Agenda

Communities and Place OSC - Wednesday, 6th April, 2022 2.00 pm

Venue: NEW meeting Space, Block 1, Floor 2, County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF

Contact: Nichola Turnbull

Note: Guidance for Public Attendance at meetings * The meeting venue requires access to the normal workplace, so the public are asked to wear face coverings and ensure good hand hygiene. * Arrangements are in place to reserve the required number of seats for meeting participants. Members of the public must contact democraticservices@northumberland.gov.uk if they wish to attend a meeting in person and should specify which meeting. * Members of the public are only allowed entry on a first come basis where capacity allows. * Any member of the press or public may view the proceedings of this meeting live on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/NorthumberlandTV * Signage will be posted once the room capacity has been reached. * Standard Covid secure controls are in place to book in, ensure hand hygiene, ventilate the meeting space and ensure people comply with agreed meeting protocols.

Items
No.	Item
1.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
2.	MINUTES PDF 169 KB Minutes of the meeting of the Communities and Place OSC, held on 2 March 2022, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.
3.	DISCLOSURE OF MEMBERS' INTERESTS Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required to disclose any personal interest (which includes any disclosable pecuniary interest) they may have in any of the items included on the agenda for the meeting in accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council on 4 July 2012, and are reminded that if they have any personal interests of a prejudicial nature (as defined under paragraph 17 of the Code Conduct) they must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter. NB Any member needing clarification must contact the Monitoring Officer at monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk. Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this Agenda letter.
4.	FORWARD PLAN OF CABINET DECISIONS PDF 61 KB To note the latest Forward Plan of key decisions. Any further changes made to the Forward Plan will be reported to the Committee.
5.	SCRUTINY
5a	Development of the Potland Burn Biodiversity Net Gain Site PDF 144 KB The Cabinet considered this report on 8 March 2022, which sought approval for the capital and revenue expenditure that would be incurred in the development of the first phase of the Potland Burn biodiversity net gain site and which was fully funded by a S.106 contribution by Britishvolt, and for the capital and revenue budgets to be amended. The report also set out the likely need for further habitat creation at this site to meet the biodiversity net gain requirements for future strategic scale inward investment. (The report and extract from the Cabinet minutes are enclosed). The Committee will also be advised of potential resource implications for the Planning Service arising from the introduction of mandatory biodiversity net gain, the new burdens funding being provided by Defra and the uncertainties created by that, and possible options to address these prior to a full report being presented to Cabinet in May 2022. The Committee are requested to consider and comment on the implementation of the proposals. The Cabinet Member requested to attend for the following item is Councillor Colin Horncastle. Additional documents: Potland Burn - Cabinet Minute Extract , item 5a PDF 142 KB
6.	OVERVIEW
6a	Presentation on Great Northumberland Forest PDF 850 KB To receive an overview of progress in creating the Great Northumberland Forest. The Cabinet Member requested to attend for the following item is Councillor Glen Sanderson.
6b	Local Services – Highways Maintenance PDF 3 MB To provide an overview on the operation and challenges of Highways Maintenance. The Cabinet Member requested to attend for the following item is Councillor Colin Horncastle.
7.	REPORT OF THE SCRUTINY CO-ORDINATOR PDF 174 KB Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme and Monitoring Report The Overview and Scrutiny Committee operates within a work programme which is agreed at the start of the Council year. The programme is reviewed at each meeting so that it can be adjusted to reflect the wishes of the Committee and take account of any changes to the latest Forward Plan (which outlines decisions to be taken by the Cabinet). The Committee is asked to review and note its work programme for the 2021/22 council year.
8.	URGENT BUSINESS To consider such other business as, in the opinion of the Chair, should, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.