Delegated planning decisions for the week beginning 21 March 2022 are attached.  Contact for enquiries: Jean McPherson, Group Manager (Development Management) on jean.mcpherson@crawley.gov.uk.

The following documents are attached in relation to Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders:

·        List of Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders.

·        Bewbush Drive, Bewbush (Appendix A).

·        Grattons Drive, Pound Hill (Appendix B).

Information on this road closure is attached.

On 1 March 2022, the Licensing Committee agreed to adopt an extensively updated and revised Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.  This Policy is scheduled to come into force on 1st April 2022.  On re-visiting the Policy before circulation, two administrative errors have been noted.

Therefore on 28 March 2022 the Head of Community Services took the Significant Operational Decision to regularise these minor errors:

·         Licence Term:  The licence duration for a licensed vehicle is 1 year, not 3 years as listed

·         Vehicle Emission:  The new Policy has an error in terms of emissions standard and it should read as follows:

Appendix A - Hackney Carriage Vehicle Specification. “From 1st April 2016, an 11 year rolling age limit was introduced for hackney carriage (taxis) vehicles unless exempted.  Vehicles already licensed at the date of adoption of this Policy must, as a minimum, meet Euro 5 standards for emissions or be capable of being retrofitted to achieve the same within a reasonable time period and all newly licensed taxis must, as a minimum, meet Euro 5 standards for emissions.  Vehicles older than 4 years older with an average mileage of less than 30,000 may be considered but any such application must be accompanied by original MOT certificates or other suitable documents such as a Service History to verify the vehicle mileage as genuine."

For clarity, the Licensing Committee will be re-visiting the issue of vehicle emissions later in 2022 with a new standard of Euro 6 being sought, and a phasing out of older, higher emissions standard.

Councillor Jhans (Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability) and Councillor Jaggard (Licensing Chair) were consulted under the provision to make delegated amendments to the Policy.

On 28 March 2022 the Leader agreed that the following be delegated to the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Services and added to their Sub-Delegation Scheme:

“Setting and varying the charging tariff for the District Heat Network.”

Decisions relating to these matters will be taken in consultation with the Leader and the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability.

Katy Bourne, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner has recently confirmed the community safety funding West Sussex will receive for 2022/23.  The attached table (available for Councillors only) sets out the allocations.

From Thursday 31 March 2022, the way to the access the Council’s IT network will change.  Please find attached the new process for Councillors’ Information only.  Additional correspondence has also been issued.  Please contact the IT Helpdesk with any enquires.

Press releases are available at www.crawley.gov.uk/news