STIRLING COUNCIL
MINUTES of MEETING of the ENVIRONMENT & HOUSING COMMITTEE held in the COUNCIL CHAMBERS, OLD VIEWFORTH, STIRLING on THURSDAY 4 JUNE 2015 at 10.30am
Present Councillor Danny GIBSON (Convener)
Councillor Neil BENNY Councillor Graham HOUSTON (Substitute) Councillor Margaret BRISLEY Councillor Mark RUSKELL Councillor Martin EARL Councillor Violet WEIR Councillor Alycia HAYES (Substitute)
In Attendance
Liz Duncan, Chief Governance Officer, Corporate Operations Elaine Fleming, Performance & Improvement Adviser, Chief Executive’s Office Linda Hill, Regulatory Service Manager, Housing & Environment Dorothy Irvine, Planning Officer, Corporate Operations John MacMillan, Manager, Housing Property, Housing & Environment Catherine Malley, Planning Officer, Corporate Operations Claire Milne, Principal Planning Officer, Corporate Operations Derek Parry, Public Transport Team Leader, Communities & Partnerships Nicole Paterson, Senior Manager - Environment Robert Steenson, Director of Housing & Environment Margaret Wallace, Communities Manager, Communities & Partnerships Iain Wynne, Accountant, Corporate Operations Ian Young, Team Leader Bridges & Flooding, Housing & Environment Michelle MacDonald, Committee Officer, Governance & Resources (Clerk)
EH195 APOLOGIES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Apologies for absence were submitted from Councillor Jim Thomson and Councillor Alasdair MacPherson. Councillor Alycia Hayes was in attendance as substitute for Councillor Thomson and Councillor Houston was in attendance as a substitute for Councillor Alasdair MacPherson.
EH196 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Mark Ruskell declared a non-financial interest in Item 11 on the agenda and intimated that he would take no part in the discussion on this item.
EH197 URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE CHAIR
There were no urgent items of business.
EH198 MINUTES OF MEETING
Environment & Housing Committee – 2 April 2015 Decision The Committee approved the Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 April 2015 as a correct record of proceedings.
EH199 FLOODING: PRIORITISATION OF WORKS AND SCHEMES
The public consultation on SEPA’s draft Strategies and Implementation Plans ended on the 2 June 2015. The draft Strategies and Implementation Plans contain a Short List of Actions for the Stirling Council area, which fulfils the Council’s duty as a Lead Authority under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 to undertake a public consultation on the Local Flood Risk Management Plan.
The National Prioritisation of Actions had been carried out by SEPA and subsequently priority actions with the first six year cycle of the Forth Local Plan District partnership had been agreed at the officer level with SEPA.
Subsequent to all previous studies and reports to the Environment & Housing Committee, the report laid out the proposed Actions (schemes, studies and works) to be carried out in the first Cycle (2016-2022) of the Local Flood Risk Management Plan for the Forth Local Plan District.
The Final Delivery Plan would further specify a) what Actions would be taken forward in the first or second half of the Flood Risk Management Planning Cycle (i.e. in years 1-3 or 4-6); b) by whom and c) how it was to be funded.
It was currently proposed that Stirling Council would deliver four ‘Flood Scheme’ actions within the first 6-year cycle beginning 2016.
In response to a question regarding the Council securing funding from the Scottish Government to support the flood risk management plan, the Convener agreed to arrange to meet with the Leader of Council and Councillor Ruskell.
Decision:
The Committee agrees to:-
1. approve the Prioritised Actions List, for the Stirling Council area, be included in the Local Flood Risk Management Plan for the first 6-year cycle (2016 - 2022); and
2. note that this plan will have financial implications and that a further report will be submitted once the Scottish Government has confirmed the mechanism for allocating Capital support to Local Authorities for delivering these schemes.
(Reference: Report by Director of Housing & Environment dated 12 May 2015, submitted) EH200 PERFORMANCE AND STRATEGIC PRIORITIES PROGRESS REPORT
The report presented the latest information on the performance indicators, and on progress in implementing the strategic priorities and projects overseen by the Environment & Housing Committee.
Performance Indicators currently reported as Hot Spots were (i) Environment Services public enquiries responded to within target, (ii) Absence for Housing & Environment; and (iii) Percentage of customer satisfaction with Housing repairs.
Members commented that the absence rate for Housing & Environment continued to be higher than some other Services. The Director of Housing & Environment stated that the period covered in the report was over the winter months and that the absence rate historically increased at this time. He did advise that a number of capability meetings were scheduled over the coming weeks and that the Service would continue to support employees whilst looking at ways to reduce absence levels.
In response to a Members question in connection with reporting issues which covered the Housing & Environment Service, the Director of Housing & Environment advised that all reporting of the Service was now done on the Lagan system and that reporting should be done via the Council’s Contact Centre.
In response to a question on the Sustainability agenda, Councillor Gibson agreed to arrange a meeting with Director of Corporate Operations and Director of Housing & Environment.
Decision:
The Committee agreed:-
1. the performance of reported indicators (Appendix 1 – Section 1 and 2);
2. progress on the Senior Management Objectives through which the Strategic Priorities and projects overseen by the Environment and Housing Committee were being delivered (Appendix 1 – Section 3); and
3. to note the supplementary performance information on the effectiveness of the waste collection service.
(Reference: Report by Director of Corporate Operations dated 26 May 2015, submitted).
EH201 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT – NEAR FINAL OUTTURN 2014/15
A report by the Director of Housing & Environment advised that the near final outturn for 2014/15 showed expenditure of £19.70 million against a budget of £19.28 million. It was a result of additional income generated and therefore increasing the value of the transfer to the investment programme.
The level of balances retained on the Housing Revenue Account remained at £236,000. The 2014/15 Housing Investment programme budget was £23.30 million with the net spend on the programme at £22.40 million.
The level of new borrowing required for the current year was £3.06 million under budget at around £8.02 million. Of this £2.59 million represented slippage within the New House Building, Investment in Steadfast and Mortgage to Rent and would be carried forward to next year giving an underlying reduction in borrowing of £0.475 million.
The Manager, Housing Property advised that future budgets would show separate headings for Council built properties and properties which the Council had purchased.
Decision:
The Committee noted:-
1. that the expenditure on the Housing Revenue Account was £19,701,000 for 2014/15;
2. that the borrowing requirement for 2014/15 was £8,015,000; and
3. that year end retained balances were £236,000.
(Reference: Report by Director of Housing & Environment, dated 12 May 2015, submitted)
EH202 SHIP/TRANSFER OF LAND OWNERSHIP
On 20 November 2014 the Environment & Housing Committee approved the submission of Stirling’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2015/16 to 2019/20 to the Scottish Government.
The SHIP included two sites to be developed by Forth Housing Association on land currently held on the Council’s Housing Review Account.
Under the terms of the regeneration agreements for both Cornton and Cultenhove, it had been agreed that the Council would transfer the land to Forth Housing Association.
Decision
The Committee approved the transfer of the two sites to be developed by Forth Housing Association on land currently held on the Council’s Housing Revenue Account under the terms of the regeneration agreements for both Cornton and Cultenhove.
(Reference: Report by Director of Housing & Environment dated 27 May 2015, submitted)
EH203 HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION – CONCENTRATION LEVELS The report submitted by the Director of Housing & Environment advised the Committee that all residential properties that were operated as House in Multiple Occupation required to be licensed by the local authority.
Supplementary Planning Guidance currently controlled the concentration levels of Houses in Multiple Occupation through the planning system where planning consent was required for all first time applications for a change of use to create a House in Multiple Occupation.
The existing Supplementary Planning Guidance does not cover purpose built student accommodation, houses where the occupancy levels were between three to five unrelated persons or properties within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Planning Authority area.
An online survey had been opened on Stirling Council’s public website seeking the views of relevant stakeholders on the current concentration levels of Houses in Multiple Occupation across the Stirling Council area. The survey would close on 16 June 2015.
The online survey had been published through local media outlets and all registered private landlords, Letting Agents, Stirling University and Community Councils had been contacted seeking formal responses.
The survey responses would be analysed along with evidence of the current and future needs and demand for high quality private rented housing accommodation to meet the short to medium term demand for Stirling University students in accordance with the relevant statutory guidance.
The outcome would determine the evidence to support the introduction of a House in Multiple Occupation Overprovision policy under the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011, Part 2 and the alignment of supplementary planning guidance to provide cohesive and complimentary regulatory control of concentrations levels of Houses in Multiple Occupation.
Decision
The Committee:-
1. noted that an online survey had been launched seeking the views of the public and relevant stakeholders on the current concentration levels of Houses in Multiple Occupation and would close on 16th June 2015;
2. approved the key milestones for analysing the results of the consultation as set out in Section 3.9 of the report and noted that a recommendation for an Overprovision policy would thereafter be submitted to the Environment & Housing Committee on 17 September 2015; and
3. approved the proposal to align the Supplementary Planning Guidance with the overprovision proposals under the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011.
(Reference: Report by Director of Environment & Housing dated 27 May 2015, submitted) EH204 PROPOSED PLANNING BRIEF: RANDOLPH ROAD, STIRLING
Following a review and relocation of certain NHS services, the Stirling Community Hospital site at Livilands Gate, Stirling, was identified within the Stirling Local Development Plan for redevelopment, which included the provision for additional housing.
NHS Forth Valley and partners continue to progress redevelopment plans, with planning applications submitted for health, clinical and residential care facilities on the site. In order to ensure that any housing proposals from a fully integrated part of the redevelopment, with good linkages into wider surroundings, a Planning Brief was considered appropriate.
The report and the content of Appendix 2 of the report contained the proposed planning brief and set out the proposals by which it would be consulted.
Decision
The Committee agreed to approve for consultation purposes the Planning Brief as contained within Appendix 2 of the submitted report.
(Reference: Report by Director of Corporate Operations dated 12 May 2015, submitted)
EH205 PLANNING POLICY: CONSERVATION AREA CHARACTER APPRAISALS
There were currently eight conservation areas within the Stirling Council area supported by individual Character Statements that exist as supplementary guidance to the adopted Local Development Plan. The eight Character Statements apply to the conservation areas of Ashfield, Blairlogie, Bridge of Allan, Buchlyvie, Doune, Deanston, Fintry and Gargunnock.
These Statements had now been expanded and re-written as Character Appraisals to make them more comprehensive and robust and give them equal status to the full Character Appraisal documents that applied to all of the other Stirling Council conservation areas. The draft Appraisals were subject to a recent consultation process which had been dealt with in this report.
The Planning Officer advised that copies of the draft appraisals had been sent to all the local community councils and had also been placed in local libraries and the mobile library.
Decision
The Committee agreed to: -
1. approve the proposed Council response to the comments received to the eight draft Character Appraisals (contained within Appendix 2 of the submitted report); 2. submit the eight conservation area Character Appraisals (contained as Appendix 3 of the submitted report) to Scottish Ministers and afford them a minimum period of 28 days to recommend any amendments in line with statutory requirements; and
3. adopt the eight conservation area Character Appraisals as Supplementary Guidance to the Stirling Local Development Plan after the period of 28 days had elapsed, unless Scottish Ministers indicate otherwise.
(Reference: Report by Director of Corporate Operations dated 11 May 2015, submitted)
EH206 DECRIMINALISED PARKING ENFORCEMENT IMPLEMENTATION
A report by the Director of Housing & Environment updated the Committee on progress towards implementing Decriminalised Parking Enforcement within Stirling Council by summer 2016.
An application is required to be made to the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland requesting the Decriminalisation of Parking Enforcement, and it must include a financial business case on how the scheme would be operated and confirmation that all waiting restrictions were accurately represented in regard to signing and lining on site. It would be ready for submission by the end of 2015, enabling the application to be submitted with target commencement by summer 2016.
The Council had engaged the services of an external specialist advisor to assist with both the preparation of the feasibility study/business case for the introduction of Decriminalised Parking for Stirling Council, and a comprehensive survey to determine the current condition of signs, lines and road markings and relate to parking, waiting and loading restriction Traffic Regulation Orders. The subsequent digitised mapping of all parking restrictions would form the basis of the new single Traffic Regulation Order required for Decriminalised Parking powers.
Members were requested to note that there was no opportunity to reverse the Decimalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) process once the Scottish Government made the necessary Designation Order.
In response to a Member’s question the Director of Housing & Environment advised that the Service would be working towards expanding the Enforcement Officer role to incorporate a wider responsibility of not only issuing parking fines but also to include the issuing of litter fines and dog fouling fines.
The Director of Housing & Environment stated that parking bays which were designated for electronic car charging would also be included in the enforcement restrictions.
In response to a Member’s question regarding the financial business case which requires to be submitted to the Scottish Government along with the application requesting Decriminalisation of Parking Enforcement, the Director of Housing & Environment advised that an all Member Briefing would be arranged towards the end of the year to outline the financial business case. Committee members acknowledged the amount of work that had been undertaken to date by Officers and asked that their thanks be recorded.
Decision
The Committee:-
1. noted that work had commenced on the feasibility study / business case, and the complete review of all signs, lines and road markings associated with existing parking restriction Traffic Regulation Orders, converting to a GIS map based system compliant with e-government;
2. authorised the Director of Housing & Environment to make application to the Scottish Government for Decriminalised Parking Enforcement Powers, on completion of the required business case; and
3. noted that an extensive consultation and publicity / information campaign would take place throughout the implementation of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement.
(Reference: Report by Director of Housing & Environment dated 12 May 2015, submitted)
EH207 DEMAND RESPONSIVE TRANSPORT - UPDATE
The purpose of the report was to update the Environment & Housing Committee on the progress of the priority based budgeting option regarding Demand Responsive Transport (DRT).
On 20 February 2014, Council instructed council officers to review supported transport provision, including DRT to establish whether there was a more cost- effective delivery model.
The outcome of the review included a recommendation to establish a centralised booking system for DRT; to support efficient use of resources and improve the governance of the booking process.
The DRT booking software had now been purchased and would be implemented in all appropriate areas. Communities were consulted and as part of the wider review all comments and recommendations subsequently considered.
In response to a Member’s question, the Public Transport Team Leader advised that once the new service was operational a review would be undertaken on various aspects of the service including the booking time slots open to the public. It was necessary to get the service up and running and that customer comments would be taken on board.
Decision
The Committee agreed to note the content of the report and the delegated decision taken by officers to make the recommended changes outlined in 3.5 of the report.
(Reference: Report by Director of Communities & Partnership dated 26 May 2015, submitted) Prior to the commencement of the following item of business, Councillor Gibson advised that he was a Council representative on the Order of Malta Dial A Journey Board.
EH208 PARK AND RIDE AND LOCAL BUS CONTRACT VARIATIONS
Under Section 63(2) of the Transport Act 1985, Scottish Local Authorities can provide local bus services that the Council considers appropriate, to meet public transport requirements within their area. Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Enterprise (WAVE) Ltd provided some of these services on behalf of Stirling Council.
On 12 February 2015, WAVE, served notice to terminate four local bus contracts after considering that the business was not financially viable. This affected both Park and Ride and local bus services, with the following areas affected;
Services P1/P2: Springkerse and Castleview Park & Ride Service C48: Bannockburn – Stirling – Dunblane – Kinbuck – Braco Services C66/C67: Dunblane – Doune (Dunblane Town Service)
Due to the restricted time-scale and risk to public services, a negotiated approach was taken to identify the most appropriate course of action, with assistance from Corporate Procurement.
An option appraisals exercise had been completed to safeguard public services and ensure an acceptable solution was found within the notice period.
Members thanked Officers for the work that they had undertaken to date to ensure the bus services remained.
The Public Transport Team Leader advised that the Service would consider adjusting the timetables and that any feedback and suggestions would be welcomed.
Decision
The Committee agreed:-
1. to note the content of the report and the delegated decisions taken by Officers to vary the contracts as set out in Option 3 of Paragraph 3.5 of the report; and
2. to note the Park & Ride delegated decision within option 3, to transfer the buses to a new operator as identified under paragraph 4.6.2 of the report.
(Reference: Joint Report by Director of Communities & Partnerships and Environment & Housing dated 26 May 2015, submitted)
The Convener closed the Meeting at 12.05pm