Buchanan and McCaskill (East Renfrewshire Council); Cameron (Glasgow City Council); Coyle (North Lanarkshire Council); Kelly and Nicolson (Renfrewshire Council); Dunsmuir and Thompson (South Lanarkshire Council); and McAllister (West Dunbartonshire Council).

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

There were submitted the Minutes of the meeting and the special meeting of the Joint Committee both held on 8th December, 2014.

DECIDED: That the Minutes be approved.

There was submitted the revenue budget monitoring report by the Treasurer and the Strategic Development Plan Manager for the period 1st April, 2014 to 30th January, 2015.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted an update report by the Strategic Development Plan Manager relative to progress of the Main Issues Report (MIR), Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) and steps towards the preparation of the Strategic Development Plan Proposed Plan.

The report highlighted that consultation of the MIR had commenced on 30th January, 2015 and would run for an eight week period until 27th March, 2015. Details of the responses to the MIR would be reported to the June meeting of the Joint Committee.

The report outlined that the HNDA had been largely concluded and agreed by the Housing Market Partnership Core Group in September 2014 and the main evidence and outputs from the Tool were now in place. The HNDA had been published as a background report to the Strategic Development Plan MIR and submitted to the Centre for Housing Market Analysis (CHMA) and was currently undergoing the CHMA’s appraisal process. Following receipt of the CHMA’s appraisal letter, the HNDA would require to be finalised taking into account the CHMA’s suggestions and recommendations and would require sign off by the named signatories of each authority and the agreement of the Core Group.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Strategic Development Plan Manager relative to the Authority’s Annual Report 2014.

The Annual Report provided an overview of the Joint Committee’s work during 2014 under the broad headings of the review of the current Strategic Development Plan (SDP); the Early Engagement consultation exercise; key documents published during 2014; the review of Strategic Development Plans in Scotland – recommendations published; the rebranding of the Authority to Clydeplan; the National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy published; City Deal announcement; Central Scotland Green Network Trust established and the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership Business Plan 2015/18; key stakeholder presentations to the Authority; and priorities and issues affecting the future work of the Joint Committee.

DECIDED: That it be agreed that, in accordance with the practice of previous years, an enhanced version of the Annual Report be produced in order to promote the work of the Authority.

There was submitted a report by the Strategic Development Plan Manager relative to the Development Plan Scheme and Participation Statement 2015/16.

The report intimated that as part of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006, Planning Authorities were expected to publish a Development Plan Scheme and Participation Statement and review it on an annual basis. The Authority published its first Development Plan Scheme and Participation Statement on 31st March, 2009, with subsequent revisions published annually in March. A copy of the 2015/16 Development Plan Scheme and related Participation Statement were appended to the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That the 2015/16 Development Plan Scheme and Participation Statement be adopted; and

(b) That the Strategic Development Plan Manager be authorised to make the necessary arrangements for the publication of the 2014/15 Development Plan Scheme and Participation Statement.

There was submitted a report by the Strategic Development Plan Manager relative to feedback received from the Scottish Government on its Planning Performance Feedback 2013/14.

Following the submission of the Authorities’ Planning Performance Framework 2013/14 to the Scottish Government on 10th September, 2014, feedback was received from the Scottish Government on 11th December, 2014, a copy of which was appended to the report. It was highlighted that the Scottish Government had indicated that the Planning Performance Planning Framework 2014/2015 would be required two months earlier than in previous years, namely 31st July, 2015.

DECIDED:

(a) That the feedback report from the Scottish Government on the Planning Performance Framework 2013/14 be noted and welcomed;

(b) That the possible areas for further consideration as set out in paragraph 5.4 of the report be noted; and

(c) That the earlier submission date for the Planning Performance Framework 2014/15 be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Strategic Development Plan Manager relative to a request that Renfrewshire Council continue its role as administering partner in respect of the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership (GCVGNP).

The report intimated that Renfrewshire Council, in line with its ‘host authority’ role for the Joint Committee, had agreed to act as the administering partner with responsibility for the employment of the Partnership staff and also act as Treasurer to the Partnership. As the administering partner and for reasons of continuity, it was proposed that Renfrewshire Council be asked to extend this role until 31st March, 2016.

The GCVGNP Board oversee the strategic direction and development of the Green Network programme. A small Executive Team comprised of four full-time members of staff, led by a Manager, are responsible for the development and delivery of the programme. The Executive Team was employed on temporary contracts linked to the period of funding for the Partnership. Funding had been extended until 31st March, 2016.

The GCVGNP had been leading the development of the Seven Lochs Heritage Project and had been successful in securing funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a development phase leading to a further submission to HLF in June 2015 for implementation phase funding. The HLF development phase funding and income from the successful CSGN Development Fund bid would provide funding for the project until implementation phase funding was secured. A Project Co-ordinator post oversees the work and was funded from the project budget. The postholder was employed on a fixed term appointment, hosted by Renfrewshire Council under the auspices of the GCVGNP and it was proposed to extend the contract through to January 2016 when the implementation phase funding was anticipated.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be requested that Renfrewshire Council continue its role as the administering partner for the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership until 31st March, 2016;

(b) That the decision to extend the contracts of employment for the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Green Network Executive Team to 31st March, 2016, be endorsed; and

(c) That the decision to extend the contract of employment for the Seven Lochs Heritage Project Co-ordinator to 31st January, 2016, be endorsed.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the Joint Committee would be held on Monday, 8th June, 2015 at the offices of Glasgow City Council.

Councillors Dempsey and Moir (East Dunbartonshire Council); Scanlon (Glasgow City Council); Wilson (Inverclyde Council); Curran (North Lanarkshire Council); and O'Neill (West Dunbartonshire Council). Councillor Curran, Convener, presided.

S Tait, Strategic Development Plan Manager and D McDonald, Assistant Strategic Development Plan Manager (both Strategic Development Plan Core Team); M Hislop, GCV Green Network Partnership Manager (GCV Green Network Partnership); H Holland, Land Planning & Development Manager (East Dunbartonshire Council); G McCarney, Planning and Building Standards Manager (East Renfrewshire Council); F Barron, Head of Planning & Building Control (Glasgow City Council); F MacLeod, Planning, Policy and Housing Manager (Inverclyde Council); L Bowden, Business Manager (Strategic Planning) (North Lanarkshire Council); M McGlynn, Head of Planning & Building Control (South Lanarkshire Council); P Clifford, Building and Planning Standards Manager (West Dunbartonshire Council); and F Carlin, Head of Planning, D Forbes, Finance Manager, E Coventry, Democratic Services Officer and K Brown, Committee Services Officer (all Renfrewshire Council).

Councillor Wilson entered the meeting during consideration of the following item.

Prior to the closure of the meeting Councillor Curran referred to the imminent retiral of Fergus MacLeod, Planning, Policy and Housing Manager, Inverclyde Council and on behalf of the Joint Committee, thanked Fergus for his contribution to the work of the Joint Committee and wished him well for the future.