Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy

Purpose of report

To propose the Executive recommends the ‘making’ (adoption) of the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan at the meeting of the Full Council on 19 December 2016. 

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To note the referendum result of the 3 November 2016 where 97% of those who voted were in favour of the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan which is above the required 50%.

1.2       To recommend to Council to resolve that Cherwell District Council as the local planning authority ‘make’ the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan so that it is part of the statutory development plan for the District. 

1.3       To recommend to Council to approve the issuing and publication of a decision statement stating that Cherwell District Council has resolved to make the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan.

1.4       To recommend to Council to delegate to the Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy the correction of any  spelling, grammatical or typographical errors, and the undertaking of any minor presentational improvements, prior to the Plan being adopted and published by Council.

Resolved

(1)          That the referendum result of 3November 2016 where 97% of those who voted were in favour of the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan which is above the required 50% be noted.

(2)          That Full Council be recommended to resolve that Cherwell District Council as the local planning authority ‘make’ the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan so that it is part of the statutory development plan for the District. 

(3)          That Full Council be recommended to approve the issuing and publication of a decision statement stating that Cherwell District Council has resolved to make the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan.

(4)          That Full Council be recommended to delegate to the Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy the correction of any  spelling, grammatical or typographical errors, and the undertaking of any minor presentational improvements, prior to the Plan being adopted and published by the council.

The Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy submitted a report to propose the Executive recommends the ‘making’ (adoption) of the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan at the meeting of the Full Council on 19 December 2016.

Resolved

(1)          That the referendum result of 3November 2016 where 97% of those who voted were in favour of the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan which is above the required 50% be noted.

(2)          That Full Council be recommended to resolve that Cherwell District Council as the local planning authority ‘make’ the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan so that it is part of the statutory development plan for the District. 

(3)          That Full Council be recommended to approve the issuing and publication of a decision statement stating that Cherwell District Council has resolved to make the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan.

(4)          That Full Council be recommended to delegate to the Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy the correction of any  spelling, grammatical or typographical errors, and the undertaking of any minor presentational improvements, prior to the Plan being adopted and published by the council.

Reasons

Local planning authorities are required by statute to ‘make’ any neighbourhood plan if more than half of those voting in the referendum vote in favour of the plan. Of those eligible to vote, 877 voted in favour of the Plan with 26 against. This gives a majority vote of 97%.

Executive is therefore requested to recommend the ‘making’ (adoption) of the Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan at the meeting of the Full Council on 19 December 2016.

Alternative options

Where a referendum poll results in more than half of those eligible to vote voting in favour of the Neighbourhood Plan, the local planning authority must ‘make’ the Plan as part of the statutory development plan. There are no alternative options available unless the making of the plan would breach, or would otherwise be incompatible with, any EU obligation or any of the Convention rights (within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998).