Agenda item

The New Local Plan Governance Arrangements

To consider the New Local Plan Governance Arrangements report.

Decision:

RESOLVED to:

 

a)    approve the proposed Local Plan governance arrangements , as set out by the EELGA Peer Review Team (Appendix A), with the exception of

its recommended numerical composition of the Local Plan Leadership Group (LPLG), the suggestion that the LPLG should meet in private and to not endorse EELGA’s recommendation to Full Council to establish a distinct Local Plan Scrutiny Committee.

Cabinet is resolved to agree that LPLG is instead made up of a greater number of members than proposed to allow not only for proportionate political but also geographical representation across the district and also held by way of a public meeting, although at liberty to hold meetings in private as necessary when discussing confidential information (as outlined in paragraph 13 of this report) and,

 

b. use the organogram highlighted in Appendix B to illustrate the governance arrangements instead of the one included in the peer review team’s report and,

 

c. review the Local Plan governance arrangements in December 2020 to

ensure that the new structure is providing the foundations for the timely

delivery of the Local Plan and,

 

d. to note the comments following 6th July Scrutiny Committee’s consideration of the governance arrangements as outlined in the supplementary report.

Minutes:

Councillor Evans, the Portfolio Holder for Planning and the Local Plan, presented the report on the new local plan governance arrangements. He said the report had been produced in collaboration with Councillor Storah and two consultants from East of England Local Government Association (EELGA) who had proposed a bespoke governance structure in relation to the new Local Plan. He said a Local Plan Leadership Group (LPLG) would be put in place of the Planning Policy Working Group, and it would have up to twelve, cross party members with geographical representation from across the district. Councillor Storah would chair the LPLG. Meetings would be held in public, although there would be provision to hold private meetings in the event that sensitive information would be discussed. He said this went against the advice of the EELGA consultants who had recommended a small membership and for meetings to be held in private. He said the new group would be committed to public consultation and any materials used in evidence by the LPLG should be easily accessible to the public.

 

The second aspect of the new governance arrangements for the Local Plan related to the scrutiny function. Councillor Gregory said the Scrutiny Committee had discussed this at length during its previous meeting and had endorsed the following recommendations to Cabinet as published in the supplementary report:

 

·  We would welcome an explanation from the EELGA consultants as

to their reasoning in coming to their conclusions and how they were

illuminated in their thinking by the lessons learnt from the past.

·   We wish to see the maximum amount of transparency in the

workings of all of the bodies in relation to the Local Plan process,

but we appreciate that by whatever mechanism there must be some

degree of confidentiality in certain fora.

·  We would encourage the highest possible degree of consultation

with residents by the Local Plan Leadership Group. However, it is a

matter for that Group as to how they discharge that duty.

·  The Committee would welcome a greater role for the Leader of the

Council alongside the Chief Executive on the Corporate Overview

Board.

 

He said there had been contention surrounding which body would be responsible for scrutinising the Local Plan process and no clear mandate could be put forward. He said the favoured option was for keeping the function within the current Scrutiny Committee’s remit but operating with two sets of meetings; one for general scrutiny matters, the second solely relating to the Local Plan.

 

The Leader said he favoured the principle of pre-scrutiny and was content with keeping the Local Plan scrutiny function within the current committee’s remit.

 

Councillor Evans said the new Local Plan governance arrangements would be kept under review with an assessment to take place in December 2020.

 

Councillor Lees supported the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations but asked that all costs relating to the new Local Plan to be recorded.

 

The Chief Executive said the issue of the scrutiny function was not for Cabinet to determine although they could welcome comments from the Committee.

 

             In response to a question from Councillor Eke, Councillor Evans said the term “2nd tier officer” in relation to the Project Director’s role did not detract from the seniority of the position.

 

Councillor Dean said the Local Plan was the greatest challenge this Administration would face and he had written to Councillor Evans to offer the Liberal Democrats’ constructive support. Matters such as affordability, high standards and a zero carbon ambition were of great importance and should be enshrined within the Plan. He said he had a number of concerns regarding the proposed governance arrangements; a large leadership group was likely to be hampered by “continual discussion and few conclusions”, and the prospect of open meetings would reduce the capacity for members to “think” and “work out sound proposals”. He also said the current Scrutiny Committee should not be over burdened with scrutinising the Local Plan and a distinct committee should be established to carryout that function.

 

Councillor Lees said the proposal for a large leadership group had been driven by R4U’s commitment to inclusivity and members’ enthusiasm to be involved in the process. She added that Councillor Storah, who would chair the LPLG, would not sit on the Scrutiny Committee when it was scrutinising Local Plan matters.

 

Councillor Evans proposed to approve the recommendations as set out in the report, with the observations and recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee to be noted.

 

            RESOLVED to:

 

a) approve the proposed Local Plan governance arrangements , as set out by the EELGA Peer Review Team (Appendix A), with the exception of

its recommended numerical composition of the Local Plan Leadership Group (LPLG), the suggestion that the LPLG should meet in private and to not endorse EELGA’s recommendation to Full Council to establish a distinct Local Plan Scrutiny Committee. Cabinet is resolved to agree that LPLG is instead made up of a greater number of members than proposed to allow not only for proportionate political but also geographical representation across the district and also held by way of a public meeting, although at liberty to hold meetings in private as necessary when discussing confidential information (as outlined in paragraph 13 of the report) and,

 

b) use the organogram highlighted in Appendix B to illustrate the governance arrangements instead of the one included in the peer review team’s report and,

 

c) review the Local Plan governance arrangements in December 2020 to

ensure that the new structure is providing the foundations for the timely

delivery of the Local Plan and,

 

d) to note the comments following 6th July Scrutiny Committee’s consideration of the governance arrangements as outlined in the supplementary report.

 

Supporting documents: