Agenda item

To seek Cabinet’s authorisation for an eight week statutory public consultation on the emerging Alresford Neighbourhood Plan and to also approve a Scheme of Delegation for Neighbourhood Plans.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)      notes the contents of the submitted documentation at Appendix 1 to 3 to item A.8 of the Report of the Leader of the Council and agrees that they satisfy the requirements of Regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended);

b)      authorises the Assistant Director (Strategic Planning and Place) to undertake an eight week public consultation on the Plan and other related documents in accordance with Regulation 16 of the aforementioned Regulations;

c)      authorises the Assistant Director (Strategic Planning and Place) to agree any minor amendments to the Plan and supporting documents (if required) before the public consultation begins; and

d)      approves the Scheme of Delegation for Neighbourhood Plans as set in Appendix 4 to the aforementioned Leader of the Council’s report.

Earlier in the meeting, on a point of information for the public record, Councillor Scott, present in his capacity as Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group, had declared an interest in Agenda Item 10 – report A.8 – Update on Alresford Parish Council’s Regulation 15 and 16 Neighbourhood Plan Consultation insofar as he was both a member of Alresford Parish Council and one of the District Council Ward Members for Alresford.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Leader of the Council (A.8) which sought its authorisation for an eight week statutory public consultation on the emerging Alresford Neighbourhood Plan. The report also sought Cabinet’s approval for a Scheme of Delegation for Neighbourhood Plans.

Cabinet was informed that Alresford Parish Council had submitted the final version of its Neighbourhood Plan to this Council (TDC) so that TDC could undertake a public consultation on it. The Plan itself, a Consultation Document, the Basic Condition Statement and a number of other supporting documents had been submitted to TDC. It was only the Plan, the Consultation Statement, the Basic Condition Statement and the Habitats Regulations Assessment/Strategic Environmental Assessment which would be the subject of the public consultation.

Members were made aware that from this point forward the Neighbourhood Plan process would be hosted by TDC, through a statutory process in its final stages of preparation. That statutory process was set out in The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

It was reported that Officers were satisfied that the submitted plan complied with all the relevant statutory requirements (as outlined in Regulation 15) and therefore were requesting that Members now allow the Plan (and associated documentation) to go out to an eight week public consultation.

The Cabinet was advised that the decisions involved in the process of making a Neighbourhood Development Plan were largely technical or administrative in nature, however certain decisions, for example, the decision to hold a referendum or ultimately the decision to make the Neighbourhood Plan and bring it into force could be key decisions and as such should include Members’ formal involvement.

In view of the statutory timescales it was proposed that Cabinet approve a scheme of delegation for functions/decision-making under the Neighbourhood Development Plan process to apply to neighbourhood plan proposals.  It was important that Neighbourhood Development Plans were processed in a timely and efficient manner, in line with statutory timescales and this proposal sought to streamline the current approach by delegating certain administrative and technical tasks to Officers, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning where appropriate, whilst reserving the formal decision to make the plan to Cabinet.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Stock OBE) congratulated Alresford Parish Council for being the first parish council within the District to reach this stage.

Having considered the contents of the Alresford Neighbourhood Development Plan and the proposals contained in the Leader’s report:-

It was moved by Councillor Stock OBE, seconded by Councillor G V Guglielmi and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)      notes the contents of the submitted documentation at Appendix 1 to 3 to item A.8 of the Report of the Leader of the Council and agrees that they satisfy the requirements of Regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended);

b)      authorises the Assistant Director (Strategic Planning and Place) to undertake an eight week public consultation on the Plan and other related documents in accordance with Regulation 16 of the aforementioned Regulations;

c)      authorises the Assistant Director (Strategic Planning and Place) to agree any minor amendments to the Plan and supporting documents (if required) before the public consultation begins; and

d)      approves the Scheme of Delegation for Neighbourhood Plans as set in Appendix 4 to the aforementioned Leader of the Council’s report.