Issue - meetings

Project Initiation Documents

Meeting: 18/08/2020 - Local Plan Leadership Group (Item 3)

3 Project Initiation Document pdf icon PDF 110 KB

To consider the Project Initiation Document (PID)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Stephen Miles introduced the document highlighting the following;

 

The document defined the Local Plan project setting out the aims of the project and why it should go ahead, who is involved and their responsibilities. It provides a baseline for management of the Local Plan. He noted it was good practice to have such a document when starting a project of this size.

 

Officers were advised by the Peer Review Group not to bring any of these papers to the group for consideration, in order to allow further time to consider the start of the Local Plan project in the light of the government's proposals to amend the planning system. Officers are not recommending that these papers follow on to the next Cabinet meeting for review.

 

The documents had been presented today for the group to comment.

 

The Chair said the group would be assisting with the Council’s response to the White Paper.

 

Roger Harborough said it is the statutory duty of the Council to prepare a Local Plan under the current framework. As the timeline was unclear on the implementation of the new legislation, the Peer Review Group have advised the Council to focus on activities relevant to both the current and new statutory arrangements. This issue would be addressed in the 3rd All Member Workshop on September 8th. Progressing work at this stage under the current arrangements would run the risk of incurring substantial expenditure on work that might become redundant.

 

In response to members asking for officers’ direction as to the focus of topics that would cross both frameworks, he said Peer Review Group had highlighted some potential areas of focus. However it would be premature to make suggestions. It would be sensible to wait until the Council had met with the Ministry.

 

It was highlighted by members that community engagement was a topic that would cross both frameworks. Engaging at an early stage with cross generational collaboration to encourage wider consultation. The Youth Council should be consulted on engagement, as a useful early focus to inform the Council’s response to the consultation on the White Paper, by October 29th. The Government supported social media and digital means of engagement and less emphasis on traditional forms of communication. It was noted that site identification would be another valuable topic to focus on.

 

The portfolio holder asked officers to refresh the Council’s data on brownfield sites to circulate to the Members, Parish and Town Councils with a view of identifying further sites. In addition members highlighted the need to include green and biodiversity sites to maintain the rural aspect of the district.

 

It was requested officers create a set of standard questions to be circulated by parish and town councils as a focus for community consultation.

 

Members asked for background reading that would assist the group ahead of making any formal contribution to the Local Plan.

 

The group agreed to progress the Local Plan within the current framework in the current situation, to prepare the ground for the next  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3