An apology for absence was received from Councillor G Cowan.

It was noted that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4, Councillor S F Bannister was appointed as substitute member for Councillor G Cowan.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in respect of business to be transacted on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made by Members.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 June 2018 and 4 July 2018 (to follow).

The Minutes of the meetings held on 6 June 2018 and 4 July 2018 were deferred.

Please note that in accordance with the agreed Protocol for Public Speaking at Overview and Scrutiny, the right to speak does not apply to any items on the agenda.

The right of the public to speak does not apply to the following agenda items: Apologies, Appointment of Substitute Members, Declarations of Interest, Minutes, the Forward Plan, the Scrutiny Work Programme, any agenda item that is not accompanied by a written report and items that are exempt business.

The Democratic Services Manager advised that no members of the public had registered to speak on items on the agenda to which the public speaking protocol applied.

The following decisions were taken by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 10 September 2018 in respect of recommendations from the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee:

·         East Kent Housing

At its meeting held on 10 September 2018, Cabinet approved the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee’s recommendation (Minute 22) made at its meeting held on 4 July 2018 as followed:

That Cabinet requests East Kent Housing to introduce 5-year fixed terms of office for Engaged Tenants, with the Engaged Tenant given the opportunity to re-apply at the end of the fixed term in order to reduce the risk of institutionalisation and provide opportunities for new tenants to become involved.

There were no items for consideration.

(a)    Items placed on the agenda by a Member of the Committee or any individual Non-Executive Member

       Any individual Councillor may request that a matter is placed on the agenda of one of the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

       There are no items for consideration.

(b)    Call-In

       Executive Decisions may be called-in by the Chairman or Spokesperson of the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee or any three non-executive members. Call-Ins are heard by the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee unless it decides to refer the matter to the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee.

       There are no items for consideration.

(c)    Public Petitions

       There are no items for consideration.     

There were no items for consideration.

The Democratic Services Manager presented the Notice of Forthcoming Key Decisions to the Committee for its consideration.

RESOLVED:     That Key Decisions 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, and 38 be added to the Work Programme.

The Democratic Services Manager presented the Scrutiny Work Programme to the Committee for its consideration. It was necessary for Members to provide their key questions to the Democratic Services Manager for the Local Health Services meeting so that it could be established who to invite.

RESOLVED:  That the Work Programme be noted.

To receive an update from the Policy and Projects Manager.

The Policy and Projects Manager had been invited to discuss the Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople (GTTS) Accommodation Assessment.

Members were provided with the background which led to the latest assessment. The Housing Act 2004 placed a duty upon local authorities to produce assessments of accommodation need for Gypsies and Travellers. In 2014, Salford University produced an assessment report which provided up to date information and data regarding the needs and requirements of the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople communities. This assessment projected a pitch requirement of an additional 17 pitches in the Dover district.

In August 2015 the definition of GTTS changed. Fewer people were classed as travellers than those who identified as such and therefore a new assessment was required. Arc 4 consultants were commissioned to undertake the assessment to identify the household need and required pitch supply. They carried out site observations, household interviews, and looked at the background data on the sites and reviewed the current activity using the Council’s monitoring data.

It was identified there were 38 authorised pitches in the district and that an additional 18 pitches were required by 2037, with a minimum of 10 required during the first 5 year period (2017/18 – 2021/22). The study looked at the need to accommodate travelling showpeople and there was a no need identified. This assessment would be used to inform the Local Plan, acknowledging the range of need identified.

To meet this need a review would be undertaken of: the land available for gypsy and traveller provision; existing authorised sites; the turnover on local authority sites; and to monitor unauthorised encampment activity to establish a potential source of supply.

RESOLVED:        (a)   That it be recommended to Cabinet that the Local Plan evidence base for gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople include details of the number of instances that gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople have been evicted from unauthorised sites in the Dover District over the last 10 years to ensure more accurate assessment of the need for sites for temporary gypsy, travellers and travelling showpeople pitches.

                            (b)   That, with the need for 18 additional pitches identified by the survey, Cabinet be asked to fulfil the identified need for sites for pitches rather than it be fulfilled by default through the current planning process.

                            Actions for the Policy and Projects Manager (to be circulated to the committee for information:

(c)   To find out from police and the council the number of times that gypsy, travellers and travelling show have been evicted from unauthorised sites in the Dover District over the last 10 years.

(d)    To confirm the ownership of the site at Snowdown.

(e)   To provide the definition of “cultural gypsy, traveller, etc.”