Agenda item - Chairman's Communications

              “Softlaunch” of Committees’ Proceedings

94.1       The Chairman explained that at the meeting of the Governance Committee on 23 September it had been agreed to web-cast a number of meetings from 9 October. Full Council, Cabinet and Planning Committee had all been identified as meetings which would form the pilot web-casting project which would run until June 2009.

94.2       In view of the decision of the Governance Committee a “soft” launch was to be created of that days proceedings and it was possible that this would be repeated at the following meeting on 22 October 2008. It was intended that this film would only be used by Members (including the Committee’s two co-opted Members) to evaluate the web-casting process and to identify any problems, and would not be made publicly available. It was however, the Council’s intention to “go live” with web-casting Planning Committee meetings at the earliest opportunity and, as soon as the Committee had agreed to any new protocols which would be required in order to introduce the new technology. A Member of the public queried whether how not making this information available would impact on the access to information rights of the public. He was requested to submit a written request under the Access to Information Act to which a formal written response would then be provided.

              Blue Badge Holders Scheme

94.3       The Chairman referred to the fact that the Committee received and welcomed comments from Mr Pennington on behalf of the Brighton & Hove Federation of Disabled People. On a number of occasions these related to the issue of parking provision for blue badge holders in association with applications for housing schemes without off-street parking and Traffic Regulation Orders Each application had always been discussed and decided upon its merits and the advice of the relevant officers taken into account when those decisions were made.

94.4       The Chairman went on to state however that this matter clearly remained as area of concern for the Federation. Given that the administration of the Council had a clearly stated priority of “reducing inequality by increasing opportunity” she was of the view that this now warranted some further consideration in terms of providing further alternatives and choices for people. She therefore recommended that the Cabinet Member for Environment be requested to review the relevant policy/policies in the terms set out below.

94.5       A vote was taken and Members voted unanimously that this matter be carried forward in the manner suggested by the Chairman.

94.6       RESOLVED- That the Committee requests that the Environment Cabinet Member reviews the policy or policies related to the allocation of resident parking permits for blue badge holders inassociation with housing without off-street parking, and how this is incorporated into Traffic Regulation Orders