Issue - meetings

At its meeting on 23 April 2025, the Committee agreed to the formal request of Cabinet of 25 March 2025 to “consider the council’s response to the assembly recommendations, prior to approval by Cabinet in July 2025.”

The Committee has invited Cllr Andrew Gant, Cabinet member for Transport Management, and Cllr Judy Roberts, Cabinet member for Place, Environment, and Climate Action, to present the report. 

The Committee has also extended invitations to Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways, and Susannah Wintersgill, Director of Public Affairs, Policy and Partnerships, to answer the Committee’s questions and to Carole Stow, Engagement Consultation Manager, Victoria Powell, Communications and Engagement Manager (Strategic Programmes), as well as Hannah Battye, Head of Place Shaping, Joanne Fellowes, Place Planning Manager (Central), and Melissa Goodacre, Sustainable Transport Manager.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Report to follow

At the Chair’s discretion the second two public addresses were taken at this stage. 

The Committee welcomed Cllr Andrew Gant, Cabinet member for Transport 

Management, and Cllr Judy Roberts, Cabinet member for Place, Environment, and 

Climate Action, to present the report to the Committee. 

The Committee also invited Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways, Susannah Wintersgill, Director of Public Affairs, Policy and Partnerships, Carole Stow, Engagement Consultation Manager, Victoria Powell, Communications and Engagement Manager (Strategic Programmes), as well as Hannah Battye, Head of Place Shaping, Joanne Fellowes, Place Planning Manager (Central), Melissa Goodacre, Sustainable Transport Manager, and Susan Ritchie, Director of Mutual Gain, to answer the Committee’s questions. 

Members queried how the Council would motivate behaviour change and the Cabinet member for Transport Management stressed promoting a vision to the public and facilitating convenient choices for the county. He highlighted that people already decided on travel based on various factors, so the goal was to provide additional information. The Cabinet member for Place, Environment, and Climate Action suggested focusing on informing and nudging rather than preaching. The Council had been conducting travel campaigns and launched the Better Travel website to encourage active travel options. 

Members inquired about metrics for evaluating fare-free park and ride trials and how mobility hubs would integrate with transport and land use plans. The Cabinet Member for Transport Management and the Director of Environment and Highways explained that while the Council was keen on utilising park and ride assets, specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) had yet to be defined. They emphasised the need to break down recommendations into work streams and actions to measure success. The Head of Place Shaping noted that a park and ride strategy was being developed and was to align with current initiatives, including integrating mobility hubs with existing plans. 

The Committee inquired about the usefulness of the Citizens Assembly for officers and its potential repetition. The Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action found the session insightful, particularly regarding bus fare challenges for children, aligning with long-term transport plans. The Director of Environment and Highways and the Head of Place Shaping both emphasised the Assembly's value in providing diverse perspectives that enhance policy decisions. They planned to continue engaging with the Assembly and have funding for future initiatives. 

The Committee inquired about how the Citizens Assembly shaped the communication strategy and influenced participants. The Director of Mutual Gain stated that the Assembly did not use Council promotional material but provided essential travel plans and mobility hub information. Participants valued the balanced, objective approach that included opposing views. The Director of Public Affairs noted that the Assembly was conducted objectively, which kept participants engaged and interested in further involvement. 

The Director of Environment and Highways acknowledged the importance of improving communication strategies based on the insights gained from the Citizens Assembly. He emphasised the need to enhance their communication efforts to bring people along and effectively change behaviour through marketing and communication activities. 

The Committee enquired about monitoring the implementation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29

The Committee has requested an update on the section 106  a report on Section 106 Improvement Programme.

Cllr Judy Roberts, Cabinet member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, and Robin Rogers, Director of Economy and Place, have been invited to present the report and to answer the Committee’s questions.  Invitations have also been extended to officers in Finance and in Information Technology.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Cllr Judy Roberts, Cabinet member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, Robin Rogers, Director of Economy and Place, and Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways, were invited to present the report and to answer the Committee’s questions.  Invitations were also extended to officers in Finance and in Information Technology. Tom Scholes, Operational Manager for Data Intelligence, Jason Sherwood, Head of Regulatory Planning Enforcement, Natalie Crawford, Capital Programme Manager, Alistair Read, Head of IT, and Melanie Graham, Operational Manager for Business Performance, attended to answer any question the Committee had.

The Cabinet member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy reported progress on Section 106 improvements, highlighting better fund delivery, system enhancements, and a new transparency dashboard. Cllr Roberts emphasised the need for flexible legal terms and repurposing leftover funds. The Director of Economy and Place addressed Section 106 funding and delivery system improvements and described having established a project team for better management and transparency.

The Operational Manager for Data Intelligence demonstrated how the new dashboard integrating financial, programme management, and Section 106 data for transparency and effective management worked. This was intended to be rolled out as part of the induction process for new and returning members after the May 2025 election.  Members welcomed the dashboard and discussed data integration, project tracking, and resource limitations, suggesting appointing a Section 106 officer for better member engagement.

Members inquired about earlier involvement in Section 106 discussions for appropriate contributions and increasing transparency on strategic sites and infrastructure without breaching pre-application confidentiality. Officers explained that, while pre-application meetings were confidential, members could engage with officers throughout the process and provide input. It was suggested to have a more structured mechanism for member input at an earlier stage.

Members requested clarification on the presence of key performance indicators (KPIs) for programme elements within phase two of the improvement project to ensure thorough oversight and optimise performance. It was confirmed that KPIs were crucial for monitoring expenditure profiles and guaranteeing that the council achieved its quarterly objectives. The pre-pipeline initiative was identified as a tool to enhance project tracking, while acknowledging that certain expenditure profiles would necessitate modelling due to the specifics of development funding.

The Committee resolved to make recommendations to Cabinet under the following headings:

• That the Council should include more detail of contractual agreements within the s.106 dashboard;

• That the Council should celebrate the learning that has arisen from the s.106 Improvement Project and disseminate it across the organisation;

• That the Council should include information within the dashboard linking projects to LTCP targets, including modal share;

• That the Council should publish milestones and targets for its Key Performance Indicators;

• That the Council should ensure that there is sufficient officer resource to be represented at developer fora;

• That the Council should prioritise data set integration to enhance the dashboard’s capabilities;

• That the Council should continue to explore the benefits of Local Development Orders and whether they should be used more widely.