Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Janet Gardner with Councillor Sital Punja substituting.

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting dated 24 September 2024 be agreed as an accurate record.

It was confirmed that all items of business were in Part I and would be considered in public.

Ian Thynne, Head of Environmental Specialists, was in attendance to answer Members’ questions in relation to the Strategic Climate Action Plan.

Members raised concerns about the monitoring of carbon offsetting and tree planting, specifically asking how biodiversity was mapped out in the Action Plan. It was confirmed that biodiversity was not currently mapped out in the Plan but would feature heavily in the next three-year cycle. Consultancy work funded by Defra to map out biodiversity would link with tree planting and green space management.

Members enquired about the handling of infrastructure costs related to climate change, such as drainage and flooding. In response to this it was explained that the strategic climate plan was overarching, with sub-plans like the electric vehicle charging strategy and sustainable transport plans. Referencing the September 2024 floods across the Borough, officers highlighted the local flood risk management strategy and ongoing projects to manage flood risk, including securing funding from the Environment Agency and working with Thames Water. In response to further questions from Members, it was noted that the Council’s relationship with the Environment Agency had improved, and recent project collaboration had been successful.

The Committee sought clarity on mechanisms to ensure ongoing community education to reduce carbon footprints. It was recognised that the Council’s community leadership had not been strong to date, but plans were in place for a People's Assembly in 2026 and engagement campaigns in schools using Section 106 funds. It was confirmed that the Council planned to engage with the community, including schools, to raise awareness about air quality and involve residents in monitoring efforts. This was part of a broader strategy to educate the community on reducing their carbon footprint.

In response to Members’ questions about safeguarding local decarbonisation projects amid rising energy costs and limited funding, officers highlighted that carbon management was embedded within teams rather than spending extra money on separate projects. This approach aimed to deliver a more efficient long-term strategy.

In respect of advancements in flood risk management since the last review, the Committee was informed that considerable progress had been made, including securing Message Consultancy for flood risk management, implementing projects across the Borough, and focusing on natural flood management. However, in light of the recent flooding incidents in the Borough, it was recognised that there was still a long way to go.

Members sought further information regarding funding for removing baffles and clearing ditches to prevent flooding in the Mill Road area of West Drayton. It was explained that the project was in the early stages and involved multiple stakeholders, including the Environment Agency. It was further noted that securing money from the Environment Agency was a lengthy process. The importance of education regarding the current efforts and challenges related to flood risk management was highlighted. It was noted that not all watercourses were managed by the Environment Agency or the Council, and there were issues with riparian ownership, meaning the responsibility for maintaining certain watercourses lay with the landowners. Ongoing work with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

Mathieu Rogers, Head of Strategic Planning and Regeneration, was in attendance to answer Councillors’ questions in relation to the Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) 2023/24.

Members sought further clarification regarding air quality monitoring funding and enquired why there was an unused balance of £215,000 in the fund. It was explained that there was always a lag between money being received and services being able to pull together enough money to deliver a project. Money came in at different trigger points, but the Council had an obligation to spend it.

In respect of developer contributions towards affordable housing, Members enquired how the 23/24 figures compared to previous years. The Committee was informed that there had been a decrease in 106 and CIL contributions due to a reduction in major projects coming through the planning process. The affordable housing money was earmarked for the housing programme.

In response to further questions from the Committee regarding transparency, it was confirmed that the IFS was published online therefore was in the public domain. A link could be provided for Councillors.

Councillors noted that the report did not provide linkage between revenue generated and spend. This information had been requested on a number of occasions. The Select Committee had been reassured that a new system would provide this linkage, but it had yet to materialise.

In response to this it was confirmed that officers were uploading all the information onto a new system called Exacom. Approximately one third of the data had been reconciled to date and it was hoped that the Exacom system would be fully updated within a year.

Members also sought further clarity regarding the balance increase in Section 106 money over the course of the year, noting that officers had reported an opening balance of £25 million, with additional balances being added and a spend of £1.3 million. At the end of March 2024, the balance had been close to £29 million. Members sought further information regarding the potential risk of losing some of these funds due to time constraints.

It was explained that there were a number of reasons why money could not be spent straight away, such as the need for pooling and project development. However, Members were reassured that there was little risk of losing the money as officers prioritised projects near their expiry date. The Head of Strategic Planning and Regeneration advised Members that he would be reviewing the balances and would report back to the Committee at a future session.

Members enquired whether there was any leeway over the charging schedules for the CIL. Officers confirmed that Cabinet had approved a request to revisit the charging schedule, and the consultation process would be initiated in due course.

At the request of Councillors, it was agreed that the possibility of providing a high level breakdown of the £16 million of allocated balances and a further breakdown of the funding information by Ward would be explored further. 

Members sought clarity regarding the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

Mathieu Rogers, Head of Strategic Planning and Regeneration, was in attendance to respond to Members’ questions in relation to the Draft Uxbridge Town Centre Vision report.

Members enquired about the impact of National Insurance increases on local businesses and whether any plans had been put in place to prepare for this. It was confirmed that no direct impacts had been observed and no feedback had been received from businesses in relation to this. Members heard that, as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, several programmes were being run in the Borough to support business growth and resilience. Obtaining initial feedback from business support providers was suggested and the importance of creating a thriving town centre to balance any increase in costs was emphasised.

Councillors asked about the feedback mechanisms in place to ensure that residents and local businesses had an active role in forming the vision for Uxbridge. It was explained that Brunel University had been appointed to conduct initial engagement work, and over 1000 people had been consulted. The Head of Strategic Planning and Regeneration highlighted the importance of ongoing engagement and mentioned the challenges of maintaining open dialogue with local groups.

The Committee expressed an interest in how the history and heritage of Uxbridge could be championed within the town centre plan. Members mentioned specific historical elements and enquired about their protection and celebration.

The Regal Cinema was cited as an example of a protected building and efforts to protect listed buildings and conservation areas were highlighted. The officer emphasised the importance of celebrating heritage buildings and making them a unique aspect of the town centre.

Members highlighted the underutilisation of the Civic Centre forecourt and enquired about early engagement with community groups to celebrate local culture and businesses. The mandate from Cabinet to continue the conversation and the plan to engage with local schools, colleges, and community groups were noted. The Head of Strategic Planning and Regeneration emphasised the importance of using new media to engage with young people.

In response to further questions from Members regarding the creation date of the vision document, it was clarified that the document had been produced the previous year and had undergone iterations to shore up projects and engage with stakeholders.

Some Councillors raised concerns about the relocation of the library to the Civic Centre and the impact of this on the town centre’s strengths as identified in the vision document. The relocation was acknowledged but it was emphasised that the library would not be moving far and would still be located in Uxbridge. The vision aimed to make the Civic Centre a community hub working with the NHS and other partners. The Head of Strategic Planning and Regeneration mentioned that the vision had delivered on the engagement and consultation objectives.

In response to further questions from the Committee regarding the monitoring mechanisms in place to ensure the vision's effectiveness and the ability to adapt quickly if needed, indicators such as vacancy rates, footfall, and new commercial and residential  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

RESOLVED: That the Forward Plan be noted.

The Democratic Services Officer confirmed that, further to the Committee’s review of Homelessness and the Customer Journey, the Chair and Labour Lead would be meeting with officers to discuss proposed recommendations prior to bringing these forward for the consideration of the Select Committee in January 2025.

RESOLVED: That the Work Programme be noted.