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Environment Scrutiny Panel
Record of Meeting
Date: 11th March 2013 Meeting No: 34
Present | Deputy J. Young, Chairman Deputy S. Luce (Vice chairman) Connétable P. Rondel |
Apologies |
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Absent |
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In attendance | Mr. M. Orbell, Scrutiny Officer |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Records of meetings The Minutes of the meetings held on 14th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 28th and 30th January and 1st, 5th, 6th, 14th, 18th, 21st, and 28th February 2013 were approved and signed. | MO |
Item 1 30.01.13 514/2(25) | 2. Planning process The Panel considered recent correspondence following a private meeting with the Chief Minister on 30th January 2013, including:
Members discussed whether the Panel should carry out its own review of the overall planning process, in the event that the Chief Minister decided not to commission an independent study. It was noted that this would require considerable resources, and previous Scrutiny reviews into wider planning issues had not been successful. Members agreed that the Chief Minister had all the necessary information upon which to base his decision. The Panel would therefore take no further action in respect of a major review of planning process, but would focus its work on smaller reviews into specific areas (such as historic buildings) where policy was considered to be in need of attention. | MO |
| 3. Historic buildings Members agreed that the Panel would review the historic buildings policy of the Minister for Planning and Environment. The Chairman and the Scrutiny Officer would develop draft terms of reference for a review, to be brought back to the Panel for approval. | MO/JY |
Item 1 28.02.13 514/20 | 4. Radon The Panel discussed the outcomes of a meeting with the Minister for Planning and Environment and his officers on 28th February 2013, concerning the Panel's planned review of radon. Members felt that the position adopted by the department seemed rather complacent. |
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| While the department was responsible for bye-laws applying standards for radon protection in new buildings, it took no part in testing the effectiveness of these mitigation measures, leaving such matters to the Health Protection section of the Department for Health and Social Services. Very limited testing had taken place in recent years. The Panel asked the Scrutiny Officer to contact the U.K. Health Protection Agency with a view to obtaining expert advice for the review. It was agreed to invite potential advisers to a meeting in the Island to discuss the review before proceeding with any public call for evidence. | MO |
Item 2 6.02.13 514/22 | 5. Pathway 2050: An Energy Plan for Jersey The Panel agreed that it would launch the review publicly after meeting the proposed adviser on 13th March 2013. It was noted that the Department of the Environment had completed its own consultation on the draft policy at the end of January 2013. The Scrutiny Officer was asked to check with the department whether the results of the consultation were already available on the States website, or if it was planned for them to be uploaded. It was felt that the Panel's call for evidence should highlight the prior departmental consultation and draft policy documents already available on the States website, to avoid potential confusion with the Scrutiny review. | MO MO |
| 6. Panel membership The Panel discussed a recent approach from a States Member expressing an interest in becoming a full member of the Panel. Members agreed that it would be preferable for the Member to participate in a review on a co-opted basis in the first instance to establish whether an extended Panel would be compatible. It was further agreed that the Chairman would write personally to the Member to explain the Panel's decision. | JY |
| 7. Forthcoming meetings
| MO |