Issue - meetings

The Neighbourhood Planning Protocol (NPP) needs to be amended primarily with regard to the process of the Council making (bringing into force) Neighbourhood Plans once they have passed their referendum to make it clear that this is a Cabinet decision.

The Cabinet are asked to approve the amendments to My Neighbourhood: A Neighbourhood Planning Protocol for Bath & North East Somerset as set out to:

a) clarify that the decision to make (bring into force) a Neighbourhood Plan once it has passed its referendum should be made by Cabinet;

b) clarify the process of issuing a Decision Statement following Independent Examination; and

c) delegate authority to the Divisional Director – Development to issue a Decision Statement once a Neighbourhood Plan has been made; and

d) clarify the process of approving Neighbourhood Area applications for Parish & Town Councils, where the boundary of the proposed Neighbourhood Area is different to the Parish/Town Council boundary; and

e) make minor factual alterations.

Councillor Tim Warren said that the Localism Act 2011 has reformed the planning system to give local people new rights to shape the development of the communities in which they live.  The Act provides for a new type of community-led initiative known as a Neighbourhood Development Plan which sets out the policies on the development and use of land in a parish or ‘neighbourhood area’.  The Council has a duty to assist communities in the preparation of Neighbourhood Development Plans and Orders.

Councillor Tim Warren moved the recommendations.

Councillor Charles Gerrish seconded the proposals by saying that this was good news for communities and it was important that the Council was responsive to the needs of local communities and supported them in developing their Neighbourhood Plans.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet APPROVED the amendments to My Neighbourhood: A Neighbourhood Planning Protocol for Bath & North East Somerset to:

1)  Clarify that the decision to make (bring into force) a Neighbourhood Plan once it has passed its referendum should be made by Cabinet;

2)  Clarify the process of issuing a Decision Statement following Independent Examination; and

3)  Delegate authority to the Divisional Director – Development to issue a Decision Statement once a Neighbourhood Plan has been made; and

4)  Clarify the process of approving Neighbourhood Area applications for Parish & Town Councils, where the boundary of the proposed Neighbourhood Area is different to the Parish/Town Council boundary; and

5)  Make minor factual alterations