Issue - meetings

The Council considered the recommendations of the Executive arising from the review of the Statement of Community Involvement.  Whilst the report was welcomed, it was noted that the response to the consultation had been low.  Councillor Elson, Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy, advised that Officers were reviewing the consultation arrangements with a view to increasing responses to future reviews.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the various representations to the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) consultation together with Officers’ responses and recommendations as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be noted;

          (ii)   the revised Statement of Community Involvement included in Appendix 2 to the report be adopted for the purposes of setting out how the Council wishes the local community to be involved and engaged when preparing key planning policy documents and determining of planning applications; and

          (iii)  the requirements of the Statement of Community Involvement should apply from the date of adoption, in this case 10 February 2022.

Reporting Person – Giorgio Framalicco

Following the meeting of the Executive on 9 September 2021, the Executive received a report which outlined the responses to the public consultation on the revised Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), and recommended to Council that the proposed modifications to the SCI be adopted to provide the necessary framework for involving the local community in planning decisions.  It was noted that the Local Development Framework Working Group had considered the revised SCI at its meeting on 16 December 2021 and the Group’s minor modifications had been incorporated into the SCI.

Councillor Ashall highlighted a modification which he was currently working on with Officers regarding making clear to residents who would receive neighbour letters and why, for example, neighbours two doors down from planning applications.  The Executive welcomed the proposed modification and hoped that progress would be made before Council on 10 February 2022.

REcommended to Council

That  (i)    the various representations to the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) consultation together with Officers’ responses and recommendations as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be noted;

          (ii)   the revised Statement of Community Involvement included in Appendix 2 to the report be adopted for the purposes of setting out how the Council wishes the local community to be involved and engaged when preparing key planning policy documents and determining of planning applications; and

          (iii)  the requirements of the Statement of Community Involvement should apply from the date of adoption, in this case 10 February 2022.

Reason:   To provide the necessary framework for involving the local community in planning decisions.