Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

An apology was received from Councillor Graham Oakes.

To approve the minutes from the previous meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee held on 11 February 2025 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive and note any declarations of interests in respect of any matters included on the agenda for consideration at this meeting.

(The other registrable interests of Councillors of Somerset Council, arising from membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes: City, Town & Parish Twin Hatters - Somerset Councillors 2023 )

Councillors present at the meeting declared the following personal interests in their capacity as a Councillor of a Town or Parish Council or any other Local Authority:-

Councillor Bill Revans asked for it to be noted that he was divisional member for the Willstock area. This was in relation to Item 6.

The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.

For those members of the public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note, a three-minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.

We are now live webcasting most of our committee meetings and you are welcome to view and listen to the discussion. The link to each webcast will be available on the meeting webpage, please see details under ‘click here to join online meeting’.

There were no public questions raised.

To review and discuss the report and appendices for Taunton Waterways Strategy and Guidance and to vote on the recommendations.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee RESOLVED to:

a. Adopt the Taunton Waterways Strategy and Guidance as a material planning consideration for the preparation of masterplans, pre-application advice, assessing planning applications and any other development management purposes within the study area. 
 
b. Approve the supporting Management and Maintenance Plan document. 

Jenny Clifford, Garden Town Implementation Manager, introduced the report with an aid of a presentation. The presentation gave an overview of the Taunton Waterways Strategy Guidance.

Councillors raised the following points:

·       The importance of the work for the local area.

·       They were pleased to see the work coming forward and the quality of the report and appendices.

·       The route to repair Firepool Lock was queried. Jenny Clifford confirmed that to repair the Lock, there would be work that would need to take place with support from the Canal and River Trust.

·       The technical challenges that may arise from the work.

·       The potential of economic development of the waterways.

Councillor Bill Revans, proposed the recommendation as set out in the report, which was seconded by Councillor Richard Wilkins.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee RESOLVED to:

a. Adopt the Taunton Waterways Strategy and Guidance as a material planning consideration for the preparation of masterplans, pre-application advice, assessing planning applications and any other development management purposes within the study area. 
 
b. Approve the supporting Management and Maintenance Plan document. 

To review and discuss the report and appendices for the CIL request – Willstock New School and to vote on the recommendations.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee RESOLVED to:

1. Approve the release of £7,742,000 CIL funding from Area North to Education for the purposes of delivering a new 1FE Primary School (7 classes) and nursery.

Phil Curd, Head of Education Places, introduced the report. The report covered the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) request for the new school to be built in Willstock.

Councillors raised the following points:

·       Welcomed the report and appendix.

·       The large volume of homes that had been built and were planned to be built in the Willstock area which made the school a necessity.

·       Queried the potential pressure the new homes would have on secondary school places. Phil Curd confirmed that capacity of a secondary school in the area was affected. He confirmed that there were options to expand current secondary schools in the area in the future if required.

·       The importance of tracking secondary school numbers going forward to monitor capacity to plan expansions going forward.

·       The contingency plan was queried in relation to managing fluctuating costs of the project. Phil Curd confirmed that there was a margin for fluctuation of costs included in the request.

Councillor Bill Revans proposed the recommendation as set out in the report, which was seconded by Councillor Richard Wilkins.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee RESOLVED to:

1. Approve the release of £7,742,000 CIL funding from Area North to Education for the purposes of delivering a new 1FE Primary School (7 classes) and nursery.

To review and discuss the report for the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) request for Taunton Flood Alleviation Improvement Scheme and to vote on the recommendations.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee RESOLVED to:

Agree to delegate authority to the Executive Director Community, Place and Economy, in consultation with the Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning and Assets, to allocate funding to TTC5 up to a maximum of £860k when final design phase costs are confirmed.

Ann Rhodes, Principal Planning Officer, introduced the report. The report detailed the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIL) Request for Taunton Flood Alleviation Improve Scheme.

Councillors raised the following points:

·       How this request and report fitted in with the Taunton Waterways Strategy and Guidance. Jenny Clifford confirmed that the reports and work were aligned.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, proposed the recommendation as set out in the report, which was seconded by Councillor Bill Revans.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee RESOLVED to:

Agree to delegate authority to the Executive Director Community, Place and Economy, in consultation with the Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning and Assets, to allocate funding to Taunton Town Centre 5 up to a maximum of £860k when final design phase costs were confirmed.

To review the forward plan.

Alison Blom-Cooper introduced the forward plan. It was noted that Committee dates are to be confirmed. A brief verbal update was given during this item on the Mendip Local Plan.

The Committee noted the forward plan.