Agenda item

The Localism Act (November 2011) and the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations (April 2012) facilitate new community-led planning rights which will enable communities to undertake their own Neighbourhood Plans, Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build projects. The new legislation also introduces new planning duties on Bath & North East Somerset to support these new rights. In order to respond to this new agenda and to update the Council’s policy on community engagement in all elements of planning My Neighbourhood: A Neighbourhood Planning Protocol for B&NES has been prepared and publicly consulted on. The Scrutiny Panel is asked to consider the Adoption Draft of this document and review the background work prior to the document being considered for adoption by Cabinet in September 2012.

The Policy & Environment Manager introduced this item to the Panel. He explained that the Localism Act (November 2011) and the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations (April 2012) facilitates new community-led planning rights which will enable communities to undertake their own Neighbourhood Plans, Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build projects. He added that the new legislation also introduces new planning duties on Bath & North East Somerset to support these new rights.

He informed the Panel that a number of local groups in B&NES had already received in-kind support from some of the national agencies funded to assist with Neighbourhood Planning. In particular, B&NES has one of the Neighbourhood Planning National Frontrunners (Freshford & Limpley Stoke Parishes) – this cross border Neighbourhood Area has received a grant of £20,000 from the government to support the development of their Neighbourhood Plan as a result of a successful funding bid led by B&NES Council.

Councillor Nicholas Coombes wished to make some comments on the My Neighbourhood document.

He felt that Ward Councillors should be included as part of Figure 2 on page 10.

He believed there was a typographical error on page 11 and that the first bullet point in the box entitled Level 3 should read ‘Fall marginally below the thresholds for Level 1 and 2’.

On page 22, Figure 5 he suggested that the word ‘minority’ be inserted in the section entitled Faith, Ethnic and Language groups to read ‘Further work needs to be done to ensure that minority faith, ethnic and language groups are engaged and informed in the planning process. Many organisations representing minority faith, ethnic and language groups will be routinely consulted.’

He also asked for clarification on whose decision it was to approve Neighbourhood Forums and Neighbourhood Area Applications.

The Policy & Environment Manager thanked him for his comments and replied that the current advice that he had was that the decision was to be a Cabinet function.

Councillor Nicholas Coombes replied that he felt it should be a decision made by Full Council.

Councillor Malcolm Hanney commented that he felt that Full Council should have a view on the process, but was reassured that not huge numbers were making moves on the matter.

Mr Rae Harris commented that in previous drafts of the document there had been a lack of detail in relation to local preservation trusts. He asked how a neighbourhood could be highlighted.

Councillor Nicholas Coombes replied that members of preservation trusts will not always live within the same area and therefore they would require some front facing members to put an application forward.

Councillor Malcolm Hanney advised Mr Harris to make a statement at the next Cabinet meeting.

The Panel RESOLVED to:

(i)  Note the amendments to the draft in Appendix B.

(ii)  Note the results of the consultation (Appendix C), Localism e-survey results (Appendix D) and summary of community interest in take up of Neighbourhood Planning (Appendix E).

(iii)  Note the new application forms for Neighbourhood Forums in Bath and Neighbourhood Areas for Town and Parish Councils wishing to take forward a Neighbourhood Plan (Appendices F and G), which are due to be published in September 2012.