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Monday 16 January 2012

Lincolnshire County Council Cut Services to Children

According to their own Newsletter Lincolnshire County Council are cutting budgets of 20 local projects to aid children in Lincolnshire. They have asked South Kesteven District Councillors our views on their strategy.

In a bid to tackle Child Poverty, they plan to funnel resources into only a few households which are deemed to have "complex" needs. These households will have children with no working parents and it is planned to provide a co-ordinated, targeted approach to care.

The proposals can be viewed on South Kesteven District Council's Community Policy Development Group website:

It seems to me that the only way to tackle Poverty is to increase income. This will be through employment or supporting benefits.
The Government cutting the benefits and an economic policy which is reducing available jobs for local families will undermine any plans of Lincolnshire County Council.

My view that it is also wrong to only  target households with "complex" needs and no workers, when so many children live in poverty within homes with one or more working parents who are struggling to get by on a minimum wage, was shared with others at our Grantham Labour Branch AGM last week.

District Councillors have been asked their views on proposals by 31 January and I have asked some key local organisations for their views before submitting a response. Your views are also welcome.
Please contact me on 01476 574748 if you would like to know more about the Consultation.

St Annes Ward Conservation Area Application Submitted

After the loss of Shirley Croft Hotel a number of us got together and agreed that a more proactive position is needed to save our local heritage. As a result of further discussions with English Heritage and the Victorian Society, and, supported by local historian Malcolm Knapp  - Grantham Conservation Society and Courtnay Finn - Grantham Civic Trust a new active Conservation Group has been set up.

Any local residents interested in actively protecting our natural and built heritage are welcome to join us. Conserving Grantham members have drafted the St Annes Ward Conservation Area Application which has been submitted to South Kesteven District Council, in our first bid to protect local landmarks and streetscenes. The bid includes the hill from the Hills and Hollow across to Somerby Hill, the Victorian housing of the industrial era in St Catherines Road, Harrowby Road, Dudley Road, Bridge End Road, London Road (parade of shops), the Universities Square block including College St and Oxford St.
The Earl of Dysart houses in Houghton Rd, Albert St and Edward St are also included.
We have included Wyndham Park and Dysart Parks and the walkway along the River Witham.

For full details of our application please feel free to contact me.
A six week public consultation period will take place once the council have reviewed the application.

Friday 6 January 2012

Planning Applications - How to object/comment

As a member of the Development Control Committee I receive a number of requests regarding what can be done in the event that a planning application affects someone and they want to make a comment or object.

Here are some general guidelines. I will be happy to assist you should you require it. Please contact me for advice and support.

The following are considered valid material planning considerations:-
 
  • design/visual impact
  • privacy/loss of daylight
  • noise;smell pollution
  • access/traffic
  • health
  • ecology & landscape
  • crime
  • economic impact
  • cumulative impact i.e. where one or more impacts create an overall impact which is not acceptable
  • personal factors (rarely used)
  • sustainable materials
  • internal standards
  • overlooking private space
  • need - in some cases

The following are  not considered material considerations
 
  • the applicant - whoever they are e.g should not matter if it is the queen or dustman making the application
  • land ownership - you do not need to own land to apply for planning permission
  • private right e.g. access
  • restrictive covenants
  • property value - loss of property value is not a consideration
  • competition
  • loss of view
  • moral issues - usually applies to licensing
  • numbers of people objecting - the number is not material but what people are saying could be
  • change from previous scheme
It is possible to submit your views by 
a. email directly to the planning officer in charge of the case, 
b  via the SKDC website link where you may "Search for a case"
 

 On this website you can view the plans for the application.
Tthere is a statement in blue
Comment on this application
This is where you may submit your comments/objections
You will receive a confirming email if a submission is made.
 
IMPORTANT: Not all Planning Applications automatically go to Development Control Committee.
Many smaller applications are decided by Planning Officers, unless any objections are received
If you raise an objection to a plan, at the Senior Planning Officers discretion, you may request that an application goes before the Development Control Committee. It is important to ensure your request is supported with relevent material planning concerns, as listed above.
 
If you do not have internet access you may write to the Planning Officer with any objections.
You may arrange a meeting to view the plans at The Guildhall, St Peters Hill, Grantham by calling the Planning Team on 01476 406080.
 
Speaking at the Meeting
If you wish to speak on the day you need to contact Development Control Committee Officer Malcolm Hall ideally at least 2 days before the meeting and preferably beforehand via email on m.hall@southkesteven.gov.uk
or call 01476 406080.
Malcolm will arrange for your speaker to be added to the agenda and the Chair notified. 
Each speaker has 3 minutes.
Once you have spoken you may be asked to leave the Council Chamber.
Supporting evidence e.g. photos of the site/powerpoint presentations may be used.
 
IMPORTANT: If the outcome of the meeting at which you speak is that the case is Deferred for further action you will NOT be able to speak again at any future meeting.
Contacting Committee Members
You may also chose to submit concerns directly to the committee members prior to the meeting as some campaigners do.
They should read/listen to your point of view but will not confirm their position unless they have chosen not to vote.
All committee members, including myself, must keep an open mind on the day looking at all evidence to avoid predetermining the case.
 
If you do want to contact committee members you can view the current members via the SKDC website.

Doing so has the advantage that your own words will be visible to them, otherwise they are summarised by the planning officer at/before the meeting in a report. 
 

I do hope this helps give you all your options. 
  
Further Help
If you need any further assistance with the planning application process please do not hesitate to contact me on 01476 574748 or email charmaine725@btinternet.com
or the Planning Team on 01476 406080.