| 82 | Council received a report on a petition in accordance with the Authority's Petition Scheme. The report set out relevant statutory powers, details on the Petition Scheme and the petition, detailed information on the current position and issues associated with the subject matter (Green Belt development), options on how the Council could respond to the petition and financial, legal and equalities implications.
Members noted that under the Council's Petition Scheme, any petition with more than 400 signatures was referred to Council for debate. The Council had received a petition of 1258 signatures (including an e-petition of 1075 and a paper petition of 183 signatures) relating to Green Belt development. The Petition asked that the Council "halt plans for development on green belt land within the borough". Full details were set out in the report.
The issues associated with the petition related to the Council's Core Strategy and this was already in examination and the hearings were due to commence on 14th May 2013. In the circumstances, the report recommended that Council note the petition and refer it to the Core Strategy Planning Inspector to take into account as part of the Examination in Public on the submitted Core Strategy proposals. This approach would ensure that the petition was given full consideration in the appropriate forum.
In accordance with the Petition Scheme a representative of the petitioners addressed the meeting and points raised included concerns over conservation and ecology if Green Belt development was allowed, the need to prevent urban "sprawl", the history and importance of preserving the Green Belt, Government and County Council support for this approach, population growth assumptions in the Council's Core Strategy (it was suggested these were higher than could be expected based on historical data) and, consequently, the inclusion of a lower sustainable development (and housing growth) figure in the Core Strategy.
Councillor M.J. Miller moved the recommendation in the report and this was seconded by Councillor S.T. Bramhall.
Councillor J.C.S. Essex then moved and Councillor Ms. S. Finch seconded the following amendment:
In the Recommendation delete the word "notes" after "Council" and replace with "endorses". After the word "petition" add "to halt plans for development on Green Belt land within the Borough."
Following debate, the amendment upon being put to the meeting was declared lost, with 3 Members voting in favour and a far greater number against.
The substantive Motion was then debated and put to the meeting. Voting was recorded in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 20.2 as follows:
For (38): Mrs. N.J. Bramhall, S.T. Bramhall, G.P. Crome, A.J. De Save, J. Durrant, J.M. Ellacott, J.C.S. Essex, Ms. S. Finch, K. Foreman, Mrs. G. Harper-Adamson, R. Harper, N. Harris, N.D. Harrison, A.C.J. Horwood, E. Humphreys, A.J. Kay, F. Kelly, G.J. Knight, S.A. Kulka, A.M. Lynch, Mrs R. Mill, M.J. Miller, G.L. Norman, D.J. Pay, Mrs. C.E. Poulter, D.T. Powell, Mrs. R. Renton, Mrs D.A. Ross-Tomlin, T. Schofield, M.J. Selby, Ms. P. Shillinglaw, B.A. Stead, Ms B.J. Thomson, B. Truscott, Mrs R.S. Turner, M.A. Vivona, S.T. Walsh and C.T.H. Whinney.
Against (1): Councillor S.S. Banwait.
Abstention (1): The Mayor (Councillor R.C. Newstead).
|