Issue - meetings

To consider the recommendations from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18^th June 2025.

Council considered the recommendations arising from the meeting of Cabinet held on 18^th June 2025.

Contaminated Land Strategy

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Licensing and Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) presented the Contaminated Land Strategy report for Members’ consideration. In doing so, it was noted that there was no contaminated land in Bromsgrove. However, it was important to understand what had been situated on land within the District previously to ascertain whether sites were suitable for development or not.

Following the presentation of the report, there was a detailed discussion regarding the proposed Contaminated Land Strategy. Several areas were raised by Members, including whether it was accurate to state that there was no contaminated land within the District. Members commented that recently there had been a significant amount of work carried out at the Windsor Street site in order to remediate the contamination found at this location.

Members were informed that if there was no liable party for contaminated land, the responsibility for clearing the site would fall to Bromsgrove District Council and ultimately the taxpayer. This would result in a reactive approach being taken on any area identified as contaminated, which might not be the most appropriate way to deal with this type of land in the future.  Clarification was provided that there would be environmental tests carried out prior to any building within a specific site in the District, to see if the land was contaminated and what the costs of remediation of such sites would be.

The report had been considered previously at the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting that took place on 17^th June 2025. There was a suggestion that this report could be referred back to the Board in order to provide further clarity. Some Members explained that the pre-scrutiny of the report had been detailed during the meeting of the Board and did not feel that this would be necessary and that the Strategy had been devised using a prioritisation methodology. Members commented that it was likely there was contaminated land across the District, however, it was suggested that there was not the resource within the Council to clear these areas. The remediation of these sites would be picked up through the Planning process as and when any contamination was identified.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor K. Taylor and seconded by Councillor K. May.

RESOLVED that

The Council adopt the revised Contaminated Land Strategy to be published on the Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) website.

Warm Homes Local Grants Funding and Resources

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Climate Change presented the Warm Homes Local Grants Funding and Resources for the consideration of Council.

It was noted that the funding awarded by Central Government for this project had not been a significant amount. The funding would cover the cost of works being carried out on approximately nineteen to twenty private homes at the average cost of fifteen thousand pounds. There would be further funding available for social housing properties at a later date.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35