Agenda item

To set out the Work Programme of the Policy Development Panel and to request items for consideration for inclusion (report of the Interim Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) enclosed).

The Panel considered a report by the Interim Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) which set out the Work Programme of the Policy Development Panel.

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report which outlined the following main points:

Appendix A set out the dates of future Panel meetings along with proposed items for consideration. The programme included policies that were either due for review, were overdue, or were undertaking their first annual review.

Appendix B set out the Task Groups that had been identified by the Panel. The South Holland Centre Task Group was still current but had been paused pending the receipt and implementation of the business plan.

The Chairman raised the following points in respect of Appendix A:

• Regarding the pending Work Programme items, the Chairman queried whether the Strategic Tenancy Policy could come forward to the Panel in the near future.
  • The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership responded that the Strategic Tenancy Policy was not in a position to come forward however a briefing note regarding its current status could come forward if required.
    • The Chairman agreed that a briefing note would not be required for the next Policy Development Panel meeting, but this would be kept under review for the future.

The Chairman referred to Appendix B, and raised the following points in connection with ongoing Task Groups:

• In respect of the South Holland Centre Task Group: three Task Group members would need to be recruited to replace the two members who had not been re-elected at the May 2023 election, and the one member who had moved to the Executive. The Chairman asked for volunteers and the following members stated their wish to be involved when the Task Group was reconvened:
  • Cllr Jan Whitbourn;
  • Cllr Ingrid Sheard; and
  • Cllr Mark Le Sage.
• The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Task Group would remain on hold until the appropriate time.

The Chairman raised the following in respect of pending task groups:

The Chairman requested that members consider whether they wished to scrutinise any existing policies or suggest the creation of new ones where a need had been identified. Suggestions could come forward at the current meeting or at future meetings. The Chairman asked members to be mindful of officer capacity when considering the creation of new task groups. A task group was not always necessary for the formation of a new policy.

A discussion ensued around the potential formation of a new district-wide Street Scene Policy with a proposed aim of improving the aesthetic qualities of shop frontages. Members stated that:

·       Some residents were uncomfortable with full coloured vinyl treatments on shop windows;

·       The reasons some businesses chose to install full vinyl window treatments needed to be understood;

·       A policy would need to be in place to enable enforcement action, should this be required; and

·       It was requested that Spalding Town Forum had the opportunity to engage with the formation of the policy.

• • The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership responded that:
    • Both small businesses and large corporation chains utilised vinyl window treatments;
    • The transparency of shop windows was preferred in respect of public safety and Trading Standards however reasons for proposed changes to existing practices needed to be clearly established;
    • The window treatment topic had been explored previously at SHDC which established that the Planning Framework did not allow for enforcement against full vinyl window treatments;
    • The reasons why members of the public either patronised or avoided shops with vinyl window treatments needed to be understood, and not assumed, through the collation of data; and
    • Work involving the treatment of shop windows could be incorporated into wider community projects which looked at town centre safety.
• The Chairman concluded the discussion by acknowledging the Panel’s desire to investigate the subject of shop frontages and to this end it was requested that:
  • the topic be included in the Work Programme of the 11 October 2023 Policy Development Panel meeting in order to discuss a potential Street Scene Policy Task Group; and
  • to assist the initial process, a briefing note come forward from the Head of Planning which outlined any relevant areas of enforcement covered by existing Planning law/conditions.

• Members asked whether a Volunteers Policy currently existed.

AGREED:

a)    That the Policy Development Panel Work Programme 2023/2024 be noted; and

b)    That the development of a Street Scene Policy Task Group be discussed at the 11 October 2023 Policy Development Panel meeting.