Issue - meetings

The Council is preparing the Development Plan Document which will identify sites the District for Gypsy & Travellers.  The first stage in the process is an issues consultation and a "Call for Sites" due in late 2011/early 2012

Peter Duppa-Miller (Secretary to the Local Councils Association in North East Somerset) made an ad hoc statement urging that the Town Councils, Parish Councils and Parish Meetings should be consulted fully about this issue.  He also asked that information about mobile library provision should be made available.

Councillor Tim Ball, in proposing the item, drew attention to the Notes from the Planning, Transportation and Environment Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel [copies of which had been placed in the public gallery before the meeting and are attached to these Minutes as appendix 6 and can be seen on the Council’s website].  He pointed out that consultations had already taken place at the Parishes Liaison Committee, the Local Development Strategy Group, the Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel and the Development Control Committee.  He assured Peter Duppa-Miller that parishes would be consulted, as part of his proposal for a formal consultation period, from 21st November to 6^th January and that mobile library provision would be considered as part of the consultation.

Councillor Simon Allen seconded the proposal and said that he was very pleased that this proposal had come forward, after such a long wait.  He emphasised the need to consult widely.

Councillor Cherry Beath expressed support and agreed with Councillor Allen.  She recognised that this would be a difficult issue to resolve but was pleased that a resolution might at last be found.

Councillor Roger Symonds expressed his support for the proposal.

On a motion from Councillor Tim Ball, seconded by Councillor Simon Allen, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To APPROVE the Issues Paper (incorporating a Call for Sites) for public consultation; and

(2) To AGREE that the public consultation is undertaken over an extended period of 8 weeks, to run from late November 2011.