Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director – Planning and Development

Purpose of report

To seek approval of a consultation draft of a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) for the Council’s planning services.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

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

1.2         To authorise the Assistant Director - Planning and Development to make any changes he considers to be minor and/or presentational to the draft Statement of Community Involvement prior to the consultation and to determine the format of publication.

Resolved

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

(2)          That the Assistant Director - Planning and Development be authorised to make any changes he considers to be minor and/or presentational to the draft Statement of Community Involvement prior to the consultation and to determine the format of publication.

The Assistant Director – Planning and Development submitted a report to seek approval of a consultation draft of a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) for the Council’s planning services.

Resolved

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

(2)          That the Assistant Director - Planning and Development be authorised to make any changes he considers to be minor and/or presentational to the draft Statement of Community Involvement prior to the consultation and to determine the format of publication.

Reasons

Option 1: Not to proceed at this time with the revised SCI consultation

The alternative option is to continue to use the existing 2016 SCI. This is not recommended. The existing document does not address all requirements introduced since 2016 and does not provide the necessary flexibility for community engagement in the future.  The 2016 SCI will become increasingly out-of-date

Option 2: To reconsider the content of the revised SCI

The draft SCI has been produced having regard to statutory and policy requirements for plan making and development management and to associated guidance. It is considered by officers to be an appropriate consultation document.

Option 3: To adopt the SCI without consultation

SCIs are not subject to a formal requirement to consult. There is an option open to Members to adopt the SCI without a period of consultation.  In view of the purpose of the document, consultation is recommended.

Alternative options

Option 1: Reject the PSDS programme of works in its entirety

CDC will still need to undertake a large programme of works to achieve carbon neutrality and will be presented with situations, such as leisure centre heating requirements, that will require unique financing mechanisms to provide a suitable business case.