Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Development and Safety

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    Connecting Cheltenham be approved as the transport strategy for Cheltenham;

2.    the strategy be used as the basis of the council’s input into the review of the Gloucestershire Local Transport Plan;

3.    the strategy be used in future negotiations across the borough associated with new development through the Section 106 process and to inform future Community Infrastructure Levy allocations;

4.    support be sought from Tewkesbury Borough Council to use the strategy in regard to new development outside the borough boundary through the Section 106 process and to inform future Community Infrastructure Levy allocations.

5.    authority be delegated to the Director of Planning, in consultation with the Executive Director Finance and Assets and Cabinet Member Development and Safety, to prepare a programme for delivery which identifies short, medium and longer term priorities and the approach to funding; this programme for delivery be brought back to Cabinet for consideration;

6.    the strategy be used as the basis for the coun­­cil to seek funding for its delivery plan

The report was presented by the Cabinet Member Development and Safety.

He acknowledged that it was an emotive topic with great importance for the future of Cheltenham. Transport was a major infrastructure item in any town, particularly in West Cheltenham. Any future development must minimise car use. At this stage, that can only be done as part of a planning process, with no magic wand available for instant change. He recommended that the Cabinet approve the recommendations in the report, but stressed that it was a starting point for future developments rather than an endpoint.

The Leader of the Council similarly highlighted that the report represented the start of a process. He found the evidence of modal shifts to be encouraging. He also suggested that in the past, the group had been concerned that the Local Transport Plan was too cautious, but it now seems to have taken on a more ambitious direction.

The fifth recommendation in the report was altered to make reference to the Cabinet Member Development and Safety as well as the Executive Director Finance and Assets.

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    Connecting Cheltenham be approved as the transport strategy for Cheltenham;

2.    the strategy be used as the basis of the council’s input into the review of the Gloucestershire Local Transport Plan;

3.    the strategy be used in future negotiations across the borough associated with new development through the Section 106 process and to inform future Community Infrastructure Levy allocations;

4.    support be sought from Tewkesbury Borough Council to use the strategy in regard to new development outside the borough boundary through the Section 106 process and to inform future Community Infrastructure Levy allocations;

5.    authority be delegated to the Director of Planning, in consultation with the Executive Director Finance and Assets and Cabinet Member Development and Safety, to prepare a programme for delivery which identifies short, medium and longer term priorities and the approach to funding; this programme for delivery be brought back to Cabinet for consideration;

6.    the strategy be used as the basis for the coun­­cil to seek funding for its delivery plan.