A further important open space is to the west of the open plan housing. This large area is bordered by silver birch and limes by the road and contains further mature trees including oak, field maple and willow. The open plan housing occupies a landscaped environment with sycamore, silver birch, elm, copper beech and willow featuring prominently.

Within the historic core the key open spaces are the greens and the square. The western square is a large hard-surfaced open space which is used as a road and car parking. This harms the setting of the adjacent buildings. The village green provides a welcome feature with red oak, sorbus and beech adding to the green character. The green accommodates the village stocks, thatched bus shelter and village notice board.

The eastern area contains two village greens. The first accommodates the statue of Lord John Douglas Scott, the second a silver birch. However, all the greens have a rather cluttered appearance with plant pots, bins, telegraph poles and highway signs.

Although not as prominent due to its siting, the churchyard is also an important open and green space, providing the setting to the building and complimenting the surroundings.

In addition to the trees detailed above parts of the Conservation Area benefit from a well landscaped setting. Limes line the southern approach along Southam Road and the boundary wall around Dunchurch Hall has a series of lime trees on the eastern side. Within and adjacent to the Hall and grounds are beech, holm oak, hornbeam, yew, ash, weeping ash, mulberry and holly trees. A mature horse chestnut tree provides the setting to 2 Rugby Road.

8 Along Vicarage Lane yew trees are prominent in the churchyard and oak, poplar, copper beech, Japonica maple, sycamore and limes feature within the street scene.

Photograph 4 Open and landscaped space

MAP 2 IMPORTANT LANDSCAPING AND OPEN AND GREEN SPACES

9 HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

The name of the village is considered to derive from the old English Dune for a hill and cerce for a church, therefore church on the hill. The village was included in the Marton Hundred in the Domesday Book, as Done Cerce.

Dunchurch was a primary Iron Age settlement set in the ancient network of local roads. There is evidence in surrounding areas of Iron Age activity and there are two important Roman roads in the vicinity, Fosse Way and Watling Street, the A5. By the medieval period Dunchurch would have been an established village with life based around the church and manor. There is a list of Lords of the Manor dating from the Norman Conquest. However, the absence of a manor house suggests that there was an absent landlord.

In the Domesday Book Dunchurch belonged to William of Osbern, a Norman noble. Following a period of the lordship changing between the crown and local nobles it was granted to Sir Francis Leigh, of Stoneleigh Abbey, in 1639. Over the next 200 years it passed through his descendants and through marriage into the Montagu family and then the Buccleuch family. In 1917 the entire village and Dunchurch Estate were put up for sale. A statue of Lord John Scott, an earlier Lord of the manor, was erected in his memory by his grateful tenants.

During the early times villagers would have lived in cottages scattered around the church and the crossroads. The village would have been agriculturally based but with a large amount of passing traffic due to its location.

Dunchurch is situated on a major historic road running along the dry plateau towards Coventry. The village was therefore strategically placed with good communications, within a day of Coventry and with good water resources and access to arable and grazing land.

The village is clearly concentrated along Coventry Road. The earliest plan of 1717 illustrated that Dunchurch was separated by a crossroads and the village was polyfocal. It is possible that the crossroads pre date the village. Properties butted up to two triangular spaces located at the eastern and western extremities.

It is not clear why these spaces evolved. One reason may be that a market developed early on in the villages’ evolution. When this began to interfere with worship the venue may have been moved outside the church grounds and to the busy crossroads. Market crosses were often placed at the centre of a market by the church as compensation for removal from church premises. The remains of a small market cross as a focal point where two roads intersect suggests the two spaces grew around a market. The earliest record of a market was 1608.

10 The church must have had an influence on the growth of the village and appears to have led to a number of high profile buildings being erected around the square. These include the Almshouses, the School House and Guy Fowkes House. The affluent architectural quality of these buildings implies that this area was a more formal and desirable space to occupy.

There is evidence to suggest that the village may have extended further eastwards from the church. To the south east there is the remains of a moat which may have surrounded a manor. The fields adjacent contain earthworks which suggest the area was built up in the medieval period, presumably being abandoned as villages declined in the region in the later fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

The first turnpike road, for which tolls had to be charged to travellers for the maintenance of the road, reached Warwickshire at the beginning of the eighteenth century. The road running from London to Old Stratford was extended as far as Dunchurch in 1706. In 1744 it was connected to Birmingham and eventually led to Holyhead. In 1784 John Palmer introduced the mail carriage along this route. Dunchurch therefore became the posting stage for surrounding villages and towns and until the arrival of the railways after the 1830s the postal address for Rugby was ‘Rugby near Dunchurch’. Given the favourable position of Dunchurch it might have developed into an important town.

However, with the advent of the railways Rugby expanded more significantly. The social history of the village is varied. The Holyhead road was used as a main route from London to Ireland from the time of Henry II in the thirteenth century. The road carried troops, officials, armaments and supplies to Ireland and Dunchurch became a favourite stopping place with hospitality at inns and lodging houses. The coaching era reached its peak in the 1830s with 26 hostelries. The Dun Cow accommodated the London to Shrewsbury coaches; other establishments accommodated private coaches, horsemen and waggoners. This made Dunchurch an important settlement with 40 coaches passing through daily. Records show that there were two mail coaches from London to Holyhead and two Royal Mail coaches from London to Liverpool. In addition all the necessary associated trades were located in the village including The Smithy on Rugby Road and the Old Forge on the square.

Perhaps the most infamous chapter in the history of Dunchurch was its connection to the Gunpowder Plot. The plan was to restore the Catholic religion to England under a Catholic monarch. A plot was hatched to cause an enormous explosion at the Houses of Parliament on the state opening. There were at least 13 known plotters, many from Warwickshire, the most remembered being Guy Fowkes. Part of the plan was to abduct the daughter of James I who was being educated at Coombe Abbey and Dunchurch occupied an advantageous position on the route from London to Coombe Abbey. The Lion Inn, once an old pack

11 horse inn and now Guy Fowkes House, was chosen by the plotters as their meeting place where they would await news of events in London.

Photograph 5 The church and cluster of adjacent buildings

ARCHAEOLOGY

The southern extent of the Conservation Area is entirely within the area recorded as the probable extent of the medieval settlement of Dunchurch based on map and aerial photograph evidence. A medieval moat partially survives as an earthwork to the south-east of the Church. Excavations have recorded its use from the 13th century until well into the post-medieval period.

Part of the Registered Park and Garden of Dunchurch Lodge extends across the northern extent of the Conservation Area. The southern extent of the Conservation Area is centred on the Church and Market Square. The Church of St. Peter is Medieval in origin, and was restored in 1908.

Guy Fawkes House, adjacent to the churchyard, dates to the 16th century building. The Warwickshire conspirators are said to have waited here to receive the results of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605. The Market Cross is a Scheduled Monument in recognition of its national importance. The base is Medieval but a milestone was placed on top in the 19th century. The stocks, also in the Market Place, possibly date to the 18th century, but have been restored.

12 The Dun Cow Inn is built on the site of an earlier 17th century coaching inn. The building is 18th century with 19th century alterations. The Almshouses in Rugby Road were originally built in 1693. The current buildings were built in 1818.

MAP 3A ARCHAEOLOGY RECORDED ON THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT RECORD HER Records MWA4116 Boughton Endowed School MWA4117 Guy Fawkes House, Daventry Road, Dunchurch MWA4122 Forge, Rugby Road, Dunchurch MWA4785 Turnpike Road from Dunchurch towards Crick MWA4113 Almshouses, Rugby Road, Dunchurch MWA7538 Arch Eval at Winton Hall School MWA4119 Moat to SE of Church MWA4114 Market Cross, Dunchurch MWA5544 Milestone and Market Cross, Dunchurch MWA4112 Stocks in Market Place, Dunchurch MWA4133 Site of the Dunchurch Lock-up, School Street MWA4118 Site of Dovecote 80m SE of Church, Dunchurch MWA4115 The Dun Cow Inn, Dunchurch MWA7331 Dunchurch Lodge and Gardens MWA9512 Dunchurch Medieval Settlement MWA10012 ARP Sign MWA4111 Church of St Peter, Dunchurch MWA10356 Dunchurch; Ditches

13 MWA7410 Post-Medieval well at The Dun Cow, Dunchurch

Part of the Registered Park and Garden of Dunchurch Lodge (GD2302) lies to the North-East of the Conservation Area. The Medieval Standing Cross in the centre of the conservation area is a scheduled monument (National Number 30061).

The Historic Core of Dunchurch lies in the southern extent of the Conservation Area, with development in the 20th century to the north.

HLC Records HWA7185 Hotel HWA7376 Historic Settlement Core HWA7453 Post 1955 Detached HWA7462 Post 1955 Detached HWA7455 Post 1955 Detached HWA7463 Historic Settlement Core HWA7477 Public Open Space HWA7608 Sports Field HWA1772 Farm Complex pre 1880s - Historic Farmstead

MAP 3B ARCHAEOLOGY HISTORIC LANDSCAPE CHARACTER

ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING MATERIALS AND FEATURES

Buildings within the Conservation Area vary from the late twelfth century to the current time. The oldest building is the Church of St Peter. This dates from the late twelfth/early thirteenth century although it was largely rebuilt in the fourteenth century. The tower dates from the fifteenth and further additions, including the chancel and vestry, from the nineteenth century. The church was restored in 1908 and comprises sandstone ashlar.

Guy Fowkes House and Forge Cottage date from the sixteenth century and was formerly The Lion Inn. The building is timber framed with a jettied first floor and plastered infil. The Almshouses date from 1693 although they were rebuilt in 1818 and extended in 1946. They comprise Flemish bond buff brick under a slate roof with stone dressings to the elevations.

The expansion of the village during the seventeenth century has resulted in a large number of thatched buildings remaining. The Old Forge, a timber framed building with brick infill is one such example. Others from that century are smaller and on a less grand scale and include 65 to 70, 75 to 78 and 80/81 The Heath. These mostly comprise single storey buildings with attic accommodation. Thatch was still being used, above elevations comprising brick or roughcast into the eighteenth century. Buildings from this period include 26 to 27 and 29 to 32 Southam Road and 44 and 45 School Street. The eighteenth century provided Dunchurch with a more classical form of architecture. The School House dates from 1707 and was formerly a church school. The building incorporates a hipped roof above stone quoins, sash windows and a stone string course. The Dun Cow and buildings fronting the highway to the east are from a similar period and include more formal elevations.

Nineteenth century terracing and buildings feature inn Daventry Road. An Arts and Crafts element is provided by the North and South Lodges leading to Dunchurch Lodge.

There has been infill development in the twentieth century, including the open plan estate to the north, the Springfields development on Daventry Road and the erection of a new lodge on Vicarage Lane.

The Conservation Area also accommodates a number of statues and interesting features. The village stocks possibly date from the eighteenth century, the market cross has a medieval base and steps and an upper part was added in 1813. The statue and war memorial are located on the eastern greens. The bus shelter and village notice board have thatched roofs and a series of attractive gates and screen walls adorn the entrances to Dunchurch Lodge.

Architectural Detailing

Many of the older roofs in Dunchurch are clad in hand-made clay plain tiles at a pitch of more than 45 degrees. Tiles have a rough surface and a pronounced curve in section. These give a rich texture and varied weathering pattern. The slate in Dunchurch has a grey colour and is used on slopes of 30 to 35 degrees. Thatch is the oldest form of roof material and is on roofs with a pitch of 50 degrees. Chimney pots and stacks are integral elements of a historic building design and contribute to the visual appeal of the village.

Doors

Many doors in the village are of the original design and are important features. There is a hierarchy of design with formal or high status properties having panelled doors and workers cottages have simple vertical boarded doors.

Windows

Windows are significant features of the buildings in the village. The arrangement of openings in a wall of a building gives an attractive and well ordered appearance.

The high status buildings have sash windows with small panes. Sash windows are an English invention from the seventeenth century and those in the village date from the eighteenth century. An alternative form of sash windows are on the almshouses with horizontal sliding sashes (Yorkshire sash).

For yeoman cottages or subservient housing windows would mainly have had side hung casements of metal or timber. Metal casements usually had leaded lights such as that over the coach entrance adjacent to 2 The Square.

Windows in the village generally fall within two types which are influenced by the sub-medieval and Renaissance period. The sub-medieval phase was a transition between the earlier period of long horizontal runs of windows of narrow mullioned lights and the later period of tall, balanced sash windows. It lasted in minor domestic work until the mid-nineteenth century. The characteristic window shape in this period was square. Casements close flush within the frame and panes are small.

Shopfronts

In Dunchurch they are a relatively modern addition as the village was not a major historic shopping area. The village therefore does not contain good examples of shopfront development or design. The ones that exist generally date from the

16 1960 to 70s and little architectural style or detailing has been incorporated. Large areas of glass do not provide a good frame.

DETAILED ARCHITECTURAL ASSESSMENT

In order to make the appraisal more accessible the detailed assessment of the architectural and historic character has been divided into three smaller areas (see map below) and comprise:

Area 1: The historic core (Eastern Square, Western Square, Southam Road and Vicarage Lane/Rugby Road. Area 2: Northern Section (upper part of Vicarage Road, Critchley Drive and Waring Way) Area 3: The Heath

The zones are used as a tool to analyse and understand the area rather than to define whole areas as separate entities.

MAP 4 SUB AREAS

17 Area 1 The Historic Core

Eastern Square

The main entrance into the square is formed by the enclosure created by nine important buildings. There is no dominant architectural style however brick walling (sometimes rendered), steep tiled roofs and shallower slate roofs dominate. Number 87 has a more vernacular roof covering of thatch which provides an interesting contrast with other materials. Most buildings possess their original chimneys which break up the scale of the roof plans and give a dynamic and interesting skyline. The predominant use is residential.

Guy Fowkes House is probably the oldest building (early sixteenth century). Its close studding and continuous jetty with tension braces were often used in buildings of high social status. Brick and tile probably did not dominate the village until the eighteenth century except for high status buildings. The side elevation of Guy Fowkes House is of brick with limited openings and provides a robust sense of enclosure along Daventry Road. 87 may have been timber framed and dates from the eighteenth century. This was probably a common type of yeoman house for the village being one and a half storey with cheaper materials used for its construction.

In contrast the school house from 1707 is of an urban or more gentrified style with classical or formal layout. The building comprises Flemish brick bond with stone string course and rusticated quoins to the centre and angles. This building is important in regional terms as it was designed and built by Smith of Warwick. He built many houses in Warwick and other prestigious large country and town houses. The symmetry has been marred by the removal of chimneys and window alterations.

Photograph 6 The School House

18 The almshouses are smaller in scale with a plainer formal style. The front elevation has a balanced layout of entrances and windows comprising Flemish bond using buff brick with a brick dentil cornice. The heavy chimneys accentuate the terraces smaller scale. Local stone has been used for sills and lintels.

Photograph 7 The Almshouses

The properties on the northern side of the road have small front gardens which soften the remaining hard areas and the picket fence to the almshouses gives a sense of a rural character. The gap between the school house and number 87 frames the church tower and accentuate it as a focal point in the skyline. The Perpendicular tower of three stages has a south-east stair turret and moulded string course.

On the south of Daventry Road the properties are built right up to the pavement. Numbers 2, 4, 14 and 16 provide a better sense of enclosure to the space than 6 to 12 which are smaller scale.

The houses on the south side give a terrace effect being in close proximity to each other. Numbers 6 to12 are framed by the more substantial public house to the east and 2 to 4 to the west. Numbers 6 to 12 have undergone a number of changes including rendering, the removal of chimney stacks and alterations to windows and doors. This has disrupted the harmony of the street scene. The public house, Green Man, has changed very little since 1900 apart from window styles on the first floor.

19 Photograph 8 Buildings on the southern side of Daventry Road

Spatial Character

The main road has probably always been aligned in the present position and circulation around the square is likely to have always been informal. The square is not in the true sense a typical square, with no formal layout or enclosure. A small green existed in the space in 1910 with four mature trees. More recently the green space has been reduced and replaced with a hard surface. There are two main focal points within the space; the Scott structure and the war memorial cross. The two grassed areas relieve the expansion of tarmac but each is affected by unco-ordinated street furniture and planting. This clutter detracts from the overall scene. Unobtrusive quality or simplicity in the design of a foreground to dominant buildings can complement and enhance the main attraction of a space. At present informal parking arrangements add to the sense of clutter and exacerbates the visual damage caused to the square.

Western Square

The makeup of this area differs from the first in that the buildings and spaces are generally larger. The building around the square is now predominantly commercial with some residential accommodation on the upper floors. The architectural style is mostly Georgian. Buildings on the north and south side front the pavement giving the observer the opportunity to encounter each building. There is greater compactness on the south side but less architectural continuity. The separation between buildings on the north side accentuates the individualistic style of each building.

20 Photograph 9 The prominent Dun Cow

The north side is dominated by three relatively large buildings i.e. the Dun Cow, the Old Post Office/Deerhurst and 57 to 59 The Green. These were probably associated commercially with traffic using the road to Coventry. Each has a long frontage with large regimental windows dominating the first floor. Only the Dun Cow retains its historic sash windows entirely. The shopfronts are not traditional or unduly well co-ordinated with the buildings overall character. The curved Dutch blinds appear incongruous and assertive against the flatness of the wall and roof planes. The Dun Cow and Deerhurst form visual stops at each end of the northern edge of the road which retains more or less its original character. The Estate House gives an architectural contrasting less imposing scale to the streetscene. The south side of the main road has historically been a public space with more intensive use around the existing car park where the old prison and stocks were once sited.

21 Photograph 10 Buildings on the northern side to the west of the Dun Cow

The buildings step up in height at the entrance to Southam Road. Two modern buildings, the social club and Elmdene, echo classical buildings from the past but are plainer than their contempories. The lack of a roof form affects the overall streetscape where roofs run parallel to and dominate the street scene. The car park and street furniture including signs are poorly set out and of poor quality. The setting of the market cross is severely detracted from by a clutter of highway paraphernalia.

The residential properties on the south and west side of the green vary in style from the medieval, Georgian and Victorian period. Their simple forms are made more interesting by the composition of historic features such as windows, doors and chimneys. The properties varied appearance around the green adds interest to the space by illustrating that the area has made a slow transition over time.

School Street has a terrace of houses as a point of historical and architectural interest. Numbers 37 to 40 comprises two storey red brick cottages under a slate roof with planked timber doors and simple fenestration. A different form of terracing runs further west. Numbers 43 to 46 School Street are single storey and attic with swept dormers under thatched roofs. These buildings are read as a loose group with The Old Halt. Dating from the seventeenth century the building is timber framed with infill under a thatched roof. The building benefits from a front garden setting, an unusual feature in this part of the Conservation Area.

22 Photograph 11 Cottages on School Street

Spatial Character

The Green provides a more tranquil rural-type setting for the surrounding buildings while the mature trees give more interesting glimpses of the village’s architectural form. The trees provide a sense of shelter. The grassed area has been degraded by the intrusion of several small hard surfaces and by uncoordinated street furniture. Some furniture is excessive and competes with other antiquities and feature of the space.

The rustic bus shelter contributes to the rural character of the village and to the interest of the space. The stocks and market cross also contribute to the village’s historic identity.

Southam Road Approach

Commercial activity is concentrated at the northern end of the street. The remainder is given to residential use. There is a greater sense of enclosure in this street than in the other character areas due mainly to the continuous built up frontage over a significant distance. Most buildings are painted white. The west end of the street has a roofscape which is almost constant in height broken in scale by the varying roof materials and chimneys. The street scene is made more attractive by the thatched roofs and eyebrow dormers, rustic porches, old windows and gable dormers. The architecture along this street is relatively

23 denser and smaller in scale than elsewhere in the village. This probably reflects the lower value placed on this highway in relation to the Coventry Road and the importance placed on living close to a highway. Being close to the highway gave security to the rears and maximised the plot within which to grow food or raise animals. This compares with the large properties on the northern side of Coventry Road where the plots are deeper. The southern edge beyond Sandford Way is more varied architecturally. The long wall on the eastern side of the road accentuates the sense of enclosure to the street and the long frontage of the buildings opposite. The trees in front of the wall help to soften the impact of the linearity of the built forms.

Photograph 12 The western side of Southam Road

From Sandford Way southwards the architectural composition of the street is more varied. A number of gables front onto the road and there is an almost continuous built up frontage on the western side with more segregated buildings on the eastern side. The dominant stable block to Dunchurch Hall helps to terminate the long stretch of boundary wall to Southam Road and gives the impression of the Halls previous importance.

The hall itself is an imposing formal classical building of the early eighteenth century commanding a spacious setting. The trees within its grounds contribute to the setting of the Hall and enhance views across the site from Southam Road. The new development also creates an interesting setting to the Hall by creating a main formal landscaped space in front of the hall.

24 Spatial Character

The space here is essentially linear created by predominantly terraced houses and the boundary wall to Dunchurch Hall. The avenue of trees in front of this wall enhances the appearance of the street. On the western side occasional gaps between buildings provides rare views behind to accesses and outbuildings.

Vicarage Lane

Rugby Road has two main historic buildings; the Forge of medieval origin and Phoenix Cottage from the Georgian period. The forge is a focal point along the road due to its dynamic roof form and dominant structural framing. The building comprises a single storey with attic and a two storey element under a thatched roof. Phoenix Cottage comprises brick and thatch, dormers and half swept dormers. The new properties opposite pick up on the scale of traditional features and materials of the historic buildings and compliment the local scene. The mature Chestnut adjacent to the Forge helps to fill in gaps in the skyline and adds variety to the street scene.

Photograph 13 The landscaped and walled setting of Vicarage Road

The Old Dairy, a white washed brick structure under a tile roof, completes the group of buildings and turns Rugby Road into Vicarage Lane. The buildings are complimented by Oak Cottage, a modern building successfully integrating into

25 the historic environment. To the side the tall brick wall provides a sense of enclosure leading to the church. Along Vicarage Road the wall largely masks the buildings behind; these include the Old Vicarage, a large scale building set in grounds.

Vicarage Lane in comparison to other roads in the village has a more tranquil feel, characterised by mature trees and high walls which give a greater sense of enclosure. White Lodge, the old stables and the various walls contribute to the historic make up of this lane. White Lodge comprises a three storey building with a hierarchy of fenestration. The cast iron gates to the front provide an unexpected point of interest along Vicarage Lane.

Area 2: The Northern Section

This sub-area combines a historic element and modern housing. The ornamental gates, screen walls, posts and chains date from 1906 to 1908 and form the principle approach to the Dunchurch Lodge Estate. Wrought iron double gates are flanked by side gates with four openwork iron piers with finials. Square brick piers with stone caps and ball finials provide decoration.

This entrance provides the foreground to the North and South Lodges. The buildings are a pair intended as gardeners cottages and comprise brown brick with stone dressings and hipped Westmoreland slate roofs with prominent coped ridge stack. The ground floor windows have stone surrounds and mullions, the first floor windows are wooden through eaves hipped dormers.

The drive leading towards the second Lodge (with a new lodge under construction) is tree lined. Grass verges and the trees provide a rural setting and a strong sense of enclosure. To the north of the drive the woodland continues until the more formal open space of the playing fields. Beyond avenues of trees glimpses of other elements of the estate, including the walled garden, are possible. These provide visual evidence of the scale and affluence of the estate.

The landscape dominated environment continues to the south with the open plan housing development. The suburban character of detached dwellings, with large front gardens, drives and prominent garages has retained much of its integrity. Alterations have taken place including minor extensions. However, more harmful are the changes to front gardens such as extensive hardstanding. While the estate retains its character it is very much of its time and does not make an unduly positive contribution to the Conservation Area.

26 Photograph 14 Open plan development

Area 3: The Heath

The Heath comprises a small group of cottages occupying a relatively isolated position. Later infill development separates the area from the historic core of the village and the collection of buildings is something of a surprise. The group of cottages result in a self contained area set in a landscaped environment.

The cottages date from possibly the seventeenth century and comprise elevations of plastered puddle clay, whitewashed brick and some timber framing. The buildings are one storey plus attic other than number 70 which has a first floor element. All are under thatched roofs with the skyline punctuated by brick chimney stacks.

Although gables feature prominently on Rugby Road the hedges mask the majority of elevations resulting in a secluded environment.

27 Photograph 15 Thatched cottages on The Heath

CONTRIBUTION OF UNLISTED BUILDINGS

Such is the collective quality of the prevailing architectural form that a large number of buildings falling within the designation are important unlisted buildings. The majority of the terracing along the western side of Southam Road provide a sense of enclosure and are read as a group leading into the central core of the Conservation Area. The red brick terracing fronting onto the western green form an attractive group and the unlisted buildings to the west of the green compliment the adjacent listed structures.

The buildings to the north of The Green make a positive contribution maintaining the street scene through the siting of the buildings abutting the highway. To the east of the crossroads the terracing on the southern side leading to the centre again maintain the street scene and provide a successful approach. At the entrance to Vicarage Lane The Old Dairy and The Old Vicarage form a group with the adjacent listed buildings.

Modern buildings also make a positive contribution to the Conservation Area. These include the new cottage adjacent to the church and the Springfields development on Daventry Road.

28 MAP 5 LISTED BUILDINGS AND IMPORTANT UNLISTED BUILDINGS

STREET FURNITURE

Street furniture is an important element in the Conservation Area reinforcing local identity. Dunchurch benefits from features that make a positive contribution and form a sense of place. The village stocks are set on the village green. Adjacent the bus shelter with its thatched roof is read in conjunction with the thatched village notice board. The K6 telephone kiosk was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and occupies a prominent location on the green. The Market Cross is important in understanding the history of the settlement and is sited on the western square.

On the eastern green the statue of Lord John Douglas Scott and the War Memorial provide attractive features.

Other individual pieces of street furniture such as seats, planters, signs, lighting etc. may have a useful purpose, however when viewed with other objects they can give an overall impression of clutter which can blur the individuality of the area. All items must be assessed in their entirety. Those surplus to requirements should be removed. New furniture should have a visual quality which reinforces the sense of place and should be co-ordinated and form part of a composed scene. Clutter around the Scott statue should be reduced to emphasise the statue.

29 A sense of co-ordination and identity can be achieved by painting street furniture one colour. Each item can then appear as other pieces of furniture to give a tidy foreground to buildings. Where possible street name signs should be fixed to buildings using case metal patterns i.e. with embossed lettering of traditional style to match historic precedents found in the village. Where this is not possible the sign could be fixed to a timber post set into the pavement. Such posts should be set against a building and not in open space to reduce the impact.

Traffic signs are dominant and should be as small and as few as possible. Redundant signs should be removed. New signs should be visible but not over assertive, they should take into account quality of the foreground to buildings or background to spaces and content. Clutter should be avoided.

Where possible traditional lanterns and brackets should be directly fixed onto buildings. Where columns are essential its position in relation to other surrounding features should be considered.

MAP 6 KEY VIEWS AND VISTAS

EXISTENCE OF ANY NEUTRAL AREAS

The environmental quality of the Conservation Area is generally good but there are a number of neutral elements. Street furniture, including telegraph poles, highway signs and clutter on the village greens, detract from the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The siting underground of the wires and replacement street lighting with more sympathetic illumination, such as small lights fixed to buildings, would benefit the area. A rationalising of street furniture would allow the village greens to have a more structural appearance.

Shopfronts and shop signs are mixed in character. A more minimalist and traditional approach would result in a more consistent and positive visual impact. Shop canopies add to this neutral visual affect.

The area of hardstanding on the western square is used for car parking. This results in a cluttered appearance and detracts from the setting of the attractive buildings that front onto the square. Alternative car parking should be considered and a hard and soft landscaping scheme implemented.

A number of buildings on the western square date from the last century. Some of these lack the quality of the earlier buildings, though many maintain the street scene through their siting, and have a neutral impact.

Along Vicarage Lane a number of later twentieth century developments have a neutral impact. However, the retention of the brick boundary walls minimise the effect on the street scene and retain the sense of enclosure.

The leisure building and the formal playing field, whilst providing a generally undeveloped setting to the Conservation Area, represent a neutral impact.

The open plan housing estate comprising Waring Way and Critchley Drive have retained the integrity of a low density development from the latter part of the twentieth century. However, although an example of an estate from that period, the area has a neutral impact on the designation.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall historic character of Dunchurch Conservation Area has been well maintained and most architectural details in the older buildings have been preserved. The settlement character can be divided into three sections, the historic core, the open plan development in the northern part and The Heath. The historic core centres on the crossroads with further sub areas formed by the eastern and western squares and the approaches from Daventry Road and Southam Road. The Conservation Area accommodates a variety of buildings including timber framed, thatch, classical and terracing. Landscaping plays an

31 important role and the centre of the settlement is partly defined by the commercial activity in the historic environment.

The overall quality of the Conservation Area remains high with the traditional buildings prevailing. Changes have taken place to buildings but the designation retains its integrity. Enhancements could be achieved however with the reduction in the impact of the larger expanses of tarmac and car parking and the reinstatement of missing original features or materials.

PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT

General Condition

Problems, pressure and capacity to change

Incremental changes to buildings can erode the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. Alterations to roof materials, fenestration and architectural detailing such as chimneys, porches or lintels, would affect the individual building and have an accumulative impact on the group of buildings and Conservation Area. Of these fenestration is perhaps the most important; such is the visual role it plays. The retention of original windows, or replacement using the original as reference, is key to maintaining the character of the buildings.

Boundary treatment is a further crucial element to the Conservation Area. Removal of the historically and visually important brick walls would significantly affect the character. The loss of the mature trees would weaken the appearance of the area.

Future management proposals

The Local Planning Authority has a duty to ensure that proposals for development either preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. Rugby Borough Council is committed to this duty.

In order to ensure that proposals for development can be adequately addressed the submission of detailed plans and elevations will be required with the submission of any planning application within the Conservation Area. This is likely to require the submission of drawings relating to new building within its context and street scene. 1:50 scale drawings of plans and elevations are considered an appropriate scale. For more detailed proposals and for specific elements of a proposed scheme, for example fenestration details, scale drawings

32 of 1:5 or 1:10 may be required. A Design and Access Statement will also be necessary.

Opportunities for enhancement

Although the visual quality of the Conservation Area is high there are areas where improvements could take place: • replace uPVC/non original timber fenestration with timber using the original windows as reference; • replace concrete roof tiles with slate, thatch or tile using the original as reference; • relocate the car parking from the western square to a less conspicuous location and redefine the central space as a landscaped area; • place overhead wires underground; • use consistent approach to street lighting, i.e. lamps on buildings, traditional lampposts that reflect the age and rural location of the village; • use consistent approach to street signs in a style to reflect the rural location, i.e. traditional metal signs on buildings; • rationalise street furniture on the greens; • replace any non native trees with native species; • replace shop fronts with more traditional shopfronts, use simple and uncluttered shop signs to reflect the rural character of the Conservation Area; • remove canopies from shops and restaurants; • establish a management plan for the woodland adjacent to Dunchurch Lodge.

33 APPENDIX 1

Summary of listed buildings in Dunchurch Conservation Area

Statue of Lord John Douglass Scott, Grade II, 1867. By J Durham in limestone. The statue is approx. 2 metres high. Pedestal with moulded plinth and cornice approx 2 metres high. Erected by his tenantry. Included for group value.

4 & 4A Daventry Road, Grade II. House, now shop and dwelling. Dated 1743. Colourwashed roughtcast brick. C20 tile roof, brick ridge and right end stacks. 4 unit plan, with probably later wings to rear. 2 storeys and attic, 4 window range. 2 bay C20 shop front on right has 2 canted bays and glazed door, all with glazing bars, under continuous canopy. String course band raised in centre, possibly over former doorway. Painted datestones below it has initials BBR. 3 light casements with glazing bars throughout, all but fourth bay have segmental arches. Four C20 box roof dormers.

7 The Square, Guy Fowkes House & Forge Cottage, Grade II. Shown on Ordnance Survey map as Guy Fowkes House. 2 houses, formerly the Lion Inn. C16, and C20 alterations and additions. Timber framed, close studding with jettied first floor and tension braces and plastered infill. Small areas replaced with plaster. Tight return side and rear range to Daventry Road of brick. Old tile roofs, old internal brick stack. 4 unit plan through passage with cross wing on right, extended to L plan to rear. 2 storeys and attic, 5 window range. Irregular front. Forge Cottage on left has late C20 glazed door and flanking window. Plank door to passage to rear. Guy Fowkes House on right has plank door. C19 and C20 two and 3 light casements with glazing bars throughout. Rendered gable has small 2 light casement. Right return side is a one window range. 3 light casements with brick segmental arch to ground floor. Long lower windowless range to right. The Warwickshire conspirators are said to have waited in The Lion Inn to bear the results of the Gunpowder Plot.

87 The Square, Grade II. Cottage, probably formerly two. C18 with mid C20 alterations, left part possibly C19. Flemish stretcher bond brick. Thatched roof, brick ridge and left end stacks. 2 unit, extended to 3 unit plan. One storey and attic, two window range. C20 ribbed door on left has hood with iron brackets. 2 light casement. To right 2 large C20 four light canted bays have leaded lights and flat roofs. Casements, of 2 lights with segmental arch to left, and 3 and 2 lights to swept dormers, have glazing bars.

War Memorial, The Square, Grade II. C1919. Sandstone, Perpendicular style, octagonal with 4 stops, blind tracery, panelled pedestal with inscription, tapering shaft with moulded base and leaf capital, and ornamental cross.

1-6 The Almshouses, The Square, Grade II. Founded 1693 under the will of Thomas Newcombe. Rebuilt 1816, partly at the expense of the Duchess of

34 Buccleuch and Queensberry. Porches added mid/late C19. Flemish bond buff brick with brick dentil cornice. Slate roof, brick ridge and end stacks. Each is one unit plan. 2 storeys, 6 window range. Angles and projecting gabled centre have pilaster strips. Centre has paired doors. Large sunk stone panel above has moulded cornice and long inscription recording the history of the building. Nos. 1 and 2 and 5 and 6 have paired open fronted porches of red brick with some blue brick and tile roofs. Chamfered Tudor arches. Mid C20 plank doors throughout. All openings have stone flat arches with keystones. Newcombe was printer to Charles II, James II and William III. His monument is in the church.

The School House, The Square, Grade II. House, now 2, formerly a church school. 1707. Considerably altered C19 and C20. Designed and built by Smith of Warwick at the expense of Francis Boughton. Flemish stretcher bond brick with stone string course and rusticated quoins to centre and angles. Tile hipped roof, brick ridge stacks. U plan with wings to rear. 2 storeys and attic. Originally 2:3:2 bays, now 4 window range. Shallow projecting centre has entrance to The School House in third bay. Fielded 6 panelled door and overlight in moulded wood surround. Ground floor of centre and right part has altered brickwork and a 16 pane sash with moulded frame and gauged brick arches inserted between 2 bays. First floor has most openings bricked up. Centre has central sash, with remains of a stone panel and volutes below. Right part has sash to right. Gauged brick flat arches with keystones. Left part forms to Ye Olde School. Entrance in small one bay addition has C20 ribbed Tudor arched door and overlight, mostly blocked. 16 pane sash inserted between first 2 bays on ground floor. Third and fourth bays on first floor have sashes. To rear gabled wings have C19/C20 range between. 2 chest tombs, 3 m west of tower, Church of St Peter, Grade II. Late C18. Sandstone, each has moulded plinth and top and square corner balusters. That to the north has 2 fielded panels to each side. The other is dated 1779. One large and 2 small shallow fielded panels to each sidfe. Inscription to William Burke.

5 chest tombs, 3.5 m south of vestry, Church of St Peter, Grade II. Early C19. Moulded sandstone, all have moulded plinth and top. Left, 1821 etc. Sides have 2 fielded shaped panels. Ogee stop chamfered corners. Inscriptions to William Sutton. Right, 1831 etc. Shallow pitched top. Slate panels with carved arrow head ornament to each corner. Inscriptions to Sarah Bower etc. Inscribed Alcott, Rugby at base. Tomb approximately 5 m south. 1835. Running foliage band to top and bottom and square corner balusters with leaf scroll panels. Sides divided into 2 by square moulded fielded panel. Moulded top. Inscription to Thomas Sutton. Fourth and fifth tombs have 2 shallow fielder panels and gadrooned corners. The fourth has inscription to the Mason family.

Chest tomb, Grade II, Church of St Peter. 1737. Moulded sandstone. Splayed top and base. Plain sides. Inscriptions to Davies family.

35 Church of St Peter, Grade II*. Late C12/early C13 origins, largely rebuilt C14,. Tower early C15. Mid C19 chancel north aisle, mid/late C19 vestry vestry has some old work. Restored 1908. Sandstone ashlar. Chancel has C12.C13 south wall of limestone rubble with sandstone plinth and cornice. Tile roofs have coped gable parapets with kneelers, some with weatherings. Aisled nave, chancel and north aisle, west tower and south vestry. Decorated and Perpendicular styles. 2 bay chancel, 3 bay nave. Splayed plinths. Diagonal and other buttresses of 2 offsets throughout. Moulded cornice. Windows, mainly renewed, have hood moulds. Chancel has moulded plinth. Limestone 3 light east window with curvilinear tracery. South window has Y tracery with inner trefoiled lancets. Small chamfered low side window. Chancel aisle has 3 light east window with reticulated tracery. North side has large gabled buttress. Door in roll moulded segmental pointed arch. Gothic wall monument above has inscriptions to William Smith, 1810, and Ann Smith 1827. Small chamfered straight headed north east light. 2 windows have Y tracery similar to chancel. North aisle has 3 buttresses. North west doorway, said to be early C14 of 3 moulded orders with hood mould continued across wall. Mid C19 ribbed door. Two 2 light windows have curvilinear tracery with central mullion. West window has cusped Y tracery. South aisle has 2 south 2 light windows with curvilinear tracery. South west buttress continued up into C19 octagonal stack with cornice. West end has small plank door in angle. Small quatrefoil window high up. Wall monument of 2 slate panels with sandstone cornice, urn, volutes etc. has inscriptions of Mary Johnson 1828 etc. vestry has south gable with gablet kneelers. 2 light window with reticulated tracery. West door. Perpendicular tower of 3 stages has south east stair turret and moulded string courses. Double leaf west door in elaborate but eroded doorway of 3 orders with inner moulded order, multi cusped arch and outer arch with alternating trefoil and trefoiled lancet panelling. Deep set 3 light window above has splayed sill and remains of panelling to jambs. Hood mould continued as string course. Second stage has remains of small ogee canopy. 2 small ogee lancets under straight head with hood mould flank clock face. Third stage has remains of carvings to buttresses. Deep set renewed paired 2 light bell openings have blind tracery below and continuous hood mould. One opening only to north. Frieze of quatrefoils. Moulded embattled parapet has octagonal south east stair turret rising above.

29-32 Southam Road, Grade II. Row of 4 cottages, C18. No. 29 has front raised early/mid C19. Whitewashed brick, no. 32 has colourwashed roughcast. Thatched roof, C19 brick ridge and right end stacks. No. 29 on left has timber framed end wall of large framing with whitewashed brick infill. C20 tile roof. Each originally one unit plan. One storey and attic, no. 29 is 2 storey 4 window range. No.29 has C19 4 panelled door on right. 3 light casement to left and 2 light casement above have glazing bars. No. 30 has late C20 door and thatched trellis porch. C20 bow windows. No. 31 has C20 glazed door and thatched rustic porch. Four pane window to left and 3 light casement with horizontal glazing bars to right have shutters. No. 32 has late C20 door and bow window.

36 Most ground floor openings have brick segmental arches. 3 swept dormers have 2 light casements. Included for group value.

26 & 27 Southam Road, Grade II. 2 cottages, mid/late C18 with C20 alterations. Whitewashed brick. Thatched roof, brick left end and ridge stacks. No. 26 on left is one unit plan, no. 27 is two unit plan. One storey and attic. No. 26 is one window range. Plank door and thatched rustic porch. C20 four light casement in enlarged opening with painted wood lintel and old wood and iron 2 light casement with horizontal glazing bar. No. 27 is a 2 light range. Later C20 thatched porch has double leaf plank doors. 2 light late C20 casements with glazing bars to left and right have brick segmental arches. Eyebrow dormer and truncated swept dormer of right have 2 light casements with cross glazing.

44 & 45 School Street, Grade II. 2 cottages, part of row. Mid/late C18. Flemish stretcher bond brick. Thatched roof, brick ridge and right end stacks. Jasmine Cottage on left is 2 unit plan. Both are one storey and attic with swept dormers. One window range. Central plank door. C20 thatched open porch. C20 leaded 3 light casements, on left with brick cambered arch. Dormer has old part leaded 3 light casement. Plum Tree Cottage is 3 unit plan. 3 window range. C20 part glazed door between first and second bays has brick segmental arch. Old 3 light casements to left and to thatched canted bay to right to right have horizontal glazing bars. C20 three light window to right. Rendered dormers have old wood and iron 2 light casements with glazing bars.

South Lodge, at Dunchurch Lodge Estate, Rugby Road, Grade II. Lodge to country house. One of a pair intended as gardeners cottages. 1908-09, by Gilbert Fraser of Liverpool for John Lancaster. Mid and late C20 alterations and additions. Thin brown brick with stone dressings and hipped Westmoreland slate roofs with a prominent coped ridge stack. Ground floor windows have stone surrounds and mullions, first floor windows are wooden through eaves hipped dormers. All are casements with their original leaded glazing. 2 storeys, 1 x 3 bays. Single bay front has to right a plan doorway with a shouldered half round stone hood. To left, a 3 light window and above, a 3 light dormer. Right return has 2 single light windows and a 4 light dormer above. To right, a slightly projecting bay, extended mid C20, with 2 3 light windows and above, a 4 light dormer. Rear has late C20 patio window, and above a 4 light dormer. Left return has attached single storey outbuildings with yard.

North Lodge, at Dunchurch Lodge Estate, Rugby Road, Grade II. Lodge to country house. One of a pair intended as gardeners cottages. 1908-09, by Gilbert Fraser of Liverpool for John Lancaster. Mid to late C20 alterations and additions. Thin brown brick with stone dressings and hipped Westmoreland slate roofs with a prominent coped ridge stack. Ground floor windows have stone surrounds and mullions, first floor windows are wooden through eaves hipped dormers. All are casements with their original leaded glazing. 2 storeys, 1 x 3 bays. Single bay front has to left a plan doorway with a shouldered half round

37 stone hood. To right, a 3 light window and above, a 3 light dormer. Left return has 2 single light windows and a 4 light dormer above. To left, a slightly projecting bay, extended mid C20, with 2 3 light windows and above, a 4 light dormer. Rear has late C20 patio window, and above a 4 light dormer. Right return has attached single storey outbuildings with yard. An important part of the important Edwardian design at Dunchurch Lodge.

Gateway and screen walls at Inner Lodge at Dunchurch Lodge, Rugby Road, Grade II. Gateway to Dunchurch Lodge Estate. 1906-09, by Gilbert Fraser of Liverpool for John Lancaster. Wrought iron and ashlar. Double gates with elliptical heads and overthrow with cartouche. Square ashlar piers with plinths, festoons and moulded caps, topped with urn finials. Concave curved flanking walls approx 1.5m high, with moulded coping and square terminal piers and moulded caps. Part of the important garden ensemble at Dunchurch Lodge. An important part of the important Edwardian design at Dunchurch Lodge.

Victorian gateway approx 30m north of Inner Lodge at Dunchurch Lodge Estate, Church Lane, Grade II.

Gates, Screen Walls, Posts and Chains at Dunchurch Lodge Estate, Rugby Road, Grade II. 1906-08, by Gilbert Fraser of Liverpool for John Lancaster, forming the principal entrance to the Dunchurch Lodge Estate. Wrought iron double gates flanked by side gates with 4 openwork iron piers with finials. Square brick piers with stone caps and ball finials. Concave curved screen walls and short return walls with stone coping, approx. 50m long. Wooden posts approx 1m high linked by chains and enclosing elliptical lawns. Included as part of the important group of buildings and registered landscape of Dunchurch Lodge.

6 & 8 Rugby Road, Grade II. 2 cottages, no. 8 on right C18, no. 6 on left probably early C19, Flemish bond brick, no. 8 has thatched roof, C9 brick ridge and right end stacks. 3 unit plan. One storey and attic, 3 window range. C30 ribbed door between second and third bays. 3 light casements with glazing bars. Ground floor openings have brick segmental arches. Swept half dormers. No. 6 has brick dentil cornice. Old tile roof, C20 brick internal stack. 2 unit plan. One storey and attic, 2 window range. Entrance to rear. Four C20 2 light casements have glazing bars and wooden painted lintels. Two C19 2 light dormers.

2 Rugby Road, The Old Forge, Grade II. Cottage incorporating former forge. C17 with later alterations. Timber framed, square framing with brick infill of varying dates. Thatched roof, brick right end stack and ridge stack to wing. One storey range at right angles on right is probably C18/C19. Some framing, but mostly brick. Tile roof. L plan, with wing on right to rear, fronting road. One storey and attic, 2 window range. Entrance in one storey range has ribbed door. 2 small arched lights. Main range has 3 light leaded casement with painted wood lintel and plank shutters on right. C19 two light casements paired on left, with

38 glazing bars throughout. Swept dormers. Small cross glazed window between floors. Left return side to road has lower wing on left. 2 window range.

69-70, The Heath, Grade II. 2 cottages, possibly C17 origins. Late C18/early C19 alterations and taller range of no. 69. No. 70 has mid/late C20 additions and alterations. Whitewashed brick. No. 70 has roughcast to rear of road. Thatched roofs, brick ridge and right end stacks. 2 unit extended to 3 unit plan. One storey and attic and 2 storey right range, 3 window range. Main front to garden. No. 70 on left has entrance in left return side of large single storey addition. 2 light casements to ground floor and dormer. No. 69 has single storey projection with slate roof on right. 2 windows with glazing bars. Left return side has plank door. Ground floor has 2 light C20 casement on left, 3 light casement with glazing bars and 2 light casement with cross glazing, all under a single blackened wood lintel. Eyebrow dormer has 2 light part leaded casement. Small one light swept dormer on right. One window range to road. No. 69 has 2 light casements, with brick segmental arch to ground floor. No. 70 has small windows. Glazing bars throughout. Included for group value.

65, 66/67 & 68 The Heath, Grade II. Row of 3 cottages, formerly four. C17 with later additions. Plastered puddle clay, return sides and left corner rebuilt in brick, roughcast to right. Whitewashed, thatched roof, brick ridge and left end stacks. Each cottage originally 2 unit plan. One storey and attic, 4 window range with swept dormers throughout. Front to garden. No. 68 of left has part glazed plank door. C20 open fronted porch and small projection casements throughout. Glazing bars. Clare Cottage has central mid/late C20 thatched half glazed porch with double leaf doors and plank door inside. 3 light casements have differing horizontal glazing bars. First floor has old leaded lights to left, C20 window to right. No. 65 has C20 door on right. Leaded mid C20 metal 3 light casements. To rear 6 window range with deep set windows, mostly C20. No. 68 has single and 2 light leaded casements.

80/81 The Heath, Grade II. Cottage, formerly two, C17, right part rebuilt or added C18. Plastered possibly over puddled clay with some timber framing. Right part of white washed brick. Thatched roof, C20 brick left end, old brick ridge and rendered right end stacks. 4 unit plan. One storey and attic, 3 window range. C19/C20 timber framed porch on right has slate roof. Plank door and side light. 3 light casements on right has horizontal glazing bars. Ground floor to left has 5 windows, mostly C20 2 light casements. Second bay has C19 segmental arched cast iron window with glazing bars, third bay has large leaded casements. Swept dormers have 2 light casements, with horizontal glazing bars on left, cross glazing to centre and glazing bars on right. C19 lean to across right return side.

77 & 78 The Heath, Grade II. 2 cottages. C17, partly rebuilt and no. 78 extended C18, early C19. Plastered puddled clay, front wall and part of left return side of brick, addition of stone. Whitewashed. Thatched roof, brick ridge

39 and end stacks. Each originally one unit plan. No. 78 extended to 2 unit. One storey and attic, 2 window range. No. 78 has brick porch with slate roof in right corner. Late C20 glazed door to left return side and casement to front. Old plank door to left has trellis porch. Entrance to no. 77 to rear. 3 light casement on left and 2 light on right have brick segmental arches and glazing bars. Fire window. Swept dormers have 2 light casements, leaded to left and with cross glazing on right. Left return side has C19 lean to. To rear no. 77 has old plank door and C20 trellis porch on right. Ground floor has three 2 light casements with glazing bars. Each cottage has 2 light eyebrow dormer with horizontal glazing bar to left and leaded to right.

75 & 76 The Heath, Grade II. 2 cottages, C16/C17. Partly rebuilt and altered C18/earlyC19. Plastered, possibly over puddled clay with some timber framing. Centre of front wall and return sides rebuilt in brick. Whitewashed. Thatched roof, C19/C20 brick ridge and right corner stacks. No. 75 on left originally one unit plan, no. 76 is 2 unit plan. One storey and attic, one window range. No. 75 has old painted plank door in simple wood frame with painted rendered keyblock. 2 light C20 casement to left. The late C20 single storey addition to the left is not of special architectural interest. No. 76 has C20 part glazed door under brick segmental arch. 2 light casement to left and 3 light casement to right have glazing bars. Swept dormer has 2 light leaded casement. Return side has casements. K6 Telephone Kiosk, Grade II. Designed 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Made by various contractors. Cast iron. Square kiosk with domed roof. Unperforated crowns to top panels and margin glazing to windows and door.

Bus Shelter/War Memorial, Grade II. A detached timber shelter, dating from 1949, erected as a memorial to the men of the village who fell in World War Two. It was built b local craftsmen to a design by Mr Castle or the Warwickshire Rural Community Council. The shelter is built from local ash and elm timbers, with a thatched roof of native fir thatched with reed. The shelter is a simple rectangular plan. The structure consists of upright rustic ash poles, clad to eaves height to the rear of the shelter with wide, waney edged elm boards, which rise to half height on the front and to the sides of the shelter. The thatched roof is hipped and has a decorative ridge.

The Old Halt, The Green, Grade II. Cottage, C17 with C18/C19 rebuilding, alterations and additions. Timber framed with infill, rebuilding and additions of brick, whitewashed to front. Thatched roof, brick ridge, right end and left external stacks. 3 unit plan, extended to irregular T plan with ranges to rear and at angle to right. One storey and attic, one window range. Front has some exposed framing. Large central late C20 half glazed porch has 6 panelled door to left return side. Glazed door and casement inside. Casements, of 3 lights to left and 2 lights to right have differing glazing bars. Central swept dormer has 2 light window with cross glazing. Low single storey range on right has 2 light casement. Further C19 range, probably originally separate, of whitewashed brick

40 with tile roof. Window with glazing bars and 2 panelled door have brick segmental arches. Left return side of main range has massive chimney breast.

Dunchurch Post Office & Stores, The Green, Grade II. House, post office and shop. Mid/late C18 with later alterations and additions. Flemish brick bond with string course, right half rendered. Old tile roof, brick left end and ridge stacks. 4 unit baffle entry plan extended to L plan, with wing on left to rear, fronting Coventry Road. 2 storeys, 4 window range. Central fielded 6 panelled door has early/mid C19 moulded wood surround with corner roundels and shallow hood. Mid/late C20 shop windows and glazed door to right. 3 light wood casements with glazing bars throughout. Ground floor to left has C20 casements in slightly widened openings with brick segmental arches. Irregular return side to road.

Market Cross, Grade II. Base and steps medieval, upper part added 1813 as a milestone. Restored 1953. Sandstone ashlar. Octagonal. 4 steps. Obelisk without top. Central square section is inscribed To London 79 Miles, To Holyhead 178 Miles.

Old Post Office, Former Stables and Coach House, Grade II. The Old Post Office, Madame Louise Hairdressers, Deerhurst and attached former stables and coach house. 2 houses, shop and attached former stables and coach house, probably formerly an inn. Mid/late C18 with C19 and C20 alterations. The Old Post Office on left includes one bay of a mid/late C19 range. Flemish bond brick with brickstring course band. Plain wood cornice. Old tile roofs, brick end stacks. T plan with wing to rear. 2 storeys and attic, 6 window range. Second bay has carriage arch with painted wood lintel. The Old Post Office to left and above has entrance to rear. Fixed light window with glazing bars. C19 range to left has dog tooth cornice. 3 light casements with glazing bars. Third and fourth bays have late C19 shop front with half glazed door and overlight, window with glazing bars, fluted wood pilasters, fascia board and moulded cornice. Fifth and sixth bays, part Deerhurst, have tripartite 4 pane sash. Ground floor windows have brick flat arches with keystones. First floor has late C20 top hung windows with glazing bars of 2 different designs, in original moulded frames with brick cambered arches. Central roof dormer has 2 light casement with glazing bars.

Tudor House, Grade II. House, now shop and dwelling. Mid/late C18. Roughcast brick with dentil cornice. Late C20 tile roof, hipped to left, brick ridge stacks, L plan with wing on right to rear forming frontage to The Square. 2 storeys and attic, 5 window range. Entrance in third bay has C20 double leaf glazed doors with fielded 6 panelled door behind in wood doorcase with pilaster strips and hood. Casements with glazing bars throughout. Shop window, possibly old, on left has many glazing bars. 3 light casement. First floor has 2- ,3- and 2 light windows. 2 storey canted bay on right has sashes and dentil cornice. Cart arch on far right has small amount of timber framing with brick infill to rear. Dormer with 2 light headed casement. Separate slightly higher roof. Front to The Square is a 2 window range. ‘Mops’ and ‘Man Alive’ on left has

41 large late C20 bay shop front with glazing bars. Canopy is continued across central part glazed double leaf 6 panelled door in plain wood surround. ‘Tudor Tots’ on right has C20 three light casement. First floor has 3 light casements. Single 2 light gabled roof dormer to each front has horizontal glazing bars.

The Cottage & Courtyard Wines, The Dun Cow Hotel, Grade II. Hotel, house, and shop, formerly a coaching inn and attached outbuildings. Late C18/early C19 with later alterations. Front of scored rendered brick, right return side to Rugby Road of Flemish bong yellow and red brick with brick dentil cornice. Old tile hipped roofs, hipped to right, have parapet to front, brick ridge and left end stacks. Courtyard plan. 2 storeys, 6 window range. Third bay has wide carriage arch with thin wood pilasters and simple entablature and two 12 panelled doors. Fifth bay has large square C19 painted wood porch over pavement. Square piers. Octagonal panelled entablature. Half glazed door with panelled reveals. Ground floor of fourth and sixth bays has tripartite sashes, 16 pane sashes and 12 pane to third and fifth bays. Rusticated rendered flat arches with key blocks. Parapet has string course and coping and long moulded octagonal panel. Right return side to Rugby Road is a 5 window range. Sashes to gauged brick flat arches. One storey and attic C19 range on right has 4 panelled door and overlight, sash and C20 three light window. To courtyard, irregular ranges, part of left range forms The Cottage. Barn opposite entrance now converted to courtyard wines.

57, 58, 58A & 59 The Green, Grade II. Row of houses, now shops and dwellings. Mid/late C18 with small C19 wing to rear of No. 57 and late C20 alterations. Flemish bond brick with string course. C20 tile roof, brick left end and ridge stacks. U plan with cross wing on right and wing on right to rear. 2 storeys and attic, 7-, formerly 8 window range. No. 57 on left has mid/late C20 half glazed door with panel above and C19 wood pilaster strips and shallow hood. 2 sashes to left. N. 58 and 58A have late C20 shop fronts. No. 59 has ground floor partly rebuilt with late C20 doorway and bow window. First floor has late C20 top hung windows with glazing bars, third bay is blocked. Gauge brick flat arches throughout. No. 57 has small roof dormer with C20 window. No. 59 has gable string course and C20 two light casement with glazing bars.

The Stocks, The Green, Grade II. Date indeterminate but possibly C18. Timber. 2 pairs of holes.

42 APPENDIX 2

Useful Contacts

A copy of this appraisal will be available at the Rugby Borough Council offices and on the Council’s website at www.rugby.gov.uk.

For specific information about the conservation area and conservation issues please contact:

Forward Planning Rugby Borough Council Town Hall Evreux Way Rugby CV21 2RR

Tel: 01788 533735 Email: [email protected]

For further information relating to archaeology contact:

County Archaeologist Warwickshire Museum Field Services The Butts Warwick CV34 4SS Tel: 01926 412276 Fax: 01926 412974

For further information relating to listed buildings and conservation areas contact:

English Heritage The Axis 10 Holliday Street Birmingham B1 1TG

Tel: 0121 6256820 Email: [email protected]

For detailed advice on repairing and restoring Georgian houses, contact:

The Georgian Group 6 Fitzroy Square London

43 W1T 5DX

Tel: 087 1750 2936 Email: [email protected]

For “Care for Victorian Houses” leaflet, contact:

The Victorian Society 1 Priory Gardens Bedford Park London W4 1TT

Tel: 020 8994 1019 Email: [email protected]

For a range of technical advice leaflets, contact:

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) 37 Spital Square London E1 6DY

Tel: 020 7377 1644. Email: [email protected]

APPENDIX 3

Bibliography The Buildings of England – Warwickshire. Nikolaus Pevsner and Alexandra Wedgewood. Penguin Books

Warwickshire Towns and Villages, Geoff Allen, pub Sigma Leisure, 2000

Dunchurch Conservation Area Statement

A Glimpse into The Past – A Brief History of the Village of Dunchurch

Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS5)

Rugby Borough Local Plan 2006 Saved Policies

Submission Core Strategy

GLOSSARY

Bargeboards: board at the gable of a building covering the ends of the horizontal roof timbers and forming a ‘V’, often pierced and decorated.

Bay window: window of one or more storeys projecting from the face of the window at ground level.

Casement: window hinged at the side.

Corbel: block of brick projecting from a wall.

Dormer window: window standing up vertically from the slope of a roof.

Framed building: where the structure is carried by the framework.

Mullion: vertical member between the lights of a window opening.

Rendering: the process of covering outside walls with a uniform skin to protect from the weather.

Transom: horizontal member between the lights of a window opening.

Vernacular: the traditional local construction style.

45 RUGBY BOROUGH COUNCIL

HILLMORTON LOCKS CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL

June 2010 CONTENTS

Page

1 Introduction 3 2 Location and context 5 3 General character and form 6 4 Landscape setting 7 5 Historic development 7 6 Archaeology 9 7 Architecture, building materials and features 11 8 Detailed Architectural Assessment: 12 9 Contribution of unlisted buildings 17 10 Street furniture 18 11 Green and open spaces 19 12 Key views and vistas 20 13 Existence of any neutral areas 21 14 Conclusions 21 15 Preservation and enhancement 22 16 Appendices 24

2 INTRODUCTION

Hillmorton Locks is a small settlement located approximately two miles south-east of Rugby and is centred around the canal. The Conservation Area has retained its distinctive character, which contrasts with the suburban development of Rugby. The railway embankment acts as a physical and visual barrier. A narrow tunnel links the locks to Brindley Road and the housing estates of Hillmorton.

Hillmorton Locks developed following the construction of the canal. The main buildings included the canal company’s base with workshops, dry dock and housing, creating a canal community around the locks. Many of the original canal buildings, and the dry dock, continue to be used for industrial purposes. The majority of buildings date from the nineteenth century with modern development limited to the craft workshops and a dwelling to the east. The oldest building, and the key focal point, is St John the Baptist Church.

The Conservation Area encompasses a relatively large amount of farmland or pasture land and this provides a large countryside setting. .

Conservation Areas were introduced by the Civic Amenities Act in 1967. A Conservation Area is defined by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Section 69 of the Act places a duty on the Local Authority to review its Conservation Areas, Section 71 requires the Authority to formulate and publish proposals for their preservation and enhancement. Hillmorton Locks is one of 19 Conservation Areas in the Borough.

There are different planning controls in Conservation Areas and anyone proposing development should seek advice from Rugby Borough Planning Authority. Planning permission would be required for the following development:

• The cladding of any part of the exterior of a dwelling with stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles;

3 • An extension extending beyond a wall forming a side elevation of the original dwelling; • An extension having more than one storey and extending beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling; • Any enlargement of a dwelling consisting of an addition or alteration to the roof; • The provision of an enclosure, swimming or other pool where it would be situated on land between a wall forming a side elevation and the boundary of the dwelling or to the front of the principle elevation; • The installation, alteration or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe which fronts a highway and forms either the principal elevation or a side elevation of a dwelling; • The installation, alteration or replacement of a microwave antenna on a dwelling, or within the grounds, on a chimney, wall or roof slope facing onto and visible from a road.

In addition Conservation Area Consent is required to demolish a building which has a volume in excess of 115 cubic. Conservation Area designation also protects trees within the boundary by requiring owners to give the Local Planning Authority six weeks notice of their intention to carry out any tree work on trees that have a trunk in excess of 75mm in diameter measured 1.5 metres from the ground.

All Planning Applications for development which would affect the character of a Conservation Area must be advertised in the local press and site notices posted.

This document is an appraisal of Hillmorton Locks Conservation Area. It is based on guidelines issued by English Heritage, the Government’s advisor on the historic built environment, and has been prepared by Rugby Borough Council. The principal objectives of the appraisal are to:

• define and record the special interest of Hillmorton Locks Conservation Area to ensure there is full understanding of what is worthy of preservation; • increase public awareness of the aims and objectives of Conservation Area designation and stimulate their involvement in the protection of its character and to inform decisions made by Rugby Borough Council, the Parish Council and local residents; • reassess current boundaries to make certain that they accurately reflect what is now perceived to be of special interest and that they are readable on the ground; • assess the action that may be necessary to safeguard this special interest and put forward proposals for their enhancement.

MAP 1 CONSERVATION AREA DESIGNATION

LOCATION AND CONTEXT

Hillmorton Locks is a relatively small Conservation Area. The southern boundary is formed by the railway embankment which limits views from outside the settlement. To the east, north and west the Conservation Area is bordered by undulating countryside. This land contains few buildings, the radio masts are a visible landmark to the north.

The settlement has a self-contained industrial character which is separated from the main urban area by the embankment and countryside. The Locks is enhanced further by the dominance of the canal and associated buildings.

The land and buildings within the Conservation Area are generally of good visual quality and well maintained. There is however potential for the deteriorating traditional industrial buildings to be restored authentically. Development pressure exists, including infilling open spaces with new dwellings and unsympathetic extensions or alterations to historic buildings. Such development could erode the special industrial character of the settlement. The expansion of residential development on the outskirts of Rugby could also adversely affect the countryside and isolated setting of the settlement. .

GENERAL CHARACTER AND FORM

Hillmorton Locks contains a relatively small number of buildings within a large open countryside setting. There are significant areas of open space, especially to the south- east, west and north-west. The buildings are generally sited in two clusters. There is a loose group to the south of the canal including the church, adjacent cottage, former public house and farm buildings. To the north of the canal is the larger, more concentrated, group centred on the industrial canal buildings with canal workers cottages sporadically sited to the north and east.

The canal is the dominant feature snaking through the settlement, its impact is accentuated by the adjacent footpath and grass verges.

THE CANAL AND ITS COUNTRYSIDE SETTING

The field system, trees and landscaping often prevents clear views of the buildings and add to the unplanned feel of the settlement. There is a sense that buildings were erected overtime as the need arose. The general character derives from an industrial theme with robust appearing or functional style buildings erected to service the operational requirements of the canal such as boat repairs. The workers cottages also have a functional style and generally incorporate only limited embellishment.

There is a single road running north east through the settlement and many buildings are sited adjacent to it. Other buildings are generally in close proximity to the canal or towpath.

LANDSCAPE SETTING

The landscape setting is an important characteristic of the Conservation Area. The approach under the railway line is dominated by the embankment which is well treed and provides a green barrier between suburban Rugby and Hillmorton Locks. On emerging from the tunnel the immediate view is of fields to the east and west separated with trees and hedges. The settlement is located within a countryside setting with an unspoilt rural landscape acting as a backdrop on three sides. Maintaining this undeveloped green setting is crucial to safeguarding the unique character of Hillmorton Locks.

On the southern side of the canal the road is bordered by grass verges, trees and hedges, consequently the buildings are partially hidden and the pattern creates a landscape dominated environment. Buildings are generally set within green space with gardens abutting countryside.

The green landscape dominance is reinforced by the wide grass verges that border the canal. The only section of the Conservation Area which has less landscaping and green spaces, is around the central cluster of buildings adjacent to the canal arm and dry dock. However, many of these buildings have a backdrop of trees with countryside beyond.

Trees are an important element in the Conservation Area. There are a number of important trees such as Hawthorn, Ash and Hazel around the churchyard, Ash lining the road to the south of the canal, with Willow, Ash and Beech trees adjacent to the canal.

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

Although the history of Hillmorton Locks is inextricably linked to the network of canals in England the oldest building predates the arrival of the waterway. St John the Baptist church dates from the thirteenth and fourteenth century with a fourteenth century tower which was restored in 1655. The clerestory was added in the seventeenth century and the south porch and west gallery are extensions from the nineteenth century.

In prehistoric times a considerable area of land was covered by water. This became a morass giving the name Moor Town to the old village which lay to the west of St John’s Church. Early traces of occupation were found near to the Old Vicarage.

THE CHURCH TOWER

The majority of the other buildings were built as a direct result of the arrival of the canal. The buildings around the dry dock, including the open shed, fitting shop and covered dry dock were all built in the mid to late nineteenth century. These were preceded by the boiler house around 1828 and followed by the pumping station in the early twentieth century. The majority of workers cottages, which include accommodation for tradesmen and engineers, were built in the mid nineteenth century.

The catalyst for these buildings was the construction of the canal. The purpose of the Oxford Canal was initially to carry coal more cheaply from the Coventry coalfields via Oxford to London. James Brindley was appointed engineer in 1769 and by the time of his death in 1772 construction had only reached Brinklow. He was replaced by Samuel Simcock and 18 years later, at double the estimated cost of £150,000, the canal reached Oxford. The arrival of the canal contributed to Rugby’s pre railway eminence. The canal, despite competition from other canals and the introduction of the railways, recorded 20,859 freight vessels carrying coal, salt and road stone passing through the locks in one year.

The construction of the Oxford Canal was typical of earlier contour canals which avoided the need for tunnels and aqueducts to reduce costs. The alignment of the canal, as far as possible, followed the contours of the land. However, in order to better compete with the railways its sinuous route was shortened between 1829 and 1834. Eventually the

8 importance of the canal reduced, firstly by competition from the railways, then further by the highways.

ARCHAEOLOGY

An area of medieval settlement earthworks are recorded to the west of the conservation area. The parish church of St John the Baptist, dates from the medieval period, with alterations through to the 19th century.

The Oxford Canal runs through the conservation area with a Canal Basin identified here on the 1905 Ordnance Survey map. Some 18th century features, associated with the management of the canal at Hillmorton are also recorded in this area.

Rugby Radio Station, a long-wave radio station dating from 1926, lies immediately to the east of this Conservation Area.

MAP 2A Archaeology recorded on the Historic Environment Record

MWA3357 Hillmorton Shrunken Medieval Settlement MWA4359 Canal Basin at Hillmorton MWA3370 Church of St John the Baptist, Hillmorton MWA9590 Rugby Radio Station MWA4348 The Oxford Canal

9 The majority of the Conservation Area consists of small fields, visible from the First Edition Ordnance Survey mapping of 1884 onwards.

As noted above, The Oxford Canal runs through, and forms a major part of the character of this conservation area. It was opened in 1775 and is marked on Greenwood's map of 1822 onwards. Parts of this stretch of the Oxford Canal have been straightened.

The area around Hillmorton Locks itself is marked as canal workshops from the First Edition onwards.

MAP 2B ARCHAEOLOGY HISTORIC LANDSCAPE CHARACTER

HLC Records HWA6775 Transportation HWA6864 Industrial HWA6938 Fieldscapes HWA7041 Fieldscapes HWA7138 Fieldscapes HWA7140 Industrial HWA7141 Fieldscapes

10 ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING MATERIALS AND FEATURES

The Conservation Area has a mix of architectural styles. The most prominent building is St John the Baptist Church. It is the only building constructed out of local stone. The building is dominated by the red ashlar fifteenth century tower.

The prevailing architectural type is industrial based and dates from the nineteenth or early twentieth century. The core cluster of buildings around the dry dock comprises predominantly simple red brick and slate buildings with little embellishment. The buildings are functional often with large openings for transporting large objects. In the case of the former British Waterways office there are industrial type windows incorporating small glazing panes in metal frames. Although forming an attractive group the only building with a greater degree of decoration is the pump house. It incorporates a slate roof, corbelling, contrasting colour brick and a decorative circular gable window.

INDUSTRIAL FENESTRATION

The historic industrial character is reflected in the more modern craft/workshop buildings adjacent. Older buildings, such as the dwellings in the north east of the hamlet, the tradesman houses and outbuildings serving the former public house, are all red brick with tile or slate. Generally there is functionality in the architecture although the tradesman houses have a Gothic slant with contrasting blue bricks forming diapers and string courses. Other buildings have been rendered or the brickwork painted.

Although there is a general absence of embellishment a distinct hierarchy in the domestic architecture exists. The larger dwellings reflect the importance of the original

11 occupant. For example, the foreman or manager type dwellings have a greater size and grander appearance than the workers terracing.

DETAILED ARCHITECTURAL ASSESSMENT

The Conservation Area is characterised by an industrial theme with the canal running through the centre of the hamlet. Other than St John the Baptist church all buildings are connected to the canal. Buildings erected for industrial purposes form a cluster and dwellings for associated workers are more randomly located. Despite the proximity to suburban Rugby, the railway embankment and surrounding countryside ensures a rural character. The hamlet is small with a limited number of buildings in a landscaped dominated environment.

The Conservation Area is approached through the single vehicular access under the railway line. Although adjacent to Hillmorton Locks, there is no indication on the southern side of the embankment of the settlement beyond. The hamlet emerges at the end of the tunnel, buildings partially visible nestling amongst the landscaping.

THE APPROACH INTO THE CONSERVATION AREA

The steep railway embankment accommodates trees which provide a heavily landscaped environment, punctuated only by the red brick tunnel under the railway line. This, along with the canal, reaffirms the important influence of transportation in the Conservation Area.

The southern part of the Conservation Area is more rural in appearance and is dominated by fields with trees and hedges to the east and west of the highway. This attractive appearance is enhanced by the grass verge adjacent to the road which is lined by hedges and trees. The affect provides a gradual transition from countryside to settlement.

St John the Baptist church is the dominant building. With its stone tower the church is the focal point from many locations within the hamlet. The striking architecture is in contrast to much of the adjacent low key development. The building’s prominence is reinforced by the large churchyard which enhances the church’s setting and links the site to the surrounding countryside.

Although the church is a building of individual character it forms a loose cluster of buildings. A whitewashed farmhouse with paddock and a series of farm buildings, set to the rear of the church car park, reinforces this area’s rural, low density character of development. These buildings are set within a landscape dominated framework and do not give the sense of being part of a larger settlement.

Within the built-up core of the Conservation Area buildings often abut the highway. As such there is a greater sense of enclosure along the street scene with buildings prominently sited. The former pub, built in the early nineteenth century, is an example of this. Rendered and with a slate roof it has a degree of architectural formality with lintels and small panes in the sash windows. A range of brick and slate outbuildings to the side add interest to the general rural character and creates enclosure within the site. The faded public house advertisement on the outer wall is a positive feature within the street scene and a reminder of the building’s former use.

The canal acts as a barrier between buildings to the north and south. The canal is a relatively wide body of water, bordered by paths and grass verges, which snakes through the settlement. It provides a distinctive industrial feature of manmade precision within a landscape setting. The canal incorporates a series of locks which give the settlement its name. The locks provide visual interest which is enhanced by other connected elements including steps, bollards and winding equipment.

The canal dominates the central part of the Conservation Area. Views from the road bridge provide long distance views out of the settlement in all directions. Although buildings are located adjacent to the canal the prevailing character derives from a sense of space and with a dominance of natural landscaping.

THE WORKING HUB WITH THE DRY DOCK

INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS AND ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

14 The hub of the Conservation Area centres on the industrial buildings. The buildings around the dry dock are largely hidden from view by the adjacent buildings. This collection includes the open shed, fitting shop, covered dry dock, boiler house, pumping station and the former British Waterways building. The buildings are single and two storey, red brick with slate roof and of an industrial appearance. Important elements include the large scale doors, small paned fenestration within metal frames and the relative unembellished appearance. The buildings are predominantly robust and functional with little decoration. The exception is the Pumping Station which includes a decorated circular gable window, contrasting brick work and dentilation. Many of the buildings are clustered around the dry dock and create a courtyard enclosure.

The character of the area is enhanced by the continued use of many of these buildings for industrial purposes in connection with the canal. Boats, materials, equipment and the dockside crane, illustrate the canal based heritage. The area’s special cumulative quality and consistency provide an example of preservation through buildings being used for the original, or a similar, purpose.

The red brick bridge over the arm of the canal leading to the dry dock is a fine example of canal architecture. It is complimented by the red brick walls adjacent. The bridge is more elegant than the modern vehicular bridge to the east and its character is made more distinctive by the steepness of the path over the bridge.

The industrial character of the area is strengthened by small buildings and structures which alone are not of particular merit, but read as a whole amongst the built complex and waterways are important examples of industrial heritage. The white painted pump building adjacent to the canal and the old lock gates on the grass verge reinforce local identity. Overall the collection of buildings and equipment, together with the original use continuing in buildings and on the canal, provide a fine example of preserved industrial archaeology.

The industrial architectural character is reflected in the modern building adjacent and the industrial building abutting the car parking. The modern brick building has an industrial hue. The buildings are surrounded by hard standing which emphases the industrial character and contrasts with the landscape dominated environment elsewhere. The remainder of the Conservation Area is characterised by scattered dwellings of varying appearance, detached, semi detached and terracing. Dwellings fronting onto the canal are rendered or roughcast and maintain the characteristic of functional canal architecture with little decoration. Each is sited in spacious grounds with countryside to the rear. There are remains of substantial outbuildings.

The two storey terrace acts as a focal point on the bend of the highway. Built in two stages, the terracing has lost some of its integrity. Alterations and extensions have eroded the rhythm of the original structure. However, the buildings retain sufficient character to make a positive contribution to the Conservation Area’s interest. They also have an important role in understanding the settlement’s development. In terms of status and hierarchy the size of each unit demonstrates that the buildings would have been lower down the scale, perhaps to accommodate canal workers.

15 Further along there are two red brick and tile detached dwellings with gardens and outbuildings. Of greater statue than the terrace these are still relatively small and undecorated. They nestle above the industrial buildings, separated by landscaping. To the foreground of the terrace is the former foreman or manager’s type semi detached properties. Of red brick and slate they incorporate a greater level of decoration introducing Gothic elements such as contrasting brick diapers and string courses. The buildings have relatively large gardens which respond to status and create a landmark.

The essence of the Conservation Area derives from an industrial heritage which is kept alive by boat building. All buildings, other than the church which preceded the arrival of the canal, are connected to the waterway including workshops, associated structures and dwellings. The settlement provides an interesting ensemble of buildings within an overall theme and set within a landscape dominated environment. Only at the working hub of the settlement does hard standing override the more natural landscape character. The countryside setting and sense of isolation is an essential element of the Conservation Area’s special character and a significant buffer zone should be maintained between Hillmorton Locks and any future residential development.

THE FOREMAN / MANAGERS FORMER DWELLINGS

CONTRIBUTION OF UNLISTED BUILDINGS

Such is the collective contribution of the buildings within the Conservation Area, and the common link to canal heritage, that most make an important contribution to the character and appearance of the designation. Larger buildings, such as the former public house, outbuildings and the manager’s houses, are important features within the street scene. Although much altered the terrace of former workers cottages is an important element in the history of the settlement demonstrating development in social and architectural history. The cottages along the western side of the highway, before the road becomes a track, are also good quality small scale residential buildings, in keeping with the prevailing character.

Other robust and functional dwellings, such as the cottage to the north of the second lock, are again good examples of canal architecture.

The buildings by the dry dock are all important unlisted buildings. They form a group of industrial structures which are well related to the canal and some retain the original industrial use. The open shed, fitting shop, covered dry dock, boiler house, pumping station and original British Waterways offices are a group of buildings sharing similar materials and an industrial character.

As the history of the settlement is so closely linked to the canal smaller ancillary buildings and structures are of interest and importance. These include the toll building adjacent to the canal and the locks.

TYPICAL CANALSIDE BUILDINGS

MAP 3 LISTED BUILDINGS AND IMPORTANT UNLISTED BUILDINGS

STREET FURNITURE

Street furniture is an important element in the Conservation Area reinforcing local identity. Hillmorton Locks contains a number of important elements, many of which are linked to the canal. The locks, bollards, steps, information boards and name plates are colour coded black and white, this creates a sense of unity, place and local distinctiveness. The series of locks, in a relatively small area, is a dominant feature within the settlement. A former lock gate is now located on the grass verge to retain an original feature of interest within its historic context. Industrial character is reinforced by the dominance of the hardstanding around the canal buildings and the presence of the crane on the canal side.

The main road is lined by a pavement to only one side, bordered by concrete kerbs. A number of gates leading into fields and car parks are of mixed character, mostly having an industrial appearance. These reinforce local industrial character.

Along the pavements and across the fields there are incongruous overhead power lines which detract from the rural historic scene. The traditional swan neck street lights contribute to the interest of the street scene.

GREEN AND OPEN SPACES

Green and open spaces are an important element in the Conservation Area. They contribute to the setting of the designation and create a landscape dominated environment with countryside bordering on three sides. Gardens are at times located to the side of buildings and are therefore relatively open to view. Many of the dwellings are on reasonably large plots which provide a spacious setting. Another important open space is the churchyard.

Although buildings tend to be clustered they are often located within an open setting. These can have an informal appearance, an example being the paddock serving the dwelling to the east of the church.

This open and green character is complimented by the often wide grass verge on both sides of the canal. The canal itself is a wide open space with the body of water interrupted only by the series of locks. Although buildings are located adjacent to the canal they do not have a detrimental impact on the openness. The water has hedging adjacent to the paths and this helps to knit the corridor with the surrounding countryside.

Other open spaces reflect the industrial heritage of the settlement. Large expanses of hard standing to the north-east of the church and around the industrial cluster of buildings by the dry dock are a dominant feature.

Boundaries are formed commonly by hedging. Within fields post and rail fencing is used to a lesser extent. Important brick and stone walls are located at the entrance to the industrial site adjacent to the modern road bridge and to the east and west of 5 The Locks (Lock Keepers residence) facing the canal.

MAP 4 KEY VIEWS AND VISTAS 20

EXISTENCE OF ANY NEUTRAL AREAS

The environmental quality of the Conservation Area is generally good but there are a number of neutral elements. The hard sufacing around the modern craft workshops is dominated by concrete and red paviours. This large area of mono type surface treatment accentuates the scale of the yard. The red paviors also clash with the predominant red brick walls of the adjacent buildings. The type and scale of the hard surfacing on the church car park is unattractive and does not provide a positive setting to the church entrance or the views from the highway.

Although the Conservation Area is characterised by an industrial appearance enhanced surface treatments, including the use of granite kerbstones, would improve the appearance without being over decorative or fussy. A greater level of landscaping to the church car park, and a narrowing of the access, would reduce its impact.

The majority of buildings make a positive contribution to the Conservation Area. The former British Waterways operation building is however a large and relatively featureless industrial building of a scale out of keeping with the traditional smaller units which characterise the canal development. Although the building maintains the industrial character the building is a neutral element.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall historic character of Hillmorton Locks Conservation Area has been well maintained and the distinctive appearance remains. The development of the settlement was as a direct result of the arrival of the canal. Despite the encroachment of suburban Rugby the settlement has maintained a sense of isolation. The unique character has remained due to the physical barrier placed by the railway embankment to the south and countryside on the remaining boundaries.

Within the designation the historic industrial buildings are clustered around the dry dock. The buildings retain their robust functionality and the character is enhanced by the retention of ancillary elements such as the crane adjacent to the canal. Other buildings located around the settlement would have provided accommodation for workers involved with the canal. Alterations to some of these buildings have taken place; however, the essential form has been maintained.

The dominant feature is the canal. The paths enhance the wide body of water and grass verges to each side with the surrounding countryside adjacent. The series of locks provide a visual feature complimented by the black and white canal furniture.

The overall quality of the Conservation Area remains high and the settlement maintains its integrity as a consequence of historic use continuing to the present day. Enhancements could be achieved through removing unsympathetic alterations to some buildings, additional landscaping and improved surface treatment on the larger areas of open space.

PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT

General Condition

The Conservation Area is in a generally good condition in terms of buildings and the maintenance of open spaces and landscaping. There are no buildings at risk or any in a serious state of disrepair.

Problems, pressure and capacity to change

The cessation of the traditional uses of the buildings, such as boat repairs, would result in pressure to convert the historic industrial buildings to a less sympathetic use. The buildings have retained their integrity and this could be affected through alternative uses.

The setting of the settlement is a key part of its character. Its position benefits from an extensive countryside setting and this creates an isolated village character, despite the proximity of suburban Rugby. Encroachment of large scale residential development, with an insufficient undeveloped buffer zone, would seriously erode this element. Where development of the radio mast site is considered, it is essential that a protection zone is identified at the outset to ensure the Conservation Area’s setting and unique environmental qualities are preserved.,

Future management proposals

In order to ensure that proposals for development can be adequately addressed the submission of detailed plans and elevation will be required with the submission of any planning application within the conservation area. This is likely to require the submission of drawings relating to new building within its context and street scene. 1:50 scale drawings of plans and elevations are considered an appropriate scale. For more detailed proposals and for specific elements of a proposed scheme, for example fenestration details, scale drawings of 1:5 or 1:10 may be required. A Design and Access Statement will also be necessary.

Opportunities for enhancement

Although the visual quality of the Conservation Area is high there are areas where improvements could take place:

• replace concrete kerbs with granite kerbs; • improve hardsurfacing to church car park and introduce landscaping to break up the large area, the access width should be reduced and native plant species hedging continued to each side of the access; • replace the bridge carrying vehicular traffic over the canal with a bridge more in keeping with the character of the canal and Conservation Area using more traditional materials; • place the overhead cables underground; • alter the hardsurfacing to the foreground of the former British Waterways building to contrast with the red brick buildings, use different materials to break up the scale of hardstanding; • replace industrial building (Former British Waterways operational building) with a building more in keeping with the scale and character of surrounding industrial buildings; • re-introduce traditional fenestration with vertical emphasis into the terracing; • investigate the possibility of removing the render on the terracing in order to reinstate the cohesion of the group of buildings; • street furniture, such as tables and seating, needs to be consistent and simple to reflect the industrial context ; • paths should be surfaced with blue paviours, gravel or bonded gravel.

23 APPENDIX 1

Listed buildings in Hillmorton Locks Conservation Area

Church of St John The Baptist, Lower Street, Grade II*. C13 and C14 with C15 tower restored in 1655. C16 clerestorey. North aisle buttresses circa 1609. Chancel east window renewed 1640. Early C19 south porch and west gallery. Monuments: early C14 effigy of Margeret de Astley under canopy, mutilated; priest William de Walton circa 1348. Early C15 brass. Pews circa 1774. Royal arms of Queen Anne.

APPENDIX 2 Useful Contacts A copy of this appraisal will be available at the Rugby Borough Council offices and on the Council’s website at www.rugby.gov.uk.

For specific information about the conservation area and conservation issues please contact:

Forward Planning Rugby Borough Council Town Hall Evreux Way Rugby CV21 2RR

Tel: 01788 533735 Email: [email protected]

For further information relating to archaeology contact:

County Archaeologist Warwickshire Museum Field Services The Butts Warwick CV34 4SS Tel: 01926 412276 Fax: 01926 412974

For further information relating to listed buildings and conservation areas contact:

English Heritage The Axis 10 Holliday Street Birmingham B1 1TG

Tel: 0121 6256820 Email: [email protected]

24 For detailed advice on repairing and restoring Georgian houses, contact:

The Georgian Group 6 Fitzroy Square London W1T 5DX

Tel: 087 1750 2936 Email: [email protected]

For “Care for Victorian Houses” leaflet, contact:

The Victorian Society 1 Priory Gardens Bedford Park London W4 1TT

Tel: 020 8994 1019 Email: [email protected]

For a range of technical advice leaflets, contact:

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) 37 Spital Square London E1 6DY Tel: 020 7377 1644. Email: [email protected]

APPENDIX 3

Bibliography

Warwickshire Towns and Villages Geoff Allen

A History of Warwickshire

Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS5)

Rugby Borough Local Plan 2006 Saved Policies

Submission Core Strategy

25 GLOSSARY

Bargeboards: board at the gable of a building covering the ends of the horizontal roof timbers and forming a ‘V’, often pierced and decorated.

Bay window: window of one or more storeys projecting from the face of the window at ground level.

Casement: window hinged at the side.

Corbel: block of brick projecting from a wall.

Dormer window: window standing up vertically from the slope of a roof.

Framed building: where the structure is carried by the framework.

Mullion: vertical member between the lights of a window opening.

Rendering: the process of covering outside walls with a uniform skin to protect from the weather.

Transom: horizontal member between the lights of a window opening.

Vernacular: the traditional local construction style.

26 RUGBY BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONKS KIRBY CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL

June 2010 CONTENTS

Page

1 Introduction 3 2 Location and context 5 3 General character and form 6 4 Landscape setting 7 5 Historic development 9 6 Archaeology 11 7 Architecture, buildings and features 13 8 Detailed Architectural Assessment 14 Area 1: The Historic Core 14 Area 2:The Eastern Area 19 9 Contribution of unlisted buildings 22 10 Street furniture 23 11 Key views and vistas 24 12 Existence of any neutral areas 24 13 Conclusions 25 14 Preservation and enhancement 25 15 Appendices 27

2 INTRODUCTION

Monks Kirby lies to the north west of Rugby within the Green Belt. To the east the historic Newnham Paddox registered park and garden borders, and forms part of, the Conservation Area. The village is broadly linear in form and the designation covers all buildings together with large areas of undeveloped land. The Conservation Area incorporates a range of architectural styles with two definitive character areas; the eastern and western portions of the village. The east is more agricultural focused; the west is the historic core. The village was designated a Conservation Area in 1970.

Conservation Areas were introduced by the Civic Amenities Act in 1967. A Conservation Area is defined by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Section 69 of the Act places a duty on the Local Authority to review its Conservation Areas, Section 71 requires the Authority to formulate and publish proposals for their preservation and enhancement. Monks Kirby is one of 19 Conservation Areas in the Borough.

• The cladding of any part of the exterior of a dwelling with stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles; • An extension extending beyond a wall forming a side elevation of the original dwelling; • An extension having more than one storey and extending beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling; • Any enlargement of a dwelling consisting of an addition or alteration to the roof; • The provision of a building, container, enclosure, swimming or other pool where it would be situated on land between a wall forming a side elevation and the boundary of the dwelling or to the front of the original principle elevation;

3 • The installation, alteration or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe which fronts a highway and forms either the principal elevation or a side elevation of a dwelling; • The installation, alteration or replacement of a microwave antenna on a dwelling, or within the grounds, on a chimney, wall or roof slope facing onto and visible from a highway or on a building greater than 15 metres in height.

All Planning Applications for development which would affect the character of a Conservation Area must be advertised in the local press and site notices posted.

This document is an appraisal of Monks Kirby Conservation Area. It is based on guidelines issued by English Heritage, the Government’s advisor on the historic built environment, and has been prepared by Rugby Borough Council. The principal objectives of the appraisal are to:

• define and record the special interest of Monks Kirby Conservation Area to ensure there is full understanding of what is worthy of preservation; • increase public awareness of the aims and objectives of Conservation Area designation and stimulate their involvement in the protection of its character and to inform decisions made by Rugby Borough Council, the Parish Council and local residents; • reassess current boundaries to make certain that they accurately reflect what is now perceived to be of special interest and that they are readable on the ground; • assess the action that may be necessary to safeguard this special interest and put forward proposals for their enhancement.

MAP 1 CONSERVATION AREA DESIGNATION

LOCATION AND CONTEXT

Monks Kirby lies at a crossroads with lanes leading northwards from Brockhurst and Monks Kirby Lane to the High Cross plateau giving access to Lutterworth, the M1 and the A5. Westwards Millers Lane leads up the Fosse Way and across to Withybrook and Nuneaton. Southwards the main exit from the village is through Street Ashton where the B4027 accesses Coventry, Rugby, the Fosse Way south and the M6 to the west. The village nestles in its rural location and other than the church tower there is little visual evidence of the settlement on approach.

Monks Kirby is a relatively large Conservation Area covering a substantial amount of land. All buildings within the village are included and the designation covers the Denbigh Chapel in the north east corner and the Old Vicarage to the west. The built development mainly occupies the central and eastern areas with countryside forming the outer parts. On the eastern extremity part of the Newnham Paddox parkland falls within the Conservation Area.

Photograph 2 Building set in landscaped environment

GENERAL CHARACTER AND FORM

The Conservation Area is broadly linear with the main development forming two distinct character areas. The historic core of the village occupies the western portion as the dominant church, pub and a series of cottages and terraces surround the village green. To the east the designation comprises a mix of architectural styles with an agricultural theme. Modern cul de sacs provide this area with a greater depth of development to the north.

The village is barely visible on approach. Only the church, built on an elevated site and projecting out from the rising ground on the west, indicates the presence of a village. Many of the buildings are largely screened by the surrounding fields, hedgerows and the surviving forest trees.

Monks Kirby is distinguished by its sense of space and openness. The village is set within countryside and occupies a relatively isolated location. This rural character plays a prominent role within the Conservation Area. The two character areas are separated by the open space immediately east of the brook and many views in the settlement are dominated by countryside acting as foreground.

Photograph 3 Important open spaces in the Conservation Area

The Conservation Area mostly comprises dwellings. However, there are two churches, St Ediths and the Roman Catholic St Joseph’s, a convent, now empty, the village hall, two pubs and a primary school.

LANDSCAPE SETTING, GREEN AND OPEN SPACES AND TREES

Landscaping and open space plays a key role in the Conservation Area. The designation benefits from its rural setting and the relatively low lying nature of the village ensures it is not prominent on the wider environment. The Conservation Area includes large areas of undeveloped land. The whole western portion of the designation comprises fields, hedges and trees with only occasional buildings to the south of Millers Lane.

The north east area also comprises fields as the designation stretches up to the cemetery in the north east extremity. To the east the Conservation Area includes part of the historic park and garden of Newnham Paddox designed by Capability Brown.

Within the built up part of the village this rural setting plays a major role. The countryside provides the foreground to buildings which border the fields. In places to the north and west buildings are only sited on one side of the road; this allows clear views into the countryside. The leaking of the countryside into the settlement is demonstrated by the central area to the east of the brook with fields to the north. Despite the prominence of the countryside the enclosure created by the buildings in the historic centre of the village prevents clear views of the surrounding countryside.

Open space is also important within the built up core. The village green provides an attractive focal point at the historic centre and acts as the foreground to the surrounding buildings. The structural role of the green is enhanced by the three Oak trees. The

7 green is read in conjunction with the new community park and the grass verges on the approach from the south west, bordering the church and the churchyard.

Where buildings are set well back into the site the front gardens contribute to the overall green and open landscape. The semi detached and terraced housing on the eastern side of Bond End are set behind relatively long front gardens with hedges and trees on the boundary providing a leafy setting. This character is maintained on the housing on the northern side of Bell Lane and to the east of the brook.

Trees play an important role in the Conservation Area. The grounds of the Old Vicarage include Wellingtonia, Cedar, Ash and Scots Pine and provide a traditional form of Victorian tree planting. The approach from the west benefits from enclosure on the southern side provided by the mature belt of trees. These include Field Maple, Copper Beech, Sycamore, Elm and Norway Maple. On approach from the south Willow, Ash, Rowan and Oak lead to the central green with a prominent Hawthorn hedge on the corner of Bell Lane. The housing on the northern side of Bell Lane occupy a landscaped setting with further Hawthorn hedges, Willow, Beech and Sycamore trees.

From the north Limes, Ash and Norway Maples provide the landscaped setting. To the east of the brook Willow and Silver Birch dominate. The school site accommodates a number of mature trees including Oak, Sycamore, Red Oak and Norway Maple. The foreground of Brockhurst Farm is set by the large Sycamore. At the small green in the north of the village Lime and Sycamore dominate. The upper cemetery is heavily treed with Silver Birch, Rowan, Weeping Ash, Limes and Yew featuring.

Photograph 4 The Brook, separating the two character areas of the Conservation Area

8 MAP 2 IMPORTANT LANDSCAPING AND OPEN AND GREEN SPACES

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

Pre Norman conquest Monks Kirby was one of the estates held by Lewin. After the conquest the estate passed to Geoffrey de Wirce. He rebuilt the church and in 1077 gave the building, together with land, to the abbot and convent of St Nicholas of Angers. 20 acres of cornland was also given and in 1086 the monks of St Nicholas are recorded as having two plough teams. On Geoffrey’s death the land came into the hands of the king who granted them to Neil d’Aubigny. He increased the size of the holding where the monks of Angers were established as a cell of the abbey.

In 1266 Henry III granted the monks a fair at Midsummer and a weekly market. During the war with France the estates of the priory were repeatedly seized into the Kings hands. The priory’s estates were transferred to a new English Order of Carthusians in the Isle of Axholme.

At the dissolution the Priory passed to the King while the Manor was granted to the Bishop of Ipswich. The benefice was given to Trinity College, Cambridge, who still maintain it, while the land passed eventually to Mary, Countess of Buckingham. It passed to Basil, Lord Denbigh in 1622. This family had owned Newnham Paddox since 1433.

Development took place in the village in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, examples of which remain today. The general layout of the village has stayed much the same; however most of the thatched and half timbered cottages which lined Bell Lane, Bond End and Millers Lane have been lost.

9 Photograph 5 Modern housing in the village

ARCHAEOLOGY The majority of the Conservation Area lies within the extent of a possible medieval settlement at Monks Kirby. A grant of charter for a Wednesday market here was made in 30 July 1266 by Henry III. Some medieval settlement material has been recorded through archaeological fieldwork, including a late medieval cruck timbered house. Settlement earthworks survive within the vicinity of the Church of St. Editha, a medieval church that was largely rebuilt in the 15th century. The church was given to the Benedictine monks under obedience to the Abbey of St Nicholas at Angers, as their priory church.

Priory buildings are known to have existed in the vicinity of the church; material from these buildings was incorporated in to the 15th century church. The reputed site of a manor house, visible on a tithe map, probably represents buildings associated with the priory.

A possible Roman cemetery, adjacent to the church, was also recorded by antiquarians. The site of a post mill, a quarry and brickworks have all been recorded from documentary evidence, associated with 18th and 19th century use of this area. The site of the Church, School and Convent of St Joseph is also marked in this area, on the Ordnance Survey First Edition onwards.

The 18th century landscaped park and garden associated with Newnham Paddox House extends across the Eastern part of this Conservation Area. It is a Registered Park and Garden.

MAP 3A ARCHAEOLOGY MWA RECORDING

HER Records MWA3504 Church, School and Convent of St Joseph, Monks Kirby MWA3513 Findspot - Post Medieval coin hoard MWA4243 Church of St Editha, Monks Kirby MWA5546 Priory Church of Monks Kirby Priory MWA3507 Site of Brickworks 400m N of Church MWA4241 Site of Possible Roman Settlement by Church MWA3515 Site of Possible Moat 300m E of Parish Church MWA8748 Field Boundary, Brockhurst Lane, Monks Kirby MWA3511 Shrunken Medieval Settlement W of Monks Kirby MWA3521 Site of Poss Post Medieval Manor House N of Church MWA3514 Quarry to W of Bond End, Monks Kirby MWA3506 Mill Mound at Monks Kirby Vicarage MWA3548 Baptist Chapel to N of Bell Inn MWA6466 Poss Extent of Medieval Settlement, Monks Kirby MWA8797 Cruck Building, 24 Bond End, Monks Kirby MWA4242 Site of Alien/Carthusian Priory at Monks Kirby MWA8897 Medieval market at Monks Kirby MWA6952 C18 landscaped park and house at Newnham Paddox MWA9996 Findspot - Prehistoric Flint MWA10055 Find of a medieval seal matrix in Monks Kirby

11 Historic Landscape Character Part of the Registered Park and Garden of Newnham Paddox (GD2196) lies across the eastern part of this Conservation Area. The Historic Settlement Core of Monks Kirby is centred on the church at the heart of the Conservation Area. A detached historic settlement core also exists at Bond End. The Historic Settlement Core of Brockhurst extends along Brockhurst Lane. Most of the remaining settlement within the conservation area dates to the mid 20th century. The Vicarage at Monks Kirby is also shown on the First Edition Ordnance Survey onward.

MAP 3B ARCHAEOLOGY HISTORIC LANDSCAPE CHARACTER

HLC Records HWA370 Very Large Post War Fields HWA409 Very Large Post War Fields HWA424 Park/Garden HWA467 Post 1955 Detached HWA468 Educational HWA469 Historic Settlement Core HWA470 Paddocks and Closes HWA471 Post 1955 Detached HWA472 Small Irregular Fields HWA473 Post 1955 Semi-Detached HWA474 Historic Settlement Core HWA475 Historic Settlement Core HWA477 Cemeteries HWA478 Large Irregular Fields

12 HWA479 Small Irregular Fields HWA480 Paddocks and Closes HWA481 Paddocks and Closes HWA483 Pre 1880s Detached HWA482 Large Irregular Fields HWA522 Other Large Rectilinear Fields

ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING MATERIALS AND FEATURES

The oldest building in the Conservation Area is the church of St Edith dating from the thirteenth century. The chancel dates from that time with the remainder rebuilt in the fourteenth century. The tower has an early eighteenth century parapet and the church was restored and vestry added in 1869.

The village has a significant number of timber framed buildings. 6 and 8 Main Street dates from the sixteenth/early seventeenth century with alterations carried out in the nineteenth century. 25 and 26 Bond End dates from the fifteenth or sixteenth century and is a cruck construction. The Old Post Office and 12-20 Main Street date from the seventeenth century.

Farmhouses from the eighteenth century remain and include Gate Farm. Robust agricultural buildings have been converted into residential use but retain much of their original character.

Significant development took place during the Victorian period. This included the estate cottages to the west of the green, the last pair of buildings on the western side of Bond End and on Brockhurst Lane. A more expressive form of this Victorian Gothic architecture can be found on the Old Vicarage. Of red brick and slate it incorporates blue brick diapers, stone mullion and transom windows and prominent gables.

The twentieth century saw an expansion of the village. Post war development includes to the eastern side of Bond End with loosely vernacular semi detached and terracing. The latter part of the century resulted in a more suburban theme along Bell Lane with cul de sac development off Brockhurst Lane.

The Conservation Area therefore accommodates a mix of styles. Of the timber framed buildings much of the thatch has been lost. However, new dwellings on Bond End incorporate thatch.

In terms of materials red brick dominates. Windows and door lintels are of brick, often arched but with some rubbed brick lintels. Windows are set in reveal and are generally small scale. Render and whitewashed brick are also in the village. Roofs are mainly slate or tile and often steeply pitched. There are buildings with decorative bargeboards, finials and overhanging eaves.

The general layout of the village has been altered through the loss of the thatched and half timbered cottages which lined Bell Lane, Bond End and Millers Lane. In the past 50 years there have been several building phases. Bell Lane, St Edith’s Close, 14-26 Brockhurst Lane, Smite Close, Busby’s Piece, Stocking Meadow and Gate Farm Drive have altered the balance of housing stock. There have also been several infill plots.

Buildings are detached, semi detached or terraced and none greater than two storeys.

DETAILED ARCHITECTURAL ASSESSMENT

In order to make the appraisal more accessible the detailed assessment of the architectural and historic character has been divided into two smaller areas (see map below) and comprise:

Area 1: The Historic Core Area 2: The Eastern Area

The zones are used as a tool to analyse and understand the area rather than to define whole areas as separate entities.

MAP 4 SUB AREAS

Area 1: The Historic Core

This area is the historic centre of the village. A mix of traditional buildings nestles around the village green with traditional elements such as the church and public house providing landmark structures. A sense of enclosure prevails with the landscape dominated environment responding to the countryside setting. Within the character area are sub areas containing development from the second half of the twentieth century.

The heart of the historic core is around the village green. Three Oak trees provide a structural character to the focal green space. It is read in conjunction with the grass verges on the southern approach into the centre and the cemetery to the north-west. The Church of St Edith occupies an elevation position and the tower is the landmark building on the approach into the village. From many points within the settlement the tower is visible, surrounded by trees. The open space around the church adds to its

14 importance and the brick boundary wall, abutting the highway, provides a sense of enclosure and strengthens the rural character.

The secular buildings around the village green all contribute. The styles vary between robust Victorian, timber framed and estate style semi detached buildings. The Denbigh Arms fronts onto the green and has a secondary elevation facing the church. This provides interest in both street scenes. The grounds to the front also contribute to the green character. The pub is read in conjunction with the red brick outbuildings to the south. These also provide the foreground, with the church as the focal point, on the approach from the south.

6 Main Street is a large scale timber framed building. The prominent gable has red brick infill with small paned fenestration. The cross wing is more of a cottage style. This building is the first of a group on the eastern side of the green which incorporate different styles but form a cohesive group. 10 Main Street comprises a two storey red brick Victorian dwelling with a bay to the ground floor. The building is side on to the highway resulting in the front elevation being a focal point on entering the village. It also allows the building to be read with 6 Main Street.

The character of 10 Main Street is echoed to an extent by 3 and 5 Main Street in terms of style and materials. This is the first of a number of estate style semi detached buildings in the Conservation Area. Of red brick and slate it is built in the Victorian Gothic style with gables, finials and decorative bargeboards. The landscaped character is reinforced by the front gardens; the rural character by the picket fencing.

The terrace opposite abuts the highway and creates a strong sense of enclosure. Although incorporating different styles and ridge heights they are read as a group. The variation reflects the different periods of construction. 12-20 Main Street comprises a row of cottages from the seventeenth century with eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth century alterations. The buildings are timber framed with whitewashed brick and render infill under a tiled roof. The group have a simple rural character with rhythm created through the doors and windows. The continuous development leads the eye towards the focal point of the village green from the east and from the village centre into Brockhurst Lane.

Photograph 6 Traditional terracing in the historic core of the village

The transition from Main Street into Brockhurst Lane is achieved through The Old Post Office. The building is timber framed with whitewashed brick infill but unlike its neighbours is detached and has a more imposing impact with spaces to each side. The roof is a rare example of thatch in the village. The building not only links together the two roads but is a focal point on approaching the village from the north.

Photograph 7 The Old Post Office as a focal point

The character of mixed architecture continues with 4-8 Brockhurst Lane. The building has a Gothic character with red brick, tile roof, part timber framing with a jettied first floor, hipped roof and dormer windows. The composition has variation but cohesion is provided through the materials and the unusual boundary wall which comprises ridge tiles.

As with 6 Main Street the property on the corner of Brockhurst Lane is of a larger scale than the surrounding buildings. The building comprises red brick and tile and has a simple cottage style. Although larger it is read with the buildings to the east. Attached is the village hall with an element that abuts the highway. Two pair’s of semi detached properties are set back, one pair painted, one pair of the original red brick. The final building forming this group abuts the road. These buildings are of English bond with the variegated texture of the headers forming an interesting pattern. The character is of varied building lines and styles in providing a cohesive collection of buildings leading towards the centre. The sense of enclosure is strengthened by the buildings on each side of the road.

Photograph 8 The northern side of Brockhurst Lane

The remainder of this character area comprises further sub areas. Bond End accommodates a number of historically important buildings in a linear form. The estate development style is maintained through 7, 9 and 28 Bond End. The paired character of the former is a late Victorian red brick semi detached property under a tiled roof. The facade has twin gables with half hips prominent on the side elevation. 9 Bond End is set behind a red brick boundary wall with a cottage style garden. 28 is a variation on a theme but shares the landscaped and countryside setting and the scale of building.

The character of the timber framed architecture continues on Bond End through 25 and 26. The front is rendered and the cruck frame in the northern elevation is prominent on the street scene.

Twentieth century architecture features prominently. The most integrated is the group of dwellings from the 1950’s on the eastern side of Bond End. The semi detached and terraces are loosely Arts and Crafts through rendered facades and tiled roofs. The consistency of architecture provides a cohesive group brought together by the hedges and trees in the long front gardens. These ensure that the visual impact of the buildings is limited in the street scene. The development also maintains the linear form.

Photograph 9 Low key developments in Bond End

This form is maintained on Bell Lane. To the northern side the dwellings are set well back into the grounds behind mature landscaping. This allows only glimpses of the buildings beyond and results in a rural setting. The dwellings to the south are more open plan and set closer to the road, though incorporating a vernacular slant. Additional landscaping and boundary treatment would enhance the setting.

The development of St Edith’s Close introduces an alien cul de sac form at odds with the traditional linear character. Again additional landscaping and stronger boundary treatment would ensure the development would be more effectively integrated into the Conservation Area.

The character area includes large open spaces. The approaches from the south and west are through fields with grass verges and hedges bordering the highway. The fields are largely open and provide a rural setting to the buildings which generally occupy a lower level than the surroundings. Occasional buildings nestle in the landscaped approach, the most notable being the Old Vicarage. The building is Victorian Gothic and has blue brick diapers, stone mullion and transoms, a fish scale slate roof and prominent chimneys and gables.

This sub area is therefore characterised by the historic buildings surrounding and leading to the village green. A mix of styles complements the landmark buildings including the church, pub and larger scale dwellings on corner locations. There is a strong sense of enclosure, partly provided by the landscaped setting, echoing the surrounding countryside. Many of the buildings within the centre are small scale occupying narrow plots.

18 Photograph 10 Estate development

Area 2: The Eastern Area

The character of this sub area is of a single linear road leading east then north-east with a series of cul de sacs leading off the main highway. The traditional built form comprises former farmhouses and farm buildings, now converted to dwellings, and key landmark buildings such as the school. Small scale estate development becomes more prevalent towards the end of the village. Landscaping and the rural surroundings also feature prominently with open green spaces and grass verges. The linear form of the northern and southern extremities contrasts with the central area which has far greater depth provided by the cul de sacs on the western side.

The western most part of the character area marks the transition between this more agricultural focused environment and the historic core. A line of detached dwellings dating from the latter part of the twentieth century are set well back from the road on the southern side. There are variations on a theme but the buildings are read as a cohesive group. To the north is a key open space. The countryside seeps into the village and forms a large barrier between the two character areas. The space also allows views out beyond the village and represents a major shift from the sense of enclosure to the west. Equally important is the pasture in front of Busby’s Piece.

Photograph 11 The School

There are a number of important buildings which are large in scale and prominent in the street scene. The school marks the change from the countryside character to a greater density of development. Dating from 1912 the building replaced an earlier thatched school. The existing school is large with extensive grounds. The large scale fenestration dominates the facade and contrasts with the red bricks and tiled roof. The building acts as a focal point from both directions and the memorial cross in the foreground provides further interest in the street scene.

This green area is read in conjunction with the landscaped front garden of the dwelling to the south. Of a significant size the building is in the Victorian Gothic style with decorative bargeboards, diamond leaded lights, blue brick diapers and finials.

The school is one of a number of larger buildings which feature. Others include the convent and the former farmhouses. The remainder of the area is characterised by smaller scale and randomly sited buildings and farm buildings nestling in groups of residential buildings.

St Joseph’s convent comprises two main elements; the first abutting the road, the second element on a larger scale set back from the highway. The shape of the building creates areas of enclosure behind the large brick walls which border the pavement.

20 Photograph 12 The Convent

In the northern part of the village the prevalent architectural style is former farmhouses and farm buildings. Brockhurst Farm occupies a prominent location. Two storey rendered elevations are under a tiled roof with substantial bays and sash windows. Gate House Farm comprises a red brick and tiled roof building with overhanging eaves. The character of the facade is provided by the unusual angled brick lintels.

These farmhouses are supported by a series of former farm buildings that have been converted into dwellings. Robust in character the red brick buildings provide a sense of enclosure and maintain the traditional layout of the village. The former farmsteads have been developed for housing.

On the eastern side the scale is smaller. Older properties display the characteristic cottage and estate style and these include Kerbside Cottage and Ellcrys Cottage. The estate design is demonstrated by 46-52. These older buildings mingle with newer development that fit into the characteristic siting and design. The buildings are read as a group with two storey red brick buildings sharing similar designs and siting. Estate cottages, cottages and modern buildings in a simple rural style form a cohesive group. Buildings are generally set abutting the road or in close proximity to the highway resulting in a sense of enclosure. Gaps between buildings however allow glimpses of the countryside beyond and cottage style front gardens contribute.

Much of the development from the latter part of the twentieth century has been in the form of cul de sacs. Smite Close, Busby’s Piece, Stocking Meadow and Gate Farm Drive are self contained roads that rather turn onto themselves. This contrasts with the interaction available with the buildings that follow the traditional form and abut the highway.

The surrounding countryside plays an important role in this character area and fields surround the buildings on all sides. These undeveloped areas provide the foreground to views towards the historic core and reduce the impact of the later built development

21 which provides unusual traditional depth to the village. Although the buildings are clustered together spaces between dwellings provide glimpses of the countryside and relief to the built form.

The countryside setting includes part of the historic park and garden of Newnham Paddox. The south-eastern portion of the Conservation Area incorporates some of the landscaped grounds of the former house. The link is strengthened by the access to the estate leading from the northern part of the village. The connection between the estate and the village is demonstrated by the cemetery and Denbigh Chapel to the north.

This character area therefore comprises a more random and varied form of built development. Larger scale buildings of different styles, such as the former farmhouses and school, occupy prominent locations. The agricultural origins are illustrated by the conversion of the robust former farm buildings. Other buildings are smaller scale and comprise estate cottages and simple rural architecture. Cul de sacs occupy the former farmsteads.

CONTRIBUTION OF UNLISTED BUILDINGS

Such is the collective quality of the prevailing architectural form that a large number of buildings falling within the designation are important unlisted buildings. Around the central core red brick buildings contribute. 10 Main Street is a robust Victorian building with a prominent front elevation providing a focal point on entering the village. 3 and 5 Main Street is a two storey estate style semi detached building under a slate roof. The style is echoed on the eastern side of the village.

The Denbigh Arms occupies a prominent corner location and is a focal point with the village green as the foreground. The outbuildings to the south form an attractive group. Further west the Old Vicarage is a large scale Victorian Gothic house set in extensive grounds.

The buildings completing the historic core along Brockhurst Lane all contribute. Although of different styles they form an important group and maintain the sense of enclosure at the centre of the village.

In the eastern part of the Conservation Area the former farmhouses and outbuildings contribute and provide a visual guide to the origins of the village. To the south the Victorian school occupies a prominent position and is highly visible from both directions. The Victorian Gothic dwelling to the south complements the school.

22 MAP 5 LISTED BUILDINGS AND IMPORTANT UNLISTED BUILDINGS

STREET FURNITURE

Street furniture is an important element in the Conservation Area reinforcing local identity. Traditional elements such as the post box in the wall of the former shop benefit the designation. Granite kerbstones are found throughout the area although concrete kerbs feature.

The telegraph poles carrying wires result in overhead clutter and these could be sited underground. Street lighting is soft white mercury footpath lighting and is limited to occasional lights and has a minimal role in the Conservation Area. Some of the older lights are on wooden poles which are appropriate to their setting. Street name plates are generally metal on posts. In recent years there has been a proliferation of street marking much of which is unnecessary and adds an alien suburban appearance to the village street scene.

The village greens and green verges are relatively uncluttered although the large stones on the main green detract from the simple form of the open space.

Overall a consistent and minimalist approach should be taken to achieve a cohesive appearance to street furniture. This maximises the visual appearance of the village greens and reduces the impact of necessary furniture such as street lighting, road markings and highway signs.

23 MAP 6 KEY VIEWS AND VISTAS

EXISTENCE OF ANY NEUTRAL AREAS

The environmental quality of the Conservation Area is generally good but there are a number of neutral elements. Street furniture, including telegraph poles and the large stones on the village green detract from the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The siting underground of the wires would benefit the area and a lower impact solution to the large boulders should be considered.

The village has experienced significant residential development in the second half of the twentieth century. Some has been well integrated into the settlement such as along the northern side of Bell Lane. Other housing has a rather more suburban character and would benefit from a greater degree of boundary treatment and landscaping. Examples include on the southern side of Bell Lane and St Edith’s Close. The dwellings to the east of the brook are relatively well landscaped though hedges planted adjacent to the fencing would strengthen the green character.

The traditional layout of the village is broadly linear. The cul de sacs on the eastern area, whilst not themselves unduly visually dominant, do not conform to the historic form of the village and are neutral.

The Convent is an attractive and important building in the Conservation Area. It is currently unused and the area of hardstanding to the north is a large expanse of tarmac and is neutral.

A number of the traditional buildings have been extended, many sympathetically. However, on occasions extensions have been too large or have unbalanced the pairs of estate cottages and have a neutral impact.

The Conservation Area includes large areas of undeveloped countryside. Whilst these benefit the setting of the designation many are not of outstanding value. Such areas therefore have a neutral impact.

CONCLUSIONS

The historic character of Monks Kirby Conservation Area has been well maintained and most architectural details in the older buildings have been preserved. The historic form of the village has been retained through the collection of buildings around the village green. The key elements include timber framing, terracing, estate cottages, public house and the dominant church. The second character area comprises the former farmhouses and farm buildings together with further estate development. Green and open spaces and mature trees play a major role in providing a landscape dominated environment to reflect the rural setting.

The overall quality of the Conservation Area remains high with the traditional buildings prevailing. Changes have taken place to buildings but the designation retains its integrity. Enhancements could be achieved however with a greater degree of landscaping to some of the twentieth century development and finding a suitable re-use for the former butchers shop.

PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT

General Condition

The Conservation Area is in a generally good condition in terms of buildings and maintenance of open spaces and landscaping. There are no primary buildings at risk or any in a serious state of disrepair. However, the former butcher’s shop is empty and in need of a sensitive re-use. Another key building is the chapel in the northern cemetery and is considered to be a building at risk. The convent also requires a suitable and sympathetic re-use.

Problems, pressure and capacity to change

Boundary treatment is a further crucial element to the Conservation Area. Removal of the hedges and trees would significantly affect the character. Historic walls, such as bordering the church and convent, should also be retained. Extensions to historic buildings, especially the estate character buildings, need to be handled sympathetically and respect the scale and balance of the buildings.

The lack of suitable uses for historic buildings can lead to deterioration and potential loss of the structures. The former butcher’s shop, convent and chapel in the northern

25 cemetery, are three buildings at risk requiring suitable re-use and sympathetic conversion.

Future management proposals

Opportunities for enhancement

Although the visual quality of the Conservation Area is high there are areas where improvements could take place:

• find a suitable and sympathetic re-use for the former butcher’s shop; • plant additional hedges and trees along the front boundaries of dwellings to further integrate into the landscape dominated environment, sites include along Bell Lane and St Edith’s Close; • additional planting on the rear boundaries of dwellings along the southern side of Bell Lane to further mask the buildings on the approach to the village to strengthen the rural setting; • replace alien tree planting with native species; • consider an alternative to the stones on the village green; • protect and enhance important front gardens, maintain or reinstate the original boundary treatment, brick wall for example, minimise the size of opening for vehicles, reduce large areas of hardsurfacing for parking; • replace alien fenestration, for example where large metal framed windows have replaced the original smaller scale timber fenestration; • find a suitable re-use for the convent that is sympathetic and would enhance the large expanse of tarmac; • restore the northern chapel; • replace concrete roof tiles with slate, thatch or tile using the original as reference; • place overhead wires underground; • use consistent approach to street signs in a style to reflect the rural location, i.e. traditional metal signs on buildings.

26 APPENDIX 1

Summary of listed buildings in Monks Kirby Conservation Area 6-8 Main Street, Grade II. House, C16/early C17, largely rebuilt and altered C19, late C20 alterations. Timber framed with infill, underbuilding and rebuilding of Flemish bond brick. Plain tile roof, brick right end and 2 ridge stacks. T plan with cross wing on left. 2 storeys, 3 window range. C20 open porch in angle has hipped plain tile roof. 8 panelled door in right return side of cross wing. 2 window main range of brick has late C20 two and 3 light casements. Central casement inserted in former doorway. Ground floor openings have brick segmental arches. Cross wing has C19 three light casements with glazing bars, flanked by single lights to ground floor. First floor has massive corner posts. Gable has exposed framing. Left return side has exposed framing to first floor.

25 & 26 Bond End, Honeysuckle & Kingsley Cottage, Grade II. 2 cottages, left part of Kingsley Cottage probably C15/C16 with C19 and C20 alterations. Cruck construction. Front is rendered, with C20 sham window range. Late C20 tile roof. One unit plan, one storey and attic, one window range. Ground floor has C20 one light and 3 light casements. Swept dormer has 3 light C19 casements with glazing bars. Left return side has exposed cruck blades. Rear is altered. Right part of Kingsley Cottage and Honeysuckle Cottage are a C19 range. Brick, with C20 rendering and sham framing to front. Concrete tile roof, brick and stacks. Each is a one unit plan. 2 storeys, 2 bays. Central C20 part glazed door to Kingsley Cottage has slate canopy. Ground floor has C20 three light casements. First floor has C19 two light casement with glazing bars on left.

Church of St Edith, Grade I. Church. C13 chancel, remainder rebuilt late C14. Tower has early C18 parapet. Re-roofed late C16. Restored and vestry added 1869. Regular coursed and ashlar red sandstone, upper part of tower of grey sandstone. Roofs hidden by moulded cornices and parapets. Nave and chancel in one, aisles and chapels in one, south-west tower, south porch, south-east vestry. Decorated and Perpendicular styles. 7 bay nave and chance; 6 bay aisles and chapels. Chancel has splayed plinth. Massive diagonal buttresses of 2 offsets. Shallow pitched roof. 3 light east window has C19 geometrical tracery. Moulded sill course stepped down to left and right. Hood mould with return stops, and string coursed at springing. North side has 2 small blocked Tudor arched windows, and blocked arch window above. 3 light Perpendicular south window has transom and some renewed tracery. Low vestry has splay plinth and clasping buttresses. Chamfered east doorway with hood mould and plank door. Straight headed 2 light Perpendicular windows to east and south. South aisle and porch have moulded and splay plinth. Aisle has 3 large buttresses of 2 offsets with crocketed pinnacles, smaller C19 east buttresses. C19 windows. 3 light Perpendicular east window has deep hollow chamfered jambs and hood mould. South east window has cusped Y tracery. 3 large 3 light windows have unusual curvilinear tracery. Large 2 storey Decorated porch abuts tower. Stepped gable rebuilt C19. Large doorway of 2 moulded orders, chamfered back to square bases. Hood mould continues to form sill course of tower south window. Small 2 light window above has renewed tracery. Small narrow ogee lancet to east.

12-20 Main Street, Grade II. Row of 5 cottages, not of one build. C17 with C18, C19 and C20 alterations. Timber framed with whitewashed brick infill, largely refaced and raised in whitewashed brick. C20 cement tile roof, brick ridge stacks. Lower part of no. 12 on right has C19 plain tile roof and end stack. No. 20 on left has late C20 render.

27 Lower late C20 plain tile roof. Various plans. 2 storeys. C20 2 and 3 light casements throughout. No. 12 on right is a 2 unit plan. 2 window range. Lower right part has large corner post. C19 plank door with brick segmental arch. Lean to addition to right. No. 14 and passage to rear between nos. 14 and 16 have planked doors and brick segmental arches. No. 14 is a 1 unit plan. One window range. C19 three light casement with glazing bars to ground floor. Some exposed heavy framing. No. 16 is a 2 unit plan. 2 window range. Late C20 door and side light inserted in former window opening on right. Blocked doorway. No. 18 is a one unit plan. 2 window range. Plank door. No. 20 is a 3 unit plan. 3 window casements have moulded brick sills. Left return has exposed framing.

The Old Post Office, Grade II. Cottage, C17. Timber framed with whitewashed brick infill. Left return side rebuilt in whitewashed brick. Thatched roof, brick left end and ridge stacks. 3 unit plan. One storey and attic, 2 window range. C20 plank door between first and second bays. Ground floor has 3 cross glazed 3 light casements. First and second bays have raked half dormers and large cross glazed 2 light casements. Right return side has brick infill.

APPENDIX 2

Useful Contacts

A copy of this appraisal will be available at the Rugby library, the Rugby Borough Council office and on the Council’s website at www.rugby.gov.uk.

For specific information about the conservation area and conservation issues please contact:

Forward Planning Rugby Borough Council Town Hall Evreux Way Rugby CV21 2RR

Tel: 01788 533735 Email: [email protected]

Warwickshire County Council kindly provided the Historic Landscape Character information. For further information relating to archaeology including the Historic Landscape Character Analysis contained in the appraisal contact:

County Archaeologist Warwickshire Museum Field Services The Butts Warwick CV34 4SS Tel: 01926 412276 Fax: 01926 412974

For further information relating to listed buildings and conservation areas contact:

28 English Heritage The Axis 10 Holliday Street Birmingham B1 1TG Tel: 0121 6256820 Email: [email protected]

For detailed advice on repairing and restoring Georgian houses, contact:

The Georgian Group 6 Fitzroy Square London W1T 5DX

Tel: 087 1750 2936 Email: [email protected]

For “Care for Victorian Houses” leaflet, contact:

The Victorian Society 1 Priory Gardens Bedford Park London W4 1TT

Tel: 020 8994 1019 Email: [email protected]

For a range of technical advice leaflets, contact:

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) 37 Spital Square London E1 6DY

Tel: 020 7377 1644. Email: [email protected]

APPENDIX 3

Bibliography The Buildings of England – Warwickshire. Nikolaus Pevsner and Alexandra Wedgewood. Penguin Books

Warwickshire Towns and Villages, Geoff Allen, pub Sigma Leisure, 2000

Monks Kirby Village Design Statement

Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment

29 Rugby Borough Local Plan 2006 Saved Policies

Rugby Borough Submission Core Strategy

GLOSSARY

Bargeboards: board at the gable of a building covering the ends of the horizontal roof timbers and forming a ‘V’, often pierced and decorated.

Bay window: window of one or more storeys projecting from the face of the window at ground level.

Casement: window hinged at the side.

Corbel: block of brick projecting from a wall.

Dormer window: window standing up vertically from the slope of a roof.

Framed building: where the structure is carried by the framework.

Mullion: vertical member between the lights of a window opening.

Rendering: the process of covering outside walls with a uniform skin to protect from the weather.

Transom: horizontal member between the lights of a window opening.

Vernacular: the traditional local construction style.

Agenda No 16

AGENDA MANAGEMENT SHEET

Name of Meeting Cabinet

Date of Meeting 14th March 2011

Report Title Urgent Decision under Delegated Powers - Childhood Obesity Project Officer Portfolio Economy, Development and Culture

Ward Relevance All Wards

Prior Consultation The Executive Director, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Economy, Development and Culture Portfolio Holder and the leader of the main Opposition Group. Contact Officer Anna Rose, Head of Planning and Culture, Tel: 01788 533750

Report Subject to Call-in This report is not subject to Call-In because a decision has already been taken under delegated powers.

Report En-Bloc Yes

Forward Plan No

Corporate Priorities This report relates to the following priority(ies):

Ensure all the Borough's residents are aware of our services and can access and influence them Enable our residents, visitors and enterprises to enjoy, achieve and prosper

Statutory/Policy Background

Summary An urgent decision was taken under delegated powers with regard to a two year project to tackle childhood obesity, requiring a part time post for the programme.

CAB14MAR2011 Urgent Decision Childhood Obesity Officer 1

Risk Management There are no risk management implications arising Implications from this report.

Financial Implications Financial implications are detailed in the report.

Environmental Implications Environmental implications are detailed in the report.

Legal Implications There are no legal implications arising from this report.

Equality and Diversity No new or existing policy or procedure has been recommended.

Options 1 : Risks : Benefits :

Recommendation The report be noted.

Reasons for Recommendation

CAB14MAR2011 Urgent Decision Childhood Obesity Officer 2

Agenda No 16

Cabinet - 14th March 2011

Urgent Decision under Delegated Powers - Childhood Obesity Project Officer

Report of the Economy, Development and Culture Portfolio Holder

Recommendation The report be noted.

An urgent decision was taken as detailed below.

This was a new post commissioned by NHS Warwickshire (NHSW), Warwickshire County Council (WCC) and partners, aiming to reduce childhood obesity in various ways including through the provision of evidence based structured 9 week family based workshops promoting the benefits of exercise and nutrition. The project officer would work with targeted schools within Rugby by encouraging and promoting active recreation and healthy lifestyles. The programmes would support families with overweight and/or obese children to maintain a healthy weight using a holistic approach. There are two age ranges, 4 – 7s and 8 – 13s and would take a whole family approach.

Expected outcomes

 Reduce obesity in children before they reach primary school Year 6  Reduce childhood obesity in primary aged children and their families  Improve healthy lifestyles in primary aged children and their families through healthy eating, physical activity and positive mental well-being

The project is to be delivered over a two year period finishing in January 2013. In order to deliver this programme, a 0.6 p/t post is required and would be funded from the £60,000 issued in the bidding round. No further budget is required.

This was an urgency decision as the announcement of success in the funding round was not made until the New Year and delivery needed to start as soon as possible to meet the criteria set. Recruitment would be advertised internally initially.

CAB14MAR2011 Urgent Decision Childhood Obesity Officer 3

Consultation

The Executive Director, in consultation with the Leader of the Council (Councillor Humphrey), the Economy, Development and Culture Portfolio Holder (Councillor Mrs Timms) and the leader of the main Opposition Group (Councillor Shera) agreed that the recruitment of a Childhood Obesity Project Officer as detailed in the report be approved.

CAB14MAR2011 Urgent Decision Childhood Obesity Officer 4