Decisions

To grant permission subject to the conditions detailed within the officer’s report, plus two additional conditions regarding the reinforced concrete retaining walls and the construction of a new stretch of walling adjacent to Comeytrowe Manor.

 (Voting Unanimous, For)

To grant permission subject to the conditions detailed within the officer’s report.

 (Voting Unanimous, For)

To grant permission subject to:

• prior receipt of a Unilateral Undertaking or completed s106 to bring forward the proposed trigger for the pedestrian and cycle connection to Comeytrowe Lane (from the spine road), ?
• to the conditions listed at Appendix 1, and
• an addition informative regarding bat lighting.

 (Voting Unanimous, For)

To grant permission subject to the conditions detailed within the officer`s report and as verbally updated.

(Voting Unanimous, For)

This item was deferred due to time constraints.

Subject to the completion of a Planning Obligation, to grant permission subject to the conditions detailed within the officer’s report.

 (Voting ,  5 For,4 Against, 1 abstention)

RESOLVED that the Human Resources Committee considered and noted the committee’s work programme.

RESOLVED that the Human Resources Committee considered and noted the update.

RESOLVED that the Human Resources Committee agreed to:

1.    Approve the new Neonatal Care Leave Policy with effect from 6^th April 2025.

2.    Delegate authority to the Service Director HR & OD in consultation with the Head of Legal, to make any minor amendments required prior to publication.

the Licensing Sub-Committee resolve to GRANT the application for a Premises Licence in accordance with the hours agreed with the Police together with the conditions agreed with the Police and the Licensing Authority.

That Planning Application 50/24/00044 The erection of 1no. building to be used as a cattery, and associated works at Land to the South-East of Snipefield Lane, Wedmore, Somerset, BS28 be DEFERRED for further information on the relationship with the proposed key holder dwelling, the locational requirement for the proposed building, and details of the licensing requirements that require the scale of building proposed.

Voting: 9 in favour, 2 abstentions.

That Planning application 11/24/00089 Variation of Condition 29 of Planning Permission 11/18/00087 (Outline application with some matters reserved, for the erection of up to 110 no. dwellings) to allow preliminary groundworks and works of demolition before the approval of the surface water drainage scheme at Land at Lakeside, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 4EX be GRANTED planning permission in line with the officer recommendation and verbal update at Committee.

Voting: 8 in favour, 2 abstentions.

That Planning application 31/24/00005 Boundary extension and change of use of land to the West of the existing site to create 20no. additional touring pitches to include erection of facilities building, demolition of outbuildings, creation of bund to the North boundary and associated landscaping at Batch Nurseries, Rectory Way, Lympsham, Weston-super-mare be GRANTED planning permission in line with the officer recommendation.

Voting: 11 in favour (Unanimous)

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion, the Executive resolved to:

1. Note the Council’s suite of Anti-Fraud and Corruption policies has been reviewed and updated, and have passed through Audit Committee 

2. Recommend the suite of policies for approval by Full Council. 

3. Note the updated Annual Counter Fraud Strategic Action Plan for 2025/26 setting out the corporate arrangements and actions to be taken to deliver the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy. 

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion, the Executive resolved to:

1. Extinguish the Silver Street rank and relocate the provision to Princes Street. 

2. Provide a new nighttime only rank in Stars Lane car park. 

3. Remove the two-car rank in Stars Lane car park. 

4. Remove the rank in Middle Street, northeast of South Western Terrace junction. 

5. Retain and amend the Old Station Road rank. 

6. Retain the Earle Street rank. 

7. Retain the South Street rank subject to further monitoring and annual review of safety. 

8. Retain the Hendford rank subject to further monitoring and annual review of safety. 

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion, the Executive resolved to:

1. Note Council is now forecasting a balanced revenue position (on-budget).  

2. Note the total Council revenue forecast underspend of £25.774m for the year. There is a forecast underspend of £19.714m within Service Directorates for 2024/25 and the Corporate Contingency of £6.000m, whilst remains unallocated it has been released into the forecast outturn within budget lines Table 1.  

3. Note that the planned use of reserves of £36.800m for Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) Support towards the budget is forecast to reduce by £25.774m to £11.026m, due to the forecast underspend within budget lines (paragraph 18).  

4. Agree that mitigating actions are to be identified in order to reduce any overspends, to take action and to contribute to the long-term financial sustainability of the authority.  

5. Agree that the Council continues with the aim of avoiding a Section 114 notice by taking all of the necessary actions and continuing to operate as if one has been issued.  

6. Note the progress and delivered savings of £33.346m of the approved savings programme as set out in Table 2 and Appendix J. 

7. Note that work will continue to find mitigating or substitute savings for the £3.197m of Red unachievable savings, deliver the £0.310m Amber at risk savings and the £3.379m Green on track savings.  

8. Note the in-year forecast overspend on the Dedicated Schools Grant of £30.738m, a decrease of £0.562m from Quarter 3 (paragraph 12).  

9. Note the total forecast Dedicated Schools Grant year-end deficit of £64.649m as set out in Appendix C.  

10. Note the collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates as set out in paragraph 19.  

11. Approve an addition to the Capital budget of £0.743m of Disabled Facilities Grants available which are fully funded by a grant from MHCLG  

12. Note the Capital Programme forecast outturn at Month 10 is £151.956m.  

13. Approve the additional Month 10 capital slippage of £0.356m into future years  

14. Note the approved write-offs included in the confidential Appendix N.  

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion, the Executive resolved to consider and endorse Somerset’s Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion, the Executive resolved to:

1. Approve the adoption and publication of the Somerset Council Procurement Strategy 2025/26 as in Appendix A; and 

2. Approve the adoption of the Contract Management Framework covering the financial year 2025/26, 2027/28 as in Appendix B. 

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.

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. 

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.

RESOLVED

That planning application 2024/1270/REM be APPROVED in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation with additional conditions as follows: 

• that the roof lights in all buildings are fitted with blinds which close automatically  during hours of darkness.
• hat the “lighting design for bats” referred to in Condition 13 – External Lighting, be approved in conjunction with the Chair, Vice-Chair and divisional Members for the Mendip Hills Division. 
• That the dry-stone wall along the north east boundary of the site shall be retained in perpetuity. 

Votes – 6 for, 5 against