The following motions have been placed on the agenda in the order received; up to 60 minutes shall be allowed for debates on motions on notice:
1. From Councillor Gane (Liberal Democrat Group)
The White Lion Public House building on Cheriton High Street has long been an iconic part of Cheriton's street scene. However, over the last 15 years it has been unused and fallen into disrepair and is now seemingly at risk of collapse.
Most residents would like to see any development keep the previously impressive frontage of the building.
Council therefore calls on Folkestone and Hythe District Council to use compulsory purchase powers, or any other powers available and appropriate, to buy the building and redevelop the site. This Council believes that any such redevelopment should retain the historic frontage, be of an appropriate scale, utilise the ground floor for a community or retail use and the upper parts for social housing to help the community at large.
2. From Councillor Whybrow (Green Group)
Residents are deeply concerned about water quality and the impact of regular wastewater discharge, which includes untreated sewage, into our local rivers and seas and the impact on wildlife and on human health.
Releasing sewage into our seas and rivers is no longer an emergency-only situation occurring as a result of severe storms, but an everyday occurrence even in ‘normal’ rainfall, and that we are in a situation of cumulative overload on the sewage and wastewater system.
According to the Rivers Trust in 2021 there were 20 spills in our district over a period of 164 hours.
Whilst there are long term commitments, there are no plans in place which will address the immediate unacceptable situation either locally by Southern Water or by national government.
Both the local and national planning policy requires a robust approach to both water quality and pollution and a recent legal opinion from the Environmental Law Firm confirms the need to consider cumulative impact. Yet planning consultation documents show that it has not been the practice of council planners to ask Water Companies to report on cumulative impact i.e. whether or not development may lead to any potential increase in ‘emergency’ discharge into rivers and seas.
This Council resolves to:
1. Recognise this Council’s obligation to protect its rivers and seas, including from the cumulative impacts of pollution,
2. Make sufficient resources available to work proactively with the statutory authorities to ensure that an evidence base is compiled that assesses the cumulative impact of sewage discharge so that this is factored into decisions made in new iterations of the local plan, including the overall level of future development.
3. Seek to better understand the cumulative impact of wastewater discharge including untreated sewage on our local rivers, wildlife and the health of our residents.
4. To take a lead on addressing this issue, working constructively with other agencies.
5. Ask Southern Water, from this date onwards, in its planning consultation responses for major development, to clarify which treatment works will be managing the sewage; whether it has the information available to assess the impact on the number or duration of sewage discharges into local rivers or seas, and if it does have this information to share it (noting that this can only be requested not required).
6. Request that planning officers, from now onwards, include in all reports relating to major development a specific section on the impact on watercourses including the potential for the development to affect sewage outflow into watercourses (i.e. cumulative impact), or to flag if this information is not fully available, so that this information (or the lack of it) is clearly and transparently set out.
Minutes:
1. Councillor Gane, Liberal Democrat Group, set out his motion which requested related to the disrepair of the White Lion Public house building.
Proposed by Councillor Gane,
Seconded by Councillor Keen;
That FHDC use compulsory purchase powers, or any other powers available and appropriate, to buy the building and redevelop the site.
In accordance with the council procedure rule 17.5, five members present demanded a recorded vote.
FOR: Councillors Davison, Fuller, Gane, Keen, Keutenius, J Martin, McConville, Meade, Prater, Shoob, Wade and Wing (12).
AGAINST: Councillors Miss Carey, Collier, Field, Goddard, Godfrey, Hills, Mrs Hollingsbee, P Martin, Meyers, Monk, Mullard, Rolfe, Peall and Wimble (14).
ABSTENTIONS: Councillor Mrs Berry (1).
(Voting figures: 12 for, 14 against, 1 abstentions).
The motion was therefore LOST.
Following the vote on this item, Councillor Miss Carey left the meeting.
2. As Councillor Whybrow had given apologies for the meeting, the Motion she had proposed fell, and would be resubmitted to the next meeting of the Council.