Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

There were no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting.

The minutes of the Executive meeting held on 4 December 2024 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

ORDERED that Executive approve the spend outlined in the report on the £655,000 grant funding provided by MHCLG to support the recovery of the riots that took place in Middlesbrough on Sunday 4th August 2024.

The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods submitted a report for Executive’s consideration.

The report sought approval to spend £655,000 of grant funding provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support the recovery of the recent riots that took place in Middlesbrough on Sunday 4 August 2024.

On Sunday 4 August 2024, Middlesbrough was the focus of a protest originally linked online to an incident in Southport. Protests were planned to take place in several other areas across the country. Approximately 400 people attended the protest and marched through the centre of Middlesbrough. The protest led to a riot occurring within the town that lasted late into the evening.

The riot caused significant damage to property and caused a high level of fear and alarm amongst many citizens who live and work in the affected areas. Over £300,000 of damage was caused to Teesside University buildings alone, multiple streets in the centre of Middlesbrough were targeted with houses and vehicles being damaged. Cars were set on fire and businesses looted. Some residents were at home during the riots with children and families and were terrified by the damage to their homes and property. Many residents, particularly those from ethnic minority communities, remain distressed by the violent disorder they witnessed and the fear they experienced at the time.

The day after the riots Middlesbrough showed its true nature and over 300 volunteers arrived at the entrance to Albert Park to help clean up and show support for those impacted. Many had been out earlier that morning and began the clean-up work and to begin the repair of those communities that at suffered from the effects of the riot.

Later that week misinformation spread of a repeat of the riots and businesses, educational establishments and health providers closed their doors and the town emptied in fear. Thankfully this did not transpire.

MHCLG originally allocated £600,000 to Middlesbrough Council via the Community Recovery Fund (CRF). MHCLG said the funding should be used as areas best saw fit, in partnership with local communities. More recently MHCLG has provided an additional £55,000 in revenue funding, bringing the total grant to £655,000.

OPTIONS

The alternative was to not accept the grant funding, however this was not recommended as the impact was still evident and the grant funding would help key partners to respond to the riots and support the recovery.

ORDERED

That Executive approve the spend outlined in the report on the £655,000 grant funding provided by MHCLG to support the recovery of the riots that took place in Middlesbrough on Sunday 4th August 2024.

REASONS

The Council and its partners established a multi-agency recovery structure, with Gold and Silver recovery groups set up to work on a plan to support residents and find a way of returning to a state of normality.

The constituents of the Gold recovery group included senior representatives from the following organisations: Middlesbrough Council; Thirteen Group; Cleveland Police; Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner; Teesside University; Tees  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24/65

The Executive Member for Development submitted a report for Executive’s consideration, the purpose of which was to update Executive on the new National Planning Policy Framework and the impact it had on the preparation of the Publication Local Plan.

In January 2024, the Executive approved the Draft Local Plan. This was a non-statutory stage that enabled community engagement on the plan between 1 February and 15 March 2024. The Draft Local Plan was made available online and in various Council buildings and libraries, and there was a series of 17 drop in events held across Middlesbrough.

During the consultation, over 2,000 responses were received on the Draft Local Plan, along with 4 petition-style responses, all of which were being considered in preparing the Publication Local Plan. To address some of the issues raised and ensure a robust evidence base, further work had been completed in house or commissioned, including:

·         Transport Assessment

·         Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

·         Viability Assessment

·         Gypsy & Traveller Site Assessment

·         Habitats Regulation Assessment

·         Heritage Impact Assessment

·         Infrastructure Delivery Plan

The Local Development Scheme, which set out the timetable for preparing the Local Plan, indicated that the Publication Local Plan would be prepared for January 2024 and that is what the Council had been working towards.

A Member commented that this process was an important part of the Council’s re-set priorities.

OPTIONS

Not to progress the Publication Local Plan under transitional arrangements. This would mean the Council would no longer progress the Local Plan as agreed previously by the Council and would retain existing out-of-date policies for longer. Work on the Local Plan would have to restart in order to meet the requirements of the new NPPF. This would involve updating the evidence base in full. It was anticipated that this would take approximately 2-3 years and come at significant financial cost to the Council.

AGREED that Executive:

1.    Notes the issues arising from the new National Planning Policy Framework and endorses the revised approach to preparing the Publication Local Plan as set out in this report.

2.    Notes that a new timetable for preparing the Local Plan will be set out in a revised Local Development Scheme.

3.    Notes the update regarding Teessaurus Park.

REASONS

It was a statutory requirement to prepare a Local Plan that identified land for development and could be used as a basis for determining planning applications. The Local Plan was critical for delivering some of the Council’s key strategic objectives, in particular population retention, increasing the housing supply and supporting economic growth. The development it would help secure would make a positive contribution to the financial sustainability of the Council.

Following earlier stages of plan preparation, including two separate periods of public consultation, the Local Plan was now being finalised for ‘Publication’ stage. This was a statutory stage, the purpose of which was to make the Local Plan available for inspection and invite formal representations upon it. It would provide the opportunity for interested parties and stakeholders to make formal representations, which must  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24/66

To consider passing a Resolution Pursuant to Section 100A (4) Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1972 excluding the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following items on the grounds that if present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information falling within paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

ORDERED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that, if present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

ORDERED that the recommendations of the report be approved.  

The Executive Member for Development submitted a report for Executive’s consideration.

ORDERED

That the recommendations of the report be approved. 

REASONS

The decision was supported for the reasons outlined in the report.

All decisions will come into force after five working days following the day the decision(s) was published unless the decision becomes subject to the call in procedures.