Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy

Purpose of Report

The Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan has been examined by an independent examiner.  The examiner has produced an Examiner’s report and the Council as the Local Planning Authority is required to consider the report recommendations and determine whether the draft Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan incorporating the modifications set out at Appendix 1 to this report should proceed to a referendum and confirm the area covered by the referendum.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1         To approve all of the Examiner’s recommendations and modifications to enable the Plan to proceed to a referendum;

1.2         To approve the modifications to the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan in accordance with the Examiner’s recommendations, to authorise the issue of a decision statement to that effect, and to approve the making of any minor presentational changes necessary to ready the Plan for referendum; 

1.3         To approve the area for the referendum as recommended by the examiner to be the administrative boundary of Bloxham Parish (which is the approved designated neighbourhood area) and to note that there will be no extension to the area.

Resolved

(1)          That all of the Examiner’s recommendations and modifications be approved to enable the Plan to proceed to a referendum.

(2)          That the modifications to the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan, in accordance with the Examiner’s recommendations, be approved, the issue of a decision statement to that effect be authorised and the making of any minor presentational changes necessary to ready the Plan for referendum be approved.

(3)          That the area for the referendum as recommended by the examiner to be the administrative boundary of Bloxham Parish (which is the approved designated neighbourhood area) be approved and it be noted that there would be no extension to the area.

The Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy submitted a report to seek a decision on whether to proceed to a Referendum for the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan.

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Planning explained that the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan had been examined by an independent examiner.  The examiner has produced an Examiner’s report and the Council as the Local Planning Authority was required to consider the report recommendations and determine whether the draft Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan incorporating the modifications should proceed to a referendum and confirm the area covered by the referendum.

Resolved

(1)          That all of the Examiner’s recommendations and modifications be approved to enable the Plan to proceed to a referendum.

(2)          That the modifications to the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan, in accordance with the Examiner’s recommendations, be approved, the issue of a decision statement to that effect be authorised and the making of any minor presentational changes necessary to ready the Plan for referendum be approved.

(3)          That the area for the referendum as recommended by the examiner to be the administrative boundary of Bloxham Parish (which is the approved designated neighbourhood area) be approved and it be noted that there wouldl be no extension to the area.

Reasons

The Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan as recommended for modification by the Examiner meets the necessary legal and procedural requirements. The Bloxham Neighbourhood plan as recommended for modification by the Examiner should therefore proceed to a referendum.

Alternative options

Option One - Not to approve some of the Examiner’s recommendations and to proceed to a referendum. Where a LPA proposes to make a decision that differs from the Examiner’s recommendation then there would need to be further consultation. This would take more time and would have cost implications.

Option Two - Not to accept the Examiner’s recommendations and not to proceed to a referendum. This option can only be justified if the Examiner recommends that the Plan should not proceed to a referendum, or the Council is not satisfied that the plan has met the procedural and legal requirements.

Option Three - To extend the area in which the referendum is to take place. The Neighbourhood Plan has been produced with public involvement for the area designated.