Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development on the Statement of Community Involvement 2016 - setting out how the Council intends to consult on its local plan documents and for planning applications

RESOLVED

(i)         That the draft Statement of Community Involvement, as submitted, be approved for a 6 week period of public consultation.

(ii)        That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development be authorised to agree minor editorial changes prior to publication.

REASONS

(i)         To enable the draft SCI, which satisfies current legislation, to go forward for consultation.

(ii)        To undertake minor editorial or typographical amendments.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) was a statutory document which set out the ways in which the Council would engage with residents, communities, businesses, local organisations and other groups to ensure as many people as possible were able to have a say in planning decisions that affected them.

The document provided guidance on how the planning system worked and advised the manner in which the Council would inform, consult and involve people in planning decisions within the District, excluding the area within the South Downs National Park.

The current SCI had been reviewed in 2013.  In response to changes in the planning system and feedback from consultation bodies an updated and revised SCI was now required and a draft Statement of Community Involvement had therefore been prepared for public consultation.

The Planning and Development Policy Development Advisory Group supported the proposal.

RESOLVED

(i)         That the draft Statement of Community Involvement, as submitted, be approved for a 6 week period of public consultation.

(ii)        That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development be authorised to agree minor editorial changes prior to publication.

REASONS

(i)         To enable the draft SCI, which satisfies current legislation, to go forward for consultation.

(ii)        To undertake minor editorial or typographical amendments.

This document sets out how and when the Council will involve the community and other interested people and organisations in the preparation of our policies and guidelines, including those related to planning and development. It also discusses community involvement in relation to planning application decisions and explains the role of the Council and that of applicants and their agents. The SCI is being amended to simplify the explanation of the different stages in the preparation of planning documents and the opportunities to participate and so that it reflects the Council’s constitutional changes and changes in the title of the Cabinet Member. It is not a policy document. The existing SCI may be viewed here:

https://www.horsham.gov.uk/planningpolicy/planning-policy/planning-timetable

The Consultation Draft SCI circulated with this agenda will, subject to the advice of PDAG, be reported to Cabinet on 22 September for discussion and agreement to be published for a period of public consultation. Any comments received will be taken into account and a revised SCI presented to Cabinet 24 November 2016 for adoption.

The Head of Strategic Planning and Sustainability introduced the draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) that had been circulated to Members with the agenda pack. It was explained that the existing SCI needed to be refreshed in order to reduce its size and increase its readability for the benefit of the public. The existing SCI also referred to revoked legislation so it was timely to prepare a new draft encompassing all necessary changes than to rely on incremental change.

Consequent to recent legislative and constitutional change, the new draft SCI was easier to comprehend and used less technical language whilst maintaining the same structural content. Cabinet would be recommended to approve the draft SCI on 22 September for a consultation period of 6 weeks. Cabinet would receive the outcome of the consultation at its meeting in November.

Members asked about:

·         Whether the draft SCI covered matters like notifying adjoining properties about planning applications and whether there was a checklist for officers to ensure notifications had been given;

·         Whether relevant links to the Council’s constitution needed to be made explicit; and

·         The consideration given to the publication and promotion of the draft SCI consultation.

Officers responded:

·         That the document was about consultation on the planning process and that feedback about notices would be noted. However, the existing process of notification, including the validation process, was considered appropriate;

·         That reference links within the draft SCI to the Council’s constitution will be made more explicit;

·         That publication of the draft SCI would include social media, press releases, the Council’s website and a notice in the District Post. Officers would consider whether any other publications should be used, subject to cost.

The group resolved that Cabinet member for Planning and Development be advised that the draft SCI be forwarded to Cabinet on 22 September.