Decision details

The Scrutiny Committee received the minutes from Cabinet held on 7 March 2016, when the final report from the Management of Conservation Areas Task group had been considered.

Councillor Martins, who had chaired the task group and presented the report to Cabinet, reported that Cabinet had acknowledged the recommendations.  Generally the recommendations had been well received; however there were a couple that Cabinet was unable to commit to them being implemented. 

Councillor Martins said that the task group had considered it important that people knew they were within a conservation area.  Cabinet’s response had been that roundels were not necessarily appropriate.  However, the task group had felt it was important that the designated areas could be identified.

The scrutiny committee agreed that it was important that residents, the public and landlords were aware of the exact location of conservation areas.  It was suggested that this may be carried out by providing estate agents with leaflets which they could give to new tenants; a leaflet drop in the area and an article in ‘About Watford’. 

It was agreed that the progress in implementing the recommendations needed to be monitored.  It was decided that this would be reported to the scrutiny committee in January.  It was hoped that by this time officers would be able to confirm if it was possible to include information on the council tax bills for 2017/18.

RESOLVED –

1.      that Cabinet’s response to the Management of Conservation Areas Task Group’s recommendations be noted.

2.      that the recommendations be reviewed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 19 January 2017.