Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair advised those present of the procedure to be followed at the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bowman, Dunbar and  Ferguson.

Minutes of the meeting of the Cramlington, Bedlington & Seaton Valley Local Area Committee held on Wednesday, 19 July 2023 as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cramlington, Bedlington & Seaton Valley Local Area Council held on 19 July 2023 as circulated, be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required?where a matter arises at a meeting; 

1. Which directly relates to Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (‘DPI’) as set out in Appendix B, Table 1 of the Code of Conduct, to disclose the interest, not participate in any discussion or vote and not to remain in room. Where members have a DPI or if the matter concerns an executive function and is being considered by a Cabinet Member with a DPI they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with the matter. 

2. Which directly relates to the financial interest or well being of a Other Registrable Interest as set out in Appendix B, Table 2 of the Code of Conduct to disclose the interest and only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak at the meeting but otherwise must not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain the room. 

3. Which?directly relates to their financial interest or well-being? (and is not DPI) or the financial well being of a relative or close associate, to declare the interest and members may only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak. Otherwise, the member must not take part in discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room. 

4. Which affects the financial well-being of the member, a relative or close associate or a body included under the Other Registrable Interests column in Table 2, to disclose the interest and apply the test set out at paragraph 9 of Appendix B before deciding whether they may remain in the meeting. 

5. Where Members have or a Cabinet Member has an Other Registerable Interest or Non Registerable Interest in a matter being considered in exercise of their executive function, they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with it.? 

NB Any member needing clarification must contact?monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk. Members are referred to the Code of Conduct which contains the matters above in full. Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter. 

Councillor Daley requested that it be noted he was Chair of the Family & Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee, but which was not a decision-making body.  He had sought legal advice from the Solicitor who had advised that he could take part in the meeting.

Councillor Swinburn declared an interest as he would be speaking as Ward Councillor and would take no part in the determination of the application.

To request the committee to decide the planning applications attached to this report using the powers delegated to it.

Please note that printed letters of objection/support are no longer circulated with the agenda but are available on the Council’s website at http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning.aspx.

The report requested the Committee to decide the planning applications attached to the report using the powers delegated to it.? Members were reminded of the principles which should govern their consideration of the applications, the procedure for handling representations, the requirement of conditions and the need for justifiable reasons for the granting of permission or refusal of planning applications.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

Temporary (max 2 years) single storey, double classroom building to aide teaching whilst the works to construct a new school will be undertaken

Land Within Cramlington Learning Village , Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 6BN.

Temporary (max 2 years) single storey, double classroom building to aide teaching whilst the works to construct a new school will be undertaken.

Land within Cramlington Learning Village, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 6BN.

Richard Laughton, Senior Planning Officer provided three updates:

1)    The application was part retrospective as the building was now on site, condition 3 would need to be removed for the Construction Method Statement as this was no longer required.

2)    There had been confusion beforehand regarding the need for classrooms.  The Education Department had since confirmed it had been due to the increase in pupils from feeder schools and not due to a new school.  The description was revised to:

'Construction of a single storey, double classroom building for a temporary period up to a maximum of 2 years (amended description).

3)   As the permission was temporary for 2 years, condition 1 would be replaced with:

‘This permission is limited to a period expiring two years from the date of this permission. The development hereby permitted shall then be removed from the site and the land restored to its former condition within 2 months of the date of the expiration of this permission.

Reason: The design and materials used in the construction of the building make it unsuitable for a permanent permission and in accordance with the provisions of Local Plan Policy QOP1’

The Officer continued to introduce the report with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation.

Councillor Mark Swinburn, Local Councillor, addressed the Committee:

He thanked the committee for allowing him to speak.

He was aware of the need to temporarily expand year 7 education provision to cover what had been called a ‘blip’ for a two year period.

He was pleased that the County Council had come forward to support the Academy.

As both local member and a member of the Family & Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee, he was aware that despite the ‘blip’, the school, as with the majority of the county, maintained a surplus of space, despite current development in the town which was a concern repeatedly expressed by residents.

Space requirements were calculated when planning applications were submitted.  The current Cramlington developments were made back in 2016 when numbers were then calculated, but still constantly monitored by the Authority who would respond to any on going change as necessary.

The make up of the school numbers also included 25% of pupils from outside of the town, some third of those from outside of the county, but the temporary measure was just a ‘blip’.

As planning committee members were fully aware, the application must be treated as though it was a new application, despite the fact that work had already progressed and the portacabins had been installed on site over 2 weeks ago.

He was disappointed to see no concerns raised by the Highways Team, especially considering continued calls for improvements to the entrance and exit junction at the site with current congestion levels.  Also, the ongoing issues raised with traffic and parking in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

For Members’ information to report the progress of planning appeals.  This is a monthly report and relates to appeals throughout all 5 Local Area Planning Committees and covers appeals of Strategic Planning Committee.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

The next meeting will take place on Wednesday 20 September 2023.

The next meeting would take place on Wednesday, 20 September.

Members were reminded that Local Services would not be present at the September meeting and any queries/requests in the meantime be emailed directly to Local Services officers directly for a response.

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.