To receive apologies for absence.

No apologies were received.

To receive details of any councillor nominated to attend the meeting in place of a member of the committee.

There were no named substitutes.

To receive declarations of interest in respect of items on the agenda.

The Chairperson confirmed that Ross Enterprise Park is located in his ward. However, it was confirmed that there was no need for the Chairperson to leave the meeting for the Enterprise Zones item.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 15 October 2024.

The minutes of the previous meeting were received.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and be signed by the Chairperson.

To receive any written questions from members of the public.

No questions had been received from members of the public.

To receive any written questions from members of the council.

No questions had been received from councillors.

To provide an overview of the development and key achievements of the Hereford Enterprise Zone as a basis to identify lessons learnt as the council now seeks to establish additional employment land across the wider county, such as the proposed development of Ross Enterprise Park.

The committee considered a report on Enterprise Zone. The Chairperson introduced the officers to present the council’s report.

The principal points of the discussion are summarised below:

1. The Service Director, Economy & Growth noted that the main focus of the work was to address the lessons learned from the successful development out of Hereford Enterprise Zone, rebranded as Skylon Park, from around the last ten years. 

2. The Managing Director Skylon Park reiterated the intention of the report to set out the background and history to the Enterprise Zone and the approach that has been taken to for Rotherwas and Hereford Enterprise Zone.

3. The Service Director, Economy & Growth clarified on the ownership structure that it is council owned land but the council will sell the freehold of sites to interested businesses which is the preference of business to own and invest in the develop and then own the land. The council will then be responsible for the wider management of the estate and will be for the foreseeable future.

4. In response to a question on what is happening to the saving of business rates and what happens to that money, the Service Director, Economy & Growth noted that there is a time lag between investing in the process before receiving significant amounts of income generated. The government requirement is that any of the retained business rate above the 50% that funds council services has to be spent on economic development activities that can be across  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

To receive a report on commissioned research into housing delivery models in other local authorities.

The committee considered a report on commissioned research into housing delivery models in other local authorities by Three Dragons.

The Chairperson introduced the officers and representatives from Three Dragons to present.

The principal points of the discussion are summarised below:

1. The Service Director, Economy & Growth noted that there was an item on delivery models around delivery of affordable housing around the county at October’s meeting. It was noted that a final report be brought back to the committee to review the key findings before final recommendations are made to Cabinet.

2. The Chairperson asked the representatives from Three Dragons what the possible sources of funding are that the council should be looking at to deliver the suggested pilot site for housing.

3. In response, Lin Cousins (Three Dragons) noted that with development companies, the other local authorities have used their own funding to start with on the basis that over time there will be a return.

4. In response to a question about how registered providers (RPs) can be helped who are under financial pressure and why are registered providers cautious about involvement in section 106 schemes, Lin Cousins noted that RPs are cautious about s106 schemes because they sometimes have issues around the types of units they are asked to pick up from the developers and because they are usually not eligible for any grant funding from Homes England. When they develop their own sites (100% affordable housing), they are then eligible for Homes England funding.

5. In response to a question about the impact of the Budget on Homes England spending plans, Lin Cousins noted that the direction of travel looks like there will be a priority given to social rent units rather than affordable rent units and there is more money for the tail-end of the current programme and an allowance for the next programme.

6. Laura Easton (Three Dragons) added that if the council were to go down the s106 route on one of those sites, talking to the RP early on would be useful to ensure that the council would be developing the type of units that they would want to take. 

7. The Interim Head of Housing Development noted that in terms of RPs being interested in s106 agreements, there are certain rural locations where they do not have resource and therefore struggle to manage and maintain those properties. In terms of type, they are reluctant to take on one-bedroom properties of which there is a demand for those types of properties in Herefordshire.

8. The Chairperson asked whether the council has come across any ways to encourage developers to build one-bedroom units.

9. In response, the Interim Head of Housing Development commented that one-bedroom units are problematic for developers and in terms of innovative solutions, the council is going for affordable market rent in locations where there is a planning application that has come in with an affordable housing requirement. However, the council is unable to get a RP to take those plots and therefore is letting the developer to rent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

To consider the draft work programme for Herefordshire Council’s scrutiny committees for the municipal year 2024/25.

The Statutory Scrutiny Officer presented the draft work programme for scrutiny committees for the municipal year 2024/25.

The Chairperson noted that he had met with officers to look at the Local Transport Plan that is scheduled to come to the meeting in January 2025.

The Statutory Scrutiny Officer confirmed that the committee will be looking at the draft delivery plan rather than the objectives in relation to the Local Transport Plan.

The Chairperson added that there had been a discussion with officers about the proposed Market Towns Investment Plans item. In relation to the Hereford City plan, there was a feeling that the Hereford City plan would be too big to be included with the Market Towns Investment Plan and it therefore should be included separately in a future meeting. It was noted that the clerks of each market town should be invited to attend the Connected Communities Scrutiny Committee in January to report on their views on the Market Towns Investment Plan. It was added that the Hereford City plan would be moved to the March 2025 meeting.

In relation to the Cultural Strategy 2019-2029, the Chairperson added that he would like to hear from external voices including, for example, rural media.

In response to a question about an update on the transport hub, it was noted that this would come under the city masterplan in March 2025.

The date of the next meeting is Wednesday 15 January 2025, 10:00 am.

The next scheduled meeting in public was confirmed as Wednesday 15 January 2025, 10:00 am.