Agenda item

To approve the fees and charges for 2016/17 and the introduction of charging for pre-application advice.

Report of the Interim Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services

Cabinet Members – Councillor Lelliott, Sims and Yasseen

Commissioners:  Kenny/Myers/Ney (in advisory role)

Resolved:-  (1)  That the proposed fees and charges for the Planning Service as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

(2)  That the proposed fees and charges for Leisure and Green Spaces as set out in Appendix 2 be approved.

(3)  That the proposed fees and charges for Highways Services as set out in Appendix 3 be approved.

(4)  That the proposed Building Regulation charges as set out in Appendix 4 be approved.

(5)  That the proposed Parking Services charges as set out in Appendix 5 be approved.

(6)  That the proposed Community Protection charges as set out in Appendix 6 be approved.

(7)  That the proposed Library, Customer Services, Theatre Services and Heritage Service charges as set out in Appendix 7 be approved.

Consideration was given to the report introduced by Caroline Bruce, Interim Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services, which set out in detail the proposed fees and charges for the Regeneration and Environment Directorate for 2016/17, but highlighted two specific areas – the charging for pre-application advice in relation to planning applications and the mixture of increases and decreases in parking charges in line with parking policy and in respect of need and demand.

Councillor Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy, made specific reference to her own portfolio with regards to identified changes to the town centre parking tariffs which could generate extra income, including some reduction on Drummond Street, charging for pre-application advice within the Planning Service and the inclusion of regularisation inspection fees for retrospective applications within Building Control.

Councillor Sims, Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, highlighted the proposed increases to Highways Services from 1^st April 2016, and then again from 1^st April 2018, which followed the pattern of increases that the Council had previously adopted.  However, should benchmarking show that other local authorities have subsequently increased their charges, a further review would take place this autumn.

Councillor Yasseen, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Working and Cultural Services, confirmed that fees in relation to Leisure and Green Spaces had been increased by at least the rate of inflation and were applied for the 2016/17 financial year.  There were, however, several exceptions to this and included wedding packages in Clifton Park and with regards to concessions/Rothercard users.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the proposed fees and charges for the Planning Service as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

(2)  That the proposed fees and charges for Leisure and Green Spaces as set out in Appendix 2 be approved.

(3)  That the proposed fees and charges for Highways Services as set out in Appendix 3 be approved.

(4)  That the proposed Building Regulation charges as set out in Appendix 4 be approved.

(5)  That the proposed Parking Services charges as set out in Appendix 5 be approved.

(6)  That the proposed Community Protection charges as set out in Appendix 6 be approved.

(7)  That the proposed Library, Customer Services, Theatre Services and Heritage Service charges as set out in Appendix 7 be approved.