26 07 2004

5.

APOLOGIES

Apologies for inability to attend the meeting were submitted on behalf of the Mayor and Councillor Davis.

6.

MINUTES

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Board meetings held on 10 March 2004 and      1 July 2004 be approved and signed by the Chairman as true and correct records.

7.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS

Under Standing Order 3.6 the following question was asked by Mr J More, Vice-Chairman of the Gosport Allotment Holders and Gardeners Association:

“To ascertain the status of the Draft Cultural Strategy referred to as complete at the Policy and Overview Scrutiny Committee meetings of 23 February 2004 and 17 March 2004, and thus referred to this Board for adoption, so that this Board considers the Gosport Allotment Holders and Gardeners Association should be fully involved in the item listed ‘to identify and implement a range of improvements to allotment sites’”.

The Chairman replied as follows: “Following agreement of the revised Draft Cultural Strategy at Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee the draft was circulated to a number of groups and organisations for comment.

Consultation responses were received and are presently being incorporated into the document. The strategy will be brought to the next meeting of this Board for adoption.

In relation to allotment sites I can confirm that the Allotment Holders and Gardeners Association will be included in the process of identifying and implementing improvements to allotment sites.”

PART II

8.

GOSPORT BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN REVIEW: OPEN SPACE MONITORING REPORT

Consideration was given to a report by the Director of Development and Environment (a copy of which is affixed in the Minute Book as Appendix “A”), which presented to Members for approval the Open Space Monitoring Report, which had been prepared in consultation with the Development Plans Steering Group and agreed by the Steering Group at its meeting on 5 May 2004.

The document had been prepared as a background document to the Revised Deposit Gosport Borough Local Plan Review.

The Open Space Monitoring Report provided up-to-date information relating to the quality and quantity of open space within the Borough and included the results of the Open Space Audit, a requirement of the Government’s Planning Policy Guidance Note 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation.

The information contained within the Monitoring Report had been used to provide a justification for the policies of the Gosport Borough Local Plan Review relating to both the protection of existing open spaces and the provision of new open space.

Members congratulated the officers involved in the production of the report.

RESOLVED: That

(i)                 the Borough Council adopt the Open Space Monitoring Report and publish it as a background paper to the Revised Deposit version of the Gosport Borough Local Plan Review; and

(ii)               the Open Space Monitoring Report be made available for purchase at a price of £30.00 (plus £3.00 postage and packing).

9.

SOLENT EUROPEAN MARINE SITES: DRAFT MANAGEMENT SCHEME

Consideration was given to a report by the Director of Development and Environment (a copy of which is affixed in the Minute Book as Appendix “B”), which presented to Members the Draft Management Scheme for the Solent European Marine Sites.

Members were advised that Gosport Borough’s area included part of the Portsmouth Harbour Special protection Area/Ramsar site, which was one of the seven areas that made up the Solent European Marine Sites and was recognised by the European Union as an internationally important nature conservation site.

Members were advised that the document, once approval had been obtained from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, would fulfil the Borough Council’s responsibilities under Section 34 of the Habitats Regulations, which made provision for relevant authorities to devise a management scheme in order to protect the designated areas. The Management Scheme had been produced in partnership with a number of organisations including English Nature, the Environment Agency, other local authorities, including Portsmouth City and Fareham Borough Councils, and the appropriate Harbour Authorities including the Queen’s Harbour Master.

RESOLVED: That Gosport Borough Council adopt the Solent European Marine Sites Management Scheme and advise the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs accordingly.

10.

APPROVAL OF THE STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS

Consideration was given to a report by the Borough Treasurer (a copy of which is affixed in the Minute Book as Appendix “C”), which set out the background to the requirement for Members to approve the Statement of Accounts, which would shortly be made available for public inspection and audit, together with some brief notes on the statement and outturn position.

RESOLVED: That

(i)                 the Statement of Accounts for the Financial Year ending 31 March 2004 be received and approved; and

(ii)               the variances detailed in Appendix C of the Borough Treasurer’s report be noted.

11.

TRANSFER OF LAND AT CHERQUE FARM, LEE-ON-THE-SOLENT FROM

PERSIMMON HOMES TO GOSPORT BOROUGH COUNCIL – LAPS 1-7 PHASE 1

Consideration was given to a reference from the Community and Environment Board (a copy of which is affixed in the Minute Book as Appendix “D”), which recommended the approval of the acquisition of the identified land on the terms set out in the Leisure and Amenities Manager’s report and that the Borough Solicitor be authorised to complete the necessary legal documentation to acquire the land identified as public open space.

RESOLVED:  That the Board approve the acquisition of the identified land on the terms set out in the Leisure and Amenities Manager’s report and that the Borough Solicitor be authorised to complete the necessary legal documentation to acquire the land identified as public open space.

12.

BUDGET STRATEGY 2005/06

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Treasurer (a copy of which is affixed in the Minute Book as Appendix “E”), which considered the strategy to be adopted for the preparation of the Council’s budget for 2005/06

RESOLVED: That the budget framework for 2005/06 and Medium Term Financial Strategy outlined in the report of the Borough Treasurer be approved.

13.

INTRODUCTION OF CAR PARKING CHARGES

Consideration was given to a report by the Director of Development and Environment (a copy of which is affixed in the Minute Book as Appendix “F”), which considered the introduction of car parking charges at public car parks in the Town Centre and Stoke Road area and also considered the extension of car parking charges in the foreshore car parks in Stokes Bay and Lee-on-the-Solent. The report identified the start up and running costs and evaluated potential revenues for a specific range of charges.

A number of concerns were raised by Members including that:

• no proper risk assessment appeared to have been carried out
• the scrutiny process had not been completed
• further information was still required

A view was expressed that this item was a matter that should be considered by full Council. It was subsequently proposed and seconded that this item be made a Part One item, which would then require consideration at full Council.

The motion was accordingly put to the vote and, upon the casting vote of the Chairman, was lost.

A view was expressed that parking permits should be issued to residents of Gosport at a discounted fee to be agreed at a later date.

It was proposed and seconded that the second recommendation in the report become the third recommendation and the new second recommendation read as follows:

“That the Board approve the provision of parking permits for Gosport residents at a discounted fee to be agreed”.

The motion was accordingly put to the vote and, upon the casting vote of the Chairman, was lost.

RESOLVED: That

(i)                 the Board approve car parking charges at car parks with the tariffs and concessions as proposed in Section 2 of the report; and

(ii)               the Board authorise officers to:

a)     proceed with the legal process: and

b)     report responses to the legal process and any consequential proposed amendments to the proposals to the Policy and Organisation Board for approval.

The meeting commenced at 6.45 p.m. and concluded at 8.17 p.m.