Issue - meetings

Meeting: 23/05/2017 - Cabinet (Item 9)

9 KING'S LYNN AND WEST NORFOLK STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT pdf icon PDF 150 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

RECOMMENDED:   1)       That the final version of the document is endorsed, and;

2)       That the document is published via the Council’s website.

 

Reason for Decision

 

To ensure that the Borough Council has an up-to-date Statement of

Community Involvement adopted, to inform the next stages of the Local Plan Review and planning application process.

Minutes:

Councillor Blunt presented the report which explained that the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) was a document which outlined how the Council would consult with the public as part of the Local Plan process, on Planning Applications, and also on Neighbourhood Plans. At the May 2016 Cabinet it was agreed that the SCI be made available for public consultation for a period of 6 weeks and that the final version of the document prepared after the consultation period be reported back through to Council for final approval.

 

Councillor Blunt encouraged all Councillors to read the document which outlined how both the planning and Local Plan process worked.

 

Councillor Mrs Fraser addressed the Cabinet under Standing Order 34 and provided an example of a fellow Councillor approaching local businesses and residents regarding planning applications.  In response, Councillor Long explained that the Members Code of Good Practice for Planning would be considered at the next Cabinet meeting on 27 June and included how Councillors should consult during the planning process.  Councillor Long commented that it was important for a Borough Councillor to have the ability to have their say as a local person.

 

Councillor Blunt advised that the following reports would be presented to Cabinet on 27 June:

 

·        Members Code of Good Practice for Planning which set out guidance on how Councillors should conduct themselves.

·        Planning Scheme of Delegation.

 

Councillor Blunt invited Councillor Mrs Fraser to discuss her points raised outside of the Cabinet meeting.

 

Councillor Lawrence commented that it was an excellent report which set out clear guidance on how consultation on planning applications would be undertaken.

 

In response to comments from Councillor Mrs Mellish, Councillor Blunt advised that the Local Plan was a single document with a suite of supporting documents which provided an understanding of the process.

 

The Planning Policy Manager added that the document provided a simplified process together with diagrams outlining how the Council would consult with the public as part of the Local Plan process.

 

Councillor Long referred to page 15 – The Role of Councillors and suggested that an additional bullet point be added as follows:

 

·        A separate Members Code of Good Practice for Planning is adopted by the Council which sets out criteria which Members work to.

 

The above amendment would allow the public to gain an understanding of what to expect from Local Councillors.

 

The above amended was agreed by Cabinet and the Planning Policy Manager undertook to amend the document accordingly.

 

RECOMMENDED:  1)         That the final version of the document is endorsed, and;

2)         That the document is published via the Council’s website.

 

Reason for Decision

 

To ensure that the Borough Council has an up-to-date Statement of

Community Involvement adopted, to inform the next stages of the Local Plan Review and planning application process.