To consider revisions to the Ketton Conservation Areas following its appraisal and consultation on proposed changes.

1.

That Cabinet considers and approves the Ketton Conservation Area Appraisal and proposed boundary changes including the designation of Geeston as a conservation area and incorporating the following boundary changes:
• To designate a new Conservation Area in Geeston, forming a smaller character zone of Ketton.
• To extend the conservation area to include the former railway station building, Station Road.
• To extend the conservation area to include ‘The Paddock’ and adjacent outbuilding on Hunts Lane and Nos. 1-3 Hunts Lane
• To extend the conservation area to include the field between No.6 and No.8 High Street.
• To extend the conservation area to include all of the outbuildings at Home Farm, off High Street.
• To extend the conservation area to include the avenue of Trees at Edmonds Drive, Aldgate.
• To extend the conservation area to include all the property boundary associated with No.11 and No. 12 Aldgate
• To rationalise the boundary of the conservation area at The Dovecote, adjacent Manor Barn, High Street in accordance with existing property boundary to include the immediate land surrounding it which forms part of the setting of the building.

2. That Cabinet authorises the Deputy Director for Places, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member portfolio to approve minor amendments to the content of the appraisal (such as updates to policy) or minor changes to the conservation area maps.

It is recommended that the road surface programme approved and be funded from the highway capital maintenance allocation for 2020/21. This contributes to the Council’s statutory duty to highway maintenance and road safety.

Approve the road surface dressing programme, funded from the highways capital maintenance allocation for 2020/21.

The Council is required to adopt and safely manage closed cemeteries and churchyards that have been subject to statutory closure orders and transfer requests in accordance with Section 215 of the Local Government Act 1972. This Report presents a policy of control, attached as appendix A, that affirms the future process by which this obligation will be executed.

To approve the adoption of the Closed Churchyards & Cemeteries Adoption & Management Policy.

The report was prepared to update Members on the proposed changes to the Planning Enforcement policy which is 6 years old and due for revision.

It is recommended that the Cabinet adopts the updated Enforcement Policy to ensure that the Council is able to priorities the investigation of breaches of planning control in an efficient manner making best use of the teams resources.

Approval and adoption of the updated Planning Enforcement Policy

TO APPROVE THE NURSERY DISCOUNT POLICY FOR 2020/21 IN ACCORDANCE WITH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19.

The Government had provided for a nursery discount scheme for 2020/21 in response to the coronavirus. A policy has been devised under delegation to ensure the prompt award of the discount

Cabinet authorised (report number 97/2017) that the Strategic Director (Finance), in consultation with the Cabinet member with portfolio for Growth, Trading Services and Resources to determine, finalise and review the Discretionary Revaluation Rate Relief Policy and other rate relief schemes in line with guidance issued by the Government and further local schemes relating to Non-Domestic Rate Relief as advised.
*The Portfolio Holder for Revenues/Benefits is now the Deputy Leader

TO APPROVE THE EXPANDED RETAIL DISCOUNT POLICY FROM 2020/21 IN ACCORDANCE WITH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

The Government provided a retail discount scheme for occupied retail properties with a rateable value of less than 51,000 for each of the years 2019/20 and 2020/21. The Government have increased the discount for 2020/21 to 100%, included more businesses and removed the RV limit.
A policy has been approved under delegation and has been updated to reflect the change

APPROVAL OF THE EXPANDED RETAIL DISCOUNT POLICY FROM 2020/21 IN ACCORDANCE WITH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19.