Councillor Lafferty (East Renfrewshire Council); Councillor McLean (Glasgow City Council); Councillors Curran and Magowan (both North Lanarkshire Council); and Councillor O’Neill (West Dunbartonshire Council).

Councillor O’Neill, Convener, presided.

S Tait, Strategic Development Plan Manager and D McDonald, Assistant Strategic Development Plan Manager (both Strategic Development Plan Core Team); M Hislop, Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership Manager (Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership); J Nicol, Principal Planner (East Renfrewshire Council); N Urquhart, Team Leader Sustainability Policy (East Dunbartonshire Council); S Taylor, Principal Planner (Glasgow City Council); L Bowden, Business Manager (Strategic Planning) (North Lanarkshire Council); and F Carlin, Head of Planning and Housing Services, V Howie, Finance Business Partner (Development & Housing Services), K Festorazzi, Senior Accountant, E Currie, Senior Committee Services Officer and K O’Neill, Assistant Democratic Services Officer (all Renfrewshire Council).

Councillor Johnston (East Dunbartonshire Council); Councillor Miller (East Renfrewshire Council); Councillor Wilson (Inverclyde Council); Councillors Begg and McGurk (both Renfrewshire Council) Councillors Anderson and Fulton (both South Lanarkshire Council); and Councillor McColl (West Dunbartonshire Council).

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. 

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 11 September 2017. 

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted a joint report by the Treasurer and the Strategic Development Plan Manager for the period 1 April to 18 August 2017. 

The report intimated that gross expenditure and income were currently breakeven.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted a joint report by the Treasurer and the Strategic Development Plan Manager relative to the revenue estimates of the Glasgow & the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority including the requisition of the constituent authorities for the financial year 2018/19 and indicative planning figures for 2019/20 and 2020/21, as detailed in the appendix to the report.

The report intimated that the unaudited accounts for the year ended 31 March 2017 indicated the level of reserves as £288,241. Of these reserves, £192,486 was earmarked for specific purposes, with £95,755 held in General Reserves. It was anticipated that the level of earmarked reserves would ensure that the Authority’s statutory mandate was achieved and that the impact of the increased workload experienced at certain periods over the five year cyclical production of the Strategic Development Plan (SDP) could be reserved.

The report highlighted that given the ongoing review of the planning system and the current financial climate, operational costs would remain under review and any savings which may arise would be brought forward to a future meeting.  The level of reserves would also remain under review and any proposed draw on reserves (general and earmarked) would be reported as appropriate to the Joint Committee. 

DECIDED:

(a) That the revenue estimates for financial year 2018/19 and the related requisitions of the constituent authorities be agreed;

(b) That it be agreed that the Strategic Development Plan Manager, in conjunction with the Treasurer, present a report to a future meeting of the Joint Committee should its remit and finances materially change; and

(c) That the indicative estimates for financial years 2019/20 and 2020/21 be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership Manager relative to the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership (GCVGNP) Business Plan 2017/20 and the local authority contributions to support the Programme Plan for 2018/19. 

The report intimated that the GCVGNP Business Plan provided guidance to the GCVGNP Board on the delivery of the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Green Network Programme for the three-year period 2017/20. The Programme Plan 2017/18 formed Appendix 1 to the report and the Business Plan 2017/20 formed Appendix 3 to the report. 

The report highlighted that the budget for the GCVGNP in 2018/19 was £203,300, which comprised contributions from partner agencies and local authorities. The local authority contribution to the 2018/19 budget was £93,385 and the contribution from each authority was calculated pro-rata based on population size.  A breakdown of the individual authorities’ contribution formed Appendix 2 to the report.
 
DECIDED: 

(a) That the content of the GCVGNP Business Plan be noted; and 

(b) That the allocation of local authority contributions to support the delivery of the Programme Plan for 2018/19 be approved.

Under reference to item 2 of the Minute of the meeting of this Joint Committee held on 11 September 2017 there was submitted a report by the Strategic Development Plan Manager relative to the publication of the Action Programme in support of the recently approved Clydeplan Strategic Development Plan.  

The report intimated that as per the requirement of Circular 6/2013 Development Planning, the Action Programme was published on 24 October 2017.  As the publication date fell before this meeting of the Joint Committee, the Strategic Development Plan Manager confirmed the agreement of the Joint Committee Convener and the Clydeplan Steering Group Chair prior to submission of the Action Programme to the Scottish Ministers.  

The Action Programme was framed around Clydeplan’s role in supporting and facilitating the delivery, through joint working, of the Strategic Development Plan Vision and Spatial Development Strategy.  It acknowledged and supported the actions identified within the Glasgow City Region Economic Strategy and Action Plan as they related to the Strategic Development Plan.  

DECIDED:

(a) That the publication of the Clydeplan Strategic Development Plan Action Programme in October 2017 be noted; and

(b) That it be noted that the Action Programme would be kept under review and republished within the next two years.

There was submitted a report by the Strategic Development Plan Manager relative to the appeal by Gladman Developments Limited against the Scottish Ministers’ decision to approve the Clydeplan Strategic Development Plan in July 2017.

The report intimated that the appeal had been lodged at the Court of Session on 26 October 2017 with Clydeplan’s citation being served on 3 November 2017.  The appeal set out six questions of law for the opinion of the court, namely did the Scottish Minsters act outwith their powers under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997; did the Scottish Ministers act unreasonabley, perversely and irrationally in approving Clydeplan; did the Scottish Ministers fail to give proper, adequate and intelligible reasons for their decision; in approving Clydeplan, did the Scottish Ministers err in law; were the Scottish Ministers materially misled; and should Clydeplan be quashed.  Legal Junior Counsel had been instructed and Answers to these questions of law were submitted on 24 November 2017.

Scottish Ministers were granted a motion at the Court of Session for the urgent disposal of the appeal and hearing dates of 6 and 7 February 2018 had been set aside by the Court of Session to hear the appeal.  At this stage no indication of the cost of the appeal could be given but it was considered that there were sufficient funds in the Joint Committee’s earmarked balances to cover any cost.  

Though the status of the SDP as published remained unchanged by this appeal there would be knock-on issues for individual local authorities to consider in terms of progressing with Local Development Plans, Local Housing Strategies, planning applications and appeals.

The Strategic Development Plan Manager advised that the Planning (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 4 December 2017.  The Bill set out the Scottish Government’s proposed high level changes to the overall framework under which planning operated.  The detail of how the new provisions would work in practice would be contained within secondary legislation and guidance.  The Strategic Development Plan Manager was seeking an early meeting with Scottish Government officials to discuss the implications of the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that an appeal had been lodged against the Scottish Ministers decision to approve the Clydeplan Strategic Development Plan in July 2017;

(b) That it be agreed to support the Scottish Government in their defence of this appeal;

(c) That the appointment of legal Counsel for Clydeplan be noted;

(d) That reports on the progress of the appeal through the Court of Session be presented to future meetings of the Joint Committee; and

(e) That the Strategic Development Plan Manager provide updates to members of the Joint Committee on the progress of the appeal and the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

There was submitted a report by the Treasurer and the Strategic Development Plan Manager detailing the list of expenses incurred through corporate procurement card payment by type and employee for the period 19 August to 10 November 2017. 

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the Joint Committee would be held on 11.15 am on 12 March 2018 in Glasgow City Council Exchange House, George Street, Glasgow.