Agenda item - Chair's Communications

173.1         The Committee was currently trialling a new format of the agenda, and the Chair welcomed any comments directly to him, or the Democratic Services Officer, Ross Keatley.

173.2         Since the publication of the agenda the Chair had agreed to accept two questions from members of the public, set out below.

Question 1: (Rebecca Crook)

Please can you provide an update on the local planning authority's position with regards to Saltdean Lido including an update on the latest warning letter sent to the leaseholder?

Response:

This matter has not yet been reported to the Planning Committee and therefore that Committee is not in a position to respond to such a question. Officers for the local planning authority have, to date, been acting under delegated powers and will continue to do so unless or until it is considered necessary to seek formal authority to serve a Repairs Notice. No specific timescale can be given at this stage as to if or when the matter may be reported to Planning Committee.

Question 2: (Bridget Fishleigh)

English Heritage recently said that the Saltdean lido building is not coming off its At Risk register and that the work done so far by the leaseholder is purely cosmetic and has done nothing towards remedying the structural issues.

Bearing this in mind, if and when you serve the section 48 repairs notice, how long will you give Mr Audley to complete the works?  Two months is the minimum time and, given Mr Audley's past record, this is the time period our campaign is requesting so that the situation can be resolved as quickly as possible.

Response:

If the council as local planning authority decides to serve a Repairs Notice it is not required by law to specify a period for compliance with the Repairs Notice. In drafting the Notice the local planning authority is simply required to advise the owner that after two months has elapsed it is entitled to seek the Secretary of State’s approval to compulsorily purchase the building. However, the Secretary of State would need to be satisfied that reasonable steps were not being taken to preserve the building. Therefore, if the local planning authority serves a Repairs Notice we would expect to monitor any progress towards complying with the Notice before deciding when, and indeed whether, to seek the Secretary of State’s approval for compulsory purchase. Available research of local authorities using these powers has shown that the average time between service of the Repairs Notice and preparation for compulsory purchase is 6 months.

173.3         Ms Crook asked a supplementary question, and the Chair agreed to consult with Officers and provide the response in writing.

‘Has the Leaseholder responded to the letter from the Council dated 22 March 2012?’