Agenda and minutes

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Strategic Planning on Harrow Council’s Response to the West London Sub-Regional Development Framework (SRDF).

Officers advised that only the introductory pages of the West London Partnership response to the SDRF had been circulated with the agenda.  An expanded version of the document would be considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 6 October 2005.  Officers confirmed that the Panel was being asked to consider just the Harrow Response.

The Panel considered the Harrow Response and suggested a number of changes which were noted by officers, including the following:

·                     It would be helpful if, when submitting the Response, officers produced a covering letter highlighting the main issues contained within the Response.

·                     Under ‘Harrow’s Metropolitan Town Centre’, Members felt that it should be emphasised that investment in the “radical changes” referred to had already begun, and were not simply “proposed”.

·                     Members requested that they be provided with copies of the survey mentioned on page 6 which had shown that 79% of those using the town centre had travelled there using public transport.  It was also suggested that the source of the statistic be quoted.

·                     Members agreed that they could not see the benefit in having a regional park in the north east of the Borough, since the area did not have good public transport links.

·                     Members agreed that there was scare employment land in the Borough and looked forward to seeing the local employment land study referred to on page 9 of the agenda.

The Panel agreed that officers be given authority to make the amendments suggested by the Panel prior to submission of the Harrow Response to the GLA.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (to Cabinet)

That (1) the amended report be approved for submission to the GLA.

[REASON: Submission of the Harrow Response would provide an opportunity for the Council to influence the final Greater London Authority document and spatial planning and related matter until 2016, and also would inform the development of the Harrow Local Development Framework in Harrow].

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             after notifying the Chair at the start of the meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

To agree that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2005 be deferred until the next ordinary meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2005 be deferred until the next ordinary meeting of the Panel.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received at this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rules 18, 15 and 16 (Part 4B of the Constitution) respectively.

Report of the Director of Strategic Planning.

See Recommendation 1.