Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy

Purpose of report

To seek approval of a new Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) 2016 for formal consultation.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1         To approve the draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) 2016 (Appendix 1) for formal public consultation.

1.2         To authorise the Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the draft Statement of Community Involvement 2016 before formal consultation commences.

Resolved

(1)          That the draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) 2016 be approved for formal public consultation.

(2)          That the Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy be authorised to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the draft Statement of Community Involvement 2016 before formal consultation commences.

The Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy submitted a report to seek approval of a new Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) 2016 for formal consultation.

Resolved

(1)          That the draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) 2016 be approved for formal public consultation.

(2)          That the Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy be authorised to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the draft Statement of Community Involvement 2016 before formal consultation commences.

Reasons

A draft SCI 2016 has been prepared for the purpose of public consultation. Upon completion and final approval, the SCI 2016 will be the Council’s formal statement on community engagement in planning decisions. The existing SCI was adopted by the Council in July 2006. A number of changes have since been made to planning legislation and policy. Technological advances including increased use and availability of electronic communications have also affected how public consultation is undertaken. The Council is also at the early stage of producing a number of new planning policy documents which will require community and stakeholder involvement. It is therefore appropriate to prepare a new SCI and, in view of its purpose, to consult on it.

Alternative options

Option 1: Continue to use the SCI that was adopted in July 2006.

This is not recommended as although the SCI 2006 is comprehensive, it is dated. It does not reflect changes to plan-making and development management processes.

Option 2: To reconsider the content of the draft SCI

The draft SCI has been produced having regard to statutory and policy requirements for plan-making and development management. Examples of recently approved SCIs have been considered. It is considered by officers to be an appropriate consultation document.