Issue details

Local Plan Documents: Statement of Community Involvement and Local Plan Timetable

 

 

This report sets out the production of two statutorily required Planning Policy documents. These are the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) and the Local Plan Timetable (LPT).

 

Both documents will play an important role as part of the Local Plan update by identifying consultation methods and opportunities to become involved in shaping planning policy (SCI) and the timetable to do so through the LPT. To demonstrate the relationship between the two documents and their roles in the Local Plan process, a joint report has been prepared.

 

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Affects 2 or more wards;

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Wards affected: (All Wards);

Notice of proposed decision first published: 06/02/2024

Decision due: 12 Mar 2024 by Cabinet

Lead member: Portfolio Holder for Finance & Regeneration

Lead director: Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration

Department: Finance and Regeneration

Contact: Hannah Morrison 01484 221000.

Consultation process

There are no statutory requirements for consultation on a Statement of Community Involvement and the Local Plan Timetable documents. These documents inform interested parties when, and how, they can get involved in the Local Plan process.

 

However, in order to conduct better community engagement from the start, it was considered important to run a consultation for the SCI. This ran from the 20th of November to the 5th of January, where 18 comments were received from 18 representatives.

 

The key issues found related to:

·         Hard copies need to be made available in all public buildings;

·         Concerns around a more digitally focused consultation process and the use of social media;

·         It needs to be made clear how representatives’ comments will impact the final document;

·         The use of plain English should be prioritised when possible;

·         The use of “we will” should be used over “we may”; and

·         It wasn’t clear how the council will communicate the relevant stages of the Local Plan with consultees.

 

From the consultation, a number of amendments were made to the document to provide further clarity.

Members/Officers Involved: Members: • Cllr Graham Turner (Finance and Regeneration Portfolio Holder) Officers: • David Shepherd (Strategic Director Growth and Regeneration) • Edward Highfield (Service Director Skills and Regeneration) • Mathias Franklin (Head of Planning and Development) • Jo Scrutton (Planning Policy and Strategy Group Leader) • Internal service areas (Planning Policy, Active Citizens and Places)

Decisions

Agenda items

Documents