ITEM 2 Minutes of the Parish Assembly held on Thursday 18th June 2009 7pm in the Council Chamber, Civic Offices

Present Cllr Vanessa McPake (Chair) Council Cllr Charles Mitchell Astwood and Parish Council Cllr Alex Kidd Broughton and Milton Keynes Parish Council Cllr Dai Evans Calverton Parish Meeting Cllr Tom Fraser Parish Council Cllr David Pafford Campbell Park Parish Council Cllr Philip Ayles Town Parish Council Cllr Bert Tapp Castlethorpe Parish Council Cllr Robin Thompson Parish Council Cllr Kate Porter Parish Council Cllr Alan Francis Parish Council Cllr Marie Collins New Bradwell Parish Council Cllr Derek Eastman Town Council Cllr Roz Hatton Parish Council Cllr David Rumens Olney Town Council Cllr Bethan Norfor Parish Council Cllr James Buxton Parish Council Cllr Adrian Dnes Town Council Cllr Rosemary O’Sullivan Stony Stratford Town Council Cllr Marisa Cork Walton Parish Council Cllr Normans Wilkes Parish Council Cllr David Hopkins Wavendon Parish Council Cllr Jacky Jefferys Town Council Cllr Hilary Saunders and Greenleys Town Council Cllr Tina El Shabrawy Parish Council Cllr Margaret Roberts Woughton Parish Council 3 members of the public Officers: Caroline Godfrey (Community Liaison Manager) Shelagh Muir (Snr Community Liaison Officer) Paul Robinson (Policy Manager) Richard Solly(Community Safety Manager) Steve Gillions (Senior Highways Engineer) Jan Philips(Regeneration Co-ordinator) Zahra Dhamani (Business Support Assistant – Minutes)

ITEM 1 APOLOGIES and SUBSTITUTIONS Cllr Andrew Geary ( Park Ward) Cllr Jean Nicholas ( and Tattenhoe Parish Council) Gillian Nicol(Weston Underwood Parish Council) Cllr Chris Mottram (Shenley Church End Parish Council) Cllr Mike Horton ( Parish Council), Cllr Robin Garrett (Simpson Parish Council) Cllr David Stabler ( Parish Council) Cllr Charles Allum (Great Linford Parish Council) Cllr David Hunt (North Crawley Parish Council) Cllr Jeannette Green (Walton Parish Council) Cllr Sam Potts (Astwood & Hardmead Parish Council) Olivia Clymer (Corporate Manager – Regeneration)

ITEM 2 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING and MATTERS ARISING Amendments to made to the apologies and ensure clarity on page four, last paragraph.– CG to amend and VMcP to sign off as an accurate account. DR – regarding the Plain English response to LAAs – request for further notes to be circulated

ITEM 3 MILTON KEYNES PARTNERSHIP Update from Cheryl Montgomery Information was been handed out and is attached to these minutes. Main points to highlight are:

• Community development began in Broughton Gate funded by the Tariff. CM thanked B & MKPC, who “topped up” the funds available for the community mobiliser, Corrina Miller, to enable her to work in both

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Broughton and Broughton Gate.

• MKP are working with MKC on ways to improve the supply of affordable housing. They are looking at a number of smaller sites in public ownership which can offer a variety of affordable tenures. Parish Councils and Ward Members will be the main point of contact with the local community as consultation proceeds. MKC Planners are considering the suitability of each site, aiming for an initial group of six sites; this work should be completed by the end of the summer. Over the summer MKP will seek expressions of interest from about 145 housing associations. In late summer MKP, MKC and the chosen housing association will arrange meetings with the appropriate parish council (i.e., where a particular site is located) and elected members for an initial briefing to start the dialogue with the local community.

• MKP are working with MKC to identify areas with outstanding adoption issues. MKP has brought together a specialist team of staff who will ensure progress is made.

• Business Plan – now known as the Local Investment Plan – will identify projects for growth and regeneration and the funding streams which support them. The investment plan is available on the website. The plan is available on CD, which is the preferred method of distribution; and hard copies will be available at the beginning of July.

Questions AD raised a problem with contacting CM by email. ACTION – CM to investigate

RH - Regarding affordable housing – will PC visit the sites and what does the term affordable housing cover?

CM -explained the term for “affordable” housing generally means homes that are subsidised and which cover a range of tenures. If members go to www.hca.gov.uk there is a more in-depth definition. The possible sites are currently with MKC planning department and they will advise MKP and MKC Housing which are suitable. At that point parish council’s will be contacted.

TF - Some areas are not large enough to attract S106 contributions, is it possible to have some smaller areas aggregated to make them into viable areas for S106?

ACTION CM – to investigate

A member raised the recent press reports that Broughton was “undesirable” CM responded that there have been no problems as reported in the media.

DR - Raised the rail link from and the north?

CM responded that train operators, not network rail, had issued a report of their preferred options and this is available at www.atco.co.uk.

VMcP – stated that London Midland are to attend a scrutiny meeting on 16th July and if any one has questions about the London Midland and commuter issues

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please attend, this is a public meeting, at Christ the Cornerstone Church, 7.30pm.

ITEM 4 ITEMS REFERRED BY PREVIOUS ASSEMBLES ITEMS RAISED BY TOWN and PARISH COUNCILS

Local Area Agreements (LAA) Update by Paul Robinson

A LAA is a 3-year agreement that sets out the priorities for the local area agreed by central government and a local area (represented by the local authority, the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) and key partners). The Milton Keynes LAA 2008-2011 was signed off in June 2008.

The LAA is subject to an annual refresh process. This provides an opportunity for the local area and the government to consider refreshing existing targets (particularly important now due to the current economic climate) or to agree outstanding targets.

The LAA comprises: a. A set of pre-existing statutory educational and early years targets b. 34 improvement targets drawn from the national indicator set (of 198 indicators). c. also includes 2 purely locally-agreed targets - to better reflect the full range of challenges for Milton Keynes (although central Government does not require any reporting of local targets). The locally agreed targets relate to waste and the number of deaths on the road.

These targets were chosen following extensive consultation and reflect those issues where value can be added by partners working together.

The LSP has identified six thematic partnerships to oversee the delivery of the targets within the LAA. Town and Parish councils can influence the outcomes through these partnerships.

ACTION - PR will circulate the list of partnerships.

It was confirmed that no new money, either centrally or locally, has been made available to support the delivery of these targets. This has had to be found within existing budgets. However, central government has set aside money as an LAA reward grant for those areas who achieve a certain percentage of their targets.

A reward score will be worked out for each indicator in the LAA, representing performance against target. The average of these scores will then be calculated and the appropriate amount of reward determined. If the average reward score is: • 100 per cent, the total reward the area is eligible to receive is payable; • 60 per cent and above, reward will be determined against the scale referred to above; • Below 59.9999 per cent, no reward will be payable.

The maximum Milton Keynes can expect is just under £1.5 million if we achieve 100%. Claims for Performance Reward Grant will be paid in two instalments during 2011/12 and 2012/13. Discussions have yet to take place locally on how 6

any reward grant might be distributed.

Comprehensive Area Assessment

Milton Keynes Council and its partners such as the NHS, Police and Fire and Rescue Service are playing an increasingly broader role in leading the community, delivering change and tackling the challenges facing the city. These challenges require effective local governance and purposeful engagement with local people in their various roles as taxpayers, residents, service users, employers and volunteers.

To reflect these changes, there has been a radical shake up of the way public services are inspected and reported on. These changes took effect from this April 2009 and have been incorporated into a new assessment - Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA).

For the first time, Milton Keynes’s public services will be held collectively to account for their impact on better outcomes for people. This means that CAA will look across the council, health, police, fire and rescue service and others responsible for local public services, which are increasingly expected to work in partnership to tackle the challenges facing communities.

Six independent inspectorates will be working together to gather information and make the joint assessments and, rather than being an inspection ‘event’, the CAA will be an annual ongoing and iterative process. The first report is expected in Autumn 2009.

Questions DR - how can we go about raising issues surrounding targets? PR responded that the LSP has identified six thematic partnerships to oversee the delivery of the targets within the LAA. Town and Parish councils can influence the outcomes through these partnerships.

AF - If targets haven’t been set, how can they be assessed for reward? Will the town and parish councils be involved with discussions? PR - in some cases there has been national delays in the collection of baseline data so it has been difficult to define specific targets. The ‘owners’ of each of the targets in the LAA has been asked to develop an improvement plan setting out how it is proposed to achieve the target. The thematic partnerships will consider these plans and continually monitor progress against them. Town and parish councils may feed their views on the improvement plans/targets through those partnerships.

A member raised that the item requested at the previous assembly by West that the reward grant received by MKC for meeting LAA targets goes to the older areas such as was not answered. VMcP responded that she has raised this with Geoff Snelson (Corporate Director –Strategy) PR commented that, as he referred to earlier, Milton Keynes receiving an LAA reward grant is dependent upon its performance in achieving the targets. There has been no discussion as yet as to how any grant that is received will be distributed. Town and parish councils will be kept informed. VMcP stated that it was not possible to be more specific with questions as yet.

Motion of Assembly – To consider that the question raised by West Bletchley has been dealt with? 7

DE put forward RH seconded None against

DP - How do you set a target to cover the whole of Milton Keynes to take into account urban and rural areas?

PR – it is difficult to do as some of the data available will be on a borough wide basis. Those agencies responsible for the delivery of the targets are continually investigating how they can improve upon how data is collected to reflect local circumstances.

Some information was sent out very early on in the stages of the project – CG will go back and look at the consultation which took place in April 2007 and see what engagement processes there were. ACTION – CG to advise

DE – can I assume that parish councils and town councils will be involved in the CAA? PR – yes.

Public gallery – Isabella Fraser advised; for information, town and parish councils can be involved through the delivery of the Sustainable Community Strategy.

ITEM 5 COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP – Section 17 (Crime & Disorder Act 1998) Referred by 12 March Parish Assembly Presentation by Richard Solly – attached to these minutes

Questions DE raised the issues of young people buying and consuming alcohol.

RS explained that a study in Sheffield summarised that of the total population of young people consuming alcohol, a third obtained it illegally from shops, a third from their homes and a third asked older people to buy it and distribute to young people. There is a similar trend in MK and we are tackling shops and pubs vigorously. Trading Standards have an ongoing programme of monitoring alcohol sales Youth Service tackle this from the education angle.

TF - Town and parish councils can ask for an exclusion zone in their areas. Regarding section 17 – clerks are working with RS to roll out their duties to consider crime reduction in every policy and action via their staff.

RS agreed that members are responsible for section 17 but the Community Safety Partnership lead on the implementation. There is a need to clarify communication patterns and responsibility.

ITEM 6 ADOPTIONS PROGRESS (Requested by Previous Parish Assemblies) Presentation by Steve Gillions – attached to these minutes SG gave thanks to Jackie Bell at HCA for all her work and help with the adoptions issues and advised that she was a driving force for this project.

Questions AF - does MKC have the power to demand any level of bond or cash deposit from developers? Is more power needed? SG - there are limitations to the powers we have, in some areas we are limited by 8

the developer and some by utilities such as Anglian Water. We try and work with all to get the desired outcome but when the contract is not with MKC but between the developer and Anglian Water for example, we are unable to intervene and have to wait for issues to be resolved. Anglian Water are currently being very helpful.

PA - When would the practice of standard bank bonds be in place and do they cover Anglian Water for example? SG - MKC is not party to a Bond between Anglian Water and the developer and therefore cannot comment on the action that Anglian Water take. Bank Bonds can not be requested before planning approval and formal consultation.

BN - When will the outstanding list of adoption issues be distributed? SG – it will be comprehensive as possible to be shared with the town and parish councils and should be completed by the end of July.

Will the new Adoptions procedure be available for circulation?

Due to be ready by the end of the month from Martin Small

ACTION – Jamie Chalmers to provide list (also due to be available on the web)

DR – asked if there a list of the estimated dates when all adoptions will be complete. Also there seems to be a loop hole in planning permission regarding landscaping.

SG – yes there is a list. He understand concerns; the system could be improved and there are proposals to improve the procedures. With reference to landscaping; this needs to be raised with planning as part of the planning consultation process.

DE - raised the issue as to when a road etc is adopted. SG explained that in principle, when a road is finished it can be adopted. However this may not be the best time because if there is further works be carried out, the road may then become damaged to due to heavy vehicle use etc. It is therefore prudent to wait until the whole development is completed in order that the developer puts right any damage before the adoption take place therefore saving MKC additional costs.

DR - Regarding rural development, the town and parishes councils need more guidance on how to deal with developers.

SG - There is a planning workshop on 1st July to which the town and parish councils have been invited and Officers are investigating holding a second evening workshop.

ITEM 7 RURAL STRATEGY (Requested by 12 March Parish Assembly) Presentation by Jan Phillips - attached to these minutes.

Questions RH - has the criteria for houses been sorted out yet?

JP – the rural exception scheme is there for those with a connection with a village.

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PA – broadband issues; can any other the forums help with these issues and to get high speed connections?

JP advised that 25% of the population live in rural areas and broadband connections has been raised as an issue at the South East Rural Forum, for which JP is the MK representative and that the chair of the forum Andrew Bowles is working with the regional development agency (SEEDA) and Government following their recent announcement that all should have access to broadband. VMcP will look into this issue. Action - VMcP

JJ raised points around the Plus Bus and the Hospital Transport Scheme “Health Connect”, JP responded that Health Connect is nothing to do with the Plus Bus as such, it is for anyone in the community regardless of circumstance while the Plus Bus is provided for disabled and frail elderly residents of Milton Keynes who are unable to use mainstream public transport.

ITEM 8 - ANNOUNCEMENTS BY TOWN and PARISH COUNCILS

None Advised

Cllr Sam Crooks (Leader) came in towards the end of the meeting and apologised for arriving late as he had attended another meeting on the future of Milton Keynes post 2025 and the launch of the master plan. He stated that he valued the contributions parish councils make to their communities and the vitality of Milton Keynes and was looking forward to working with them in partnership. Cllr Crooks also advised that he is looking to build and expand the Parish Partnership Fund year on year and thanked members for their time.

Cllr McPake closed the meeting at 9.30pm

Date of next meeting

Thursday 1st October 2009

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