Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests, and the nature of that interest, in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider and approve the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 15 June 2010.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive on 15 June 2010 together with the accompanying decision records be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

The Executive considered the reports submitted on the items listed below and the decisions taken are recorded in the decision sheets attached to these minutes and summarised below:

To consider changing the allocation of funding in the housing strategy programmes.  The programmes were agreed by members in July 2009 and due to residential market conditions some elements of the programme have proven difficult to deliver.  In addition the report proposes a new scheme to enable households to buy a home in Bracknell Forest with help from the Council.

RESOLVED that

1          An equity share scheme to enable first time buyers to buy a home is established in Bracknell Forest.

2          Subject to the decision above, £1 million is allocated from the existing housing capital programme to support the equity share scheme in 2010/11 to fund a maximum of 20 equity shares in this financial year.

3          The delivery of the equity share scheme is managed externally from the Council.

4          The revised housing strategy programme of spend as set out in Appendix A to the report be agreed.

To review the Council’s My Choice Housing Allocations Policy following the first six months of operation and to consider changes to the element of the policy which relates to out of borough applicants which is not operating as initially expected.

RESOLVED that

1          The order of priority for selecting successful bids for properties be amended and awarded on the basis of:

Local connection followed by;

The applicant in the highest band (A-E)

2          Within each band, priority be given to applicants according to the date of placement in the band; in cases where an applicant has 2 or more children, those with different genders where one is over 10 years will be prioritised ahead of those with younger children or children of the same gender.

3          Out of borough applicants will be considered on a case by case basis to identify whether a local connection with the borough can be established.

To consider a report relating to the Local Development Framework – Site Allocations Development Plan Document in the light of emerging government advice on changes to existing planning policies.

RESOLVED that

1          The preferred option consultation on the SADPD be deferred  to Autumn 2010.

2          The content of the Indicative Option Working Paper at Appendix C to the report, which could form the basis of future consultation subject to the review of the Borough’s housing target be noted.

3          Further work continues on the following:

·         further analysis of options consultation responses,

·         production of a revised programme for the remaining stages of the SADPD as further clarity emerges from Government,

·         masterplanning of potential sites and further discussions with landowners/developers on the development and infrastructure delivery potential for urban extension sites,

·         completion as soon as possible of the Supplementary Planning Document for the South Warfield area as identified in the Core Strategy,

4          Based on the housing numbers in the adopted Core Strategy and the rationale at paragraph 5.7 below, the following Broad Areas identified in the Options Consultation be excluded from consideration for development up to 2026:

Broad Area 1 – South West Sandhurst

Broad Area 6 – North Warfield

Broad Area 7 – Chavey Down – Longhill Road

Broad Area 8 – East Bracknell

To approve revisions to the Climate Change Action Plan, aligned to the Council’s financial year from April 2010.

RESOLEVED that the revisions to the Climate Change Action Plan (April 2010) in Annex A to the report be approved.

To provide an update on the significant issues that are likely to impact upon the Council’s budget in future years and represents the first step towards setting a budget for the 2011/12 financial year and beyond.

RESOLVED that

1          The Commitment Budget for the period 2011/12 to 2014/15, summarised in Table 1 of the report be approved.

2          The proposed budget process for 2011/12 as set out in paragraphs 5.12 to 5.15 of the report be approved.

To inform the Executive of the performance of the Council over the fourth quarter of 2009/10 (January-March 2010).

RESOLVED that the performance of the Council over the period from January to March 2010, highlighted in the Overview Report in Annex A be noted.