Minutes:
58.1 The Leader and Portfolio Holders gave brief updates on current issues not reported elsewhere on the agenda:
· The report commissioned jointly by the Surrey Districts and Boroughs from KPMG would be published shortly. The report included recommendations on co-operation between councils, and there had been some preliminary discussions with neighbouring authorities on saving costs and improving services to residents through working more closely.
· The property acquisition agreed by the Executive at the meeting on 20 November had been completed.
· Surrey County Council’s Planning & Regulatory Committee had met on 27 November and refused to grant planning permission for UKOG to drill for hydrocarbons on land at Dunsfold. This vindicated the strong and consistent opposition to the proposals by Waverley Borough Council and local residents.
· Community Safety Officers were continuing to work with the community during the pandemic, and all councillors were asked to encourage residents and businesses to comply with the Tier 2 restrictions coming into effect from Wednesday.
· The procurement of the of the Housing Maintenance contract was progressing with preparation of the specification and the associated documents and data. Cllr Rosoman thanked the Housing O&S Committee for their contribution to the procurement project. The O&S Committee was also progressing its review of design standards for new affordable housing developed by the council.
· The Government had published its Social Housing White Paper, setting out a new Charter for social housing residents. It was disappointing to see the continued focus on home ownership rather than a commitment to providing more affordable homes for rent.
· The Local Plan Part 2 consultation went live last Friday and would continue to 29 January 2021. The Regulation 16 consultation on the Chiddingfold Neighbourhood Plan was also underway, and would remain open until 11 January 2021.
· The Brightwells Yard development was still on track to open in July 2021, but progress on signing up more commercial tenants was very slow. The roadworks had been put back until after Christmas, and it was possible that the highways works would be taken over by SCC and integrated with the Farnham Infrastructure Project. An Active Travel Scheme for Farnham was one of ten schemes being considered by SCC, with the possibility that it might provide a connection between the station and Brightwells Yard.
· Car park usage had increased to around 60% of normal rates before the national lockdown was imposed, but had fallen back to 35-40% in the last few weeks.
· Requests to use council-owned land for events were being considered on a cautious, risk-based approach but were not being ruled out as a matter of principle.
· Click it Local Waverley had been launched today, funded from Re-opening High Streets Safely Grant, providing a shared on-line shopfront for businesses in Waverley and for customers who wanted to shop local but were unable to get to the shops in person. The first orders had already been placed via the new website.
· Opportunities were being sought to provide space in the council offices at The Burys to commercial or community users, to capitalise on the lowered space requirements of the council. The new Horizon planning system had been launched in Building Control and was being tested across Planning before going live in January; and Waverley’s new website would be launching later in the month.
· The Communications Team had been focussed on communicating details to residents of the Tier 2 restrictions that would apply to the whole of Surrey at the conclusion of national lockdown.
· Congratulations to the Mayor of Haslemere, Haslemere Town Council and Haslemere Vision on the passing of the Haslemere Neighbourhood Plan on Monday evening.