Authority Meeting 16 December 2021

The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations are in force, giving a right to members of the public to record (film, photograph and audio-record) and report on proceedings at committee meetings. Please read our protocol on Filming, Recording and Reporting of SDNPA Meetings Protocol for more information.

At the start of the meeting the Chair will make an announcement that the meeting may be filmed, recorded or photographed. Webcasting is undertaken in the public interest and in the exercise of our official authority, by entering the meeting room and using the public seating area you are consenting to being filmed, recorded and photographed. If you have any queries regarding this please contact committee.officer@southdowns.gov.uk

Webcasting

We broadcast all Planning Committee meetings through our webcasting portal. Meetings can be viewed live or on-demand up to six months after the meeting.

AGENDA

Agenda

1. 1. 1. 1. Apologies for absence
         2. Declaration of Interests
            To enable Members to declare to the meeting any disclosable interest they may have in any matter on the agenda for the meeting.
         3. Minutes of the previous meetings held on 21 October 2021
            To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Authority meetings held on 21 October 2021.
            Agenda Item 3
         4. Matters arising
            To enable any matters arising from the 21 October 2021 Authority Meeting minutes that are not covered elsewhere on this agenda to be raised.
         5. Urgent Matters
            To consider any matter on the agenda which the Chair agrees should be considered as a matter of urgency to due special circumstances (if Members have any urgent matters they are asked to consult the Chair before the meeting commences).
         6. Public Participation
            The Chair will allow members of the public to ask questions, make statements or present a petition on any matter on the agenda for this meeting or on any matter that falls within the Authority’s powers, subject to procedures set out in Appendix 3 to the Authority’s Standing Orders.
         7. Need for Part II Exclusion of Press and Public
            The Authority is asked to consider whether, in respect of Agenda Items 15 and 16, the public, including the press, should be excluded from the meeting on the basis that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if a member of the public were present during the items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within paragraphs 3 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, being information relating to the financial and business affairs of a particular person including the Authority, and Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exempt information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. This conclusion was reached on the basis that whilst there was a public interest in the transparency of Authority proceedings, it is felt that on balance this was outweighed by the requirement of the National Park Authority to be able to consider matters concerning its business and fully consider the implications of its actions or proposed actions particularly in relation to decisions which will have implications for the agreements regarding its ongoing delivery of its planning service without the disclosure of information that could undermine its position or its ability to deliver value for money through these processes.
         8. Authority Chair Update
            To receive a verbal update from the Authority Chair.
         9. Chief Executive’s Progress Report
            To consider a report from the Chief Executive (Report NPA21/22-14).
            Agenda Item 9
         10. South Downs National Park Trust Update
             To receive a verbal update from the Chair of the SDNPT.
         11. Operating Agreement between SDNPA and South Downs Commercial Operations Limited
             To consider a report from the Head of Governance and Support Services (Report NPA21/22-15).
             Agenda Item 11
         12. Annual Investment Strategy 2021/22: Amendment
             To consider a report from the Chief Finance Officer (Report NPA21/22-16).
             Agenda Item 12
         13. Future Audit Arrangements
             To consider a report from the Head of Business Services (Report NPA21/22-17).
             Agenda Item 13

             THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA FOR INFORMATION ONLY

         14. Planning Committee
             Minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on the 14 October 2021.
             Agenda Item 14

             PART II
             THE NEXT ITEM IS FOR MEMBERS OF THE AUTHORITY ONLY

         15. Part II Minutes of the previous meetings held on 21 October 2021
             To approve as a correct record the part II minutes of the Authority meetings held on 21 October 2021.
         16. Delegated Host Authority Arrangements
             To consider a report from the Director of Planning (Report NPA21/22-13).
             This report is not for publication as it contains exempt information within paragraphs 3 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, being information relating to the financial and business affairs of a particular person including the Authority, and Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exempt information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

             TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY

             Members’ Interests
             SDNPA Members have a primary responsibility for ensuring that the Authority furthers the National Park Purposes and Duty.  Members regard themselves first and foremost as Members of the Authority, and will act in the best interests of the National Park as a whole, rather than as representatives of their appointing body or any interest groups.

             Members are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest that is not already entered in the Authority’s register of interests, and any personal interest and/or public service interest (as defined in Paragraph 18 of the Authority’s Code of Conduct) they may consider relevant to an item of business being considered at the meeting (such disclosure to be made at the commencement of the meeting, or when the interest becomes apparent).

             Access to Information
             If you would like a copy of this agenda in large print or an alternative format/language please contact the Committee Officer at committee.officer@southdowns.gov.uk or 01730 814810

             Recording of Meetings
             The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations give a right to members of the public to record (film, photograph and audio-record) and report on proceedings at committee meetings. The Authority has a protocol on ‘Filming, Recording and Reporting of South Downs National Park Authority Meetings’ which is available on our website.

             As part of the Authority’s drive to increase accessibility to its public meetings, this meeting will be filmed for live and/ or subsequent broadcast via the internet; at the start of the meeting the Chair will confirm if all or part of the meeting is to be filmed. The images and sound recording may be used for training or any other purposes by the Authority. By entering the virtual meeting room you are consenting to being filmed, recorded or photographed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes. If you have any queries regarding this, please contact the Governance Officer mailto:committee.officer@southdowns.gov.uk

             Public Participation
             Anyone wishing to speak at the meeting should register their request no later than 24 hours before the meeting by e-mailing public.speaking@southdowns.gov.uk The public participation protocol is available on our website www.southdowns.gov.uk

             Feedback
             If you wish to give us feedback on your experience of the meeting please e-mail committee.officer@southdowns.gov.uk