reading.gov.uk

A)      Environment

 

(1)        To oversee the development and implementation of policies and strategies across Council services to address climate change issues identified at the Rio Earth summit 1992 and subsequent summits, through the international Agenda 21 and biodiversity treaties:

 

·         Climate Change Strategy and Action plan

·         Bio-diversity Plan

·         Contaminated Land Strategy

·         Environment Strategy

·         Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (with Bracknell Forest and Wokingham)

·         Tree Strategy (with Culture, Heritage & Recreation)

 

 

(1)           To be responsible for services which contribute to the quality of the environment in Reading, including:

 

·         Refuse recycling, treatment  and disposal (with Culture, Heritage & Recreation)

·         Promoting “green” waste disposal in partnership with neighbouring authorities through RE3

·         Air quality, noise and radiation

·         Common land and access to countryside

·         Development of Woodlands (with Culture, Heritage & Recreation)

 

(3)        To work in partnership with the Environment Agency and Thames Water to promote flood prevention

 

(4)        To promote good community relations and consultation, including the following partnerships:

 

·         Climate Change Partnership

·         Cultural Partnership – Green Strand

·         Local GLOBE

·         Greater Reading Environment Network (GREN) (with Neighbourhoods)

·         Re3 Waste Disposal Partnership

 

B)       Planning

 

(1)        To oversee the implementation of the strategic planning framework for the Council, with particular reference to:

 

·   Local Development Framework

·   Sites & Detailed Policies Document

·   Unitary, Structure, Borough and local plans

·   Minerals

·   Cross-boundary plans

·   Area plans or planning briefs for strategic sites within the Borough

·   Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan

·   Community Infrastructure Levy

 

(2)        To be responsible for advising on the Council's position on strategic matters under consideration by the Joint Minerals and Waste Planning Committee

 

(3)        To approve responses to consultation on:

 

·         Major developments outside the Borough which affect the Borough.

·         Regional or sub-regional planning guidance and regional transport strategy

·         Other authorities’ local or structure plans

·         Any strategic, non-statutory supplementary planning guidance such as area plans or planning briefs

 

(4)        To be responsible for the following functions:

 

·         Planning policy

·         Development control

·         Planning enforcement

·         Building Control

 

 (5)       To ensure effective public and business participation in the planning processes

 

C)        Transport

 

(1)        To oversee the implementation of a transport strategy for both the Borough and the town centre, and to ensure that the transport elements of all major Council and private sector development initiatives contribute to the aims of the Council's transport strategy.

 

(2)        To oversee the implementation of the following corporate strategies and policies:

 

·         Local Transport Plan

·         Local Development Framework

·         Access Plan for Reading

·         Cycling Strategy

 

(3)        To be responsible for the following services:

 

·         road safety

·         car parking

·         Hackney carriage ranks

·         transport services for the disabled

·         cycling

·         concessionary fares scheme

·         road safety plans, training and school crossing patrols

·         maintenance of street lighting, street furniture and bus shelters

·         highways maintenance, construction and management

·         highway development and improvement

·         bridge maintenance and construction

·         private street works

·         public transport support and co-ordination

·         matters arising from the Reading Urban Area Package and Berkshire Local Transport Plan, including the management of relevant budgets

·         reservoirs

·         Traffic signals

·         Transport planning

·         Traffic management regulatory functions

·         Footpaths, bridleways, byways and other non-road public rights of way

 

(4)        To ensure effective public, stakeholder and business participation in the planning and transport processes

 

(5)        In partnership with neighbouring authorities:

 

·         to oversee the implementation of the Reading Area Transport Plans

·         to prepare a Transport Policy and Programme, and to recommend the Local Transport Plan bid and bids for supplementary grant, Local Strategic Transport Funding and other sources of Government, European and private funding to the Council.

·         To operate the Berkshire Local Transport Body Assurance Framework, and to represent the Council on the Local Berkshire Transport Body.

 

(6)        To co-ordinate liaison with:

 

·         Local Sustainable Transport Fund Cross-Boundary Councillor Steering Group

·         Berkshire Strategic Transport Forum

 

(7)        To represent the interests of the Council as shareholder in Reading Transport Limited.

 

(8)        To be responsible for the following environmental health and public protection legislation and services within the Borough:

 

·         Hackney Carriage Licences (including Vehicle and Drivers Licences)

·         Private Hire (including Vehicle, Drivers and Operators Licences

·         Scrap Metal Dealers or Motor Salvage Operator

·         Street Trading

·         Approval of recreation and refreshment facilities under Part VIIA of the Highways Act 1980