Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director Planning

Purpose of report

To consider the Examiner’s report on the draft Modified Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan (the Draft Neighbourhood Plan”) to determine whether the Draft Neighbourhood Plan, incorporating modifications should proceed to referendum.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1         To approve all the Examiner’s recommendations and modifications (Appendices 1 and 2) to enable the Neighbourhood Plan, incorporating the recommended modifications (Appendix 3), to proceed to a referendum.

1.2         To authorise the issue of a ‘decision statement’ confirming the Executive’s decision including that the Neighbourhood Plan will now proceed to a referendum.

1.3         To authorise the Assistant Director Planning to make any minor presentational changes and corrections necessary to ready the Neighbourhood Plan for referendum.

Resolved

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

(2)            That the issue of a ‘decision statement’ confirming the Executive’s decision including that the Neighbourhood Plan will now proceed to a referendum be authorised.

(3)            That the Assistant Director Planning be authorised to make any minor presentational changes and corrections necessary to ready the Neighbourhood Plan for referendum.

The Assistant Director Planning submitted a report for Executive to consider  the Examiner’s report on the draft Modified Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan (the Draft Neighbourhood Plan”) to determine whether the Draft Neighbourhood Plan, incorporating modifications should proceed to referendum.

Councillors Pattenden and Hingley, ward members for Adderbury, Bloxham and Bodicote, commended the work to date and commented on the importance of the Neighbourhood Plan for Bloxham Parish Council.

Resolved

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

(2)          That the issue of a ‘decision statement’ confirming the Executive’s decision including that the Neighbourhood Plan will now proceed to a referendum be authorised.

(3)          That the Assistant Director Planning be authorised to make any minor presentational changes and corrections necessary to ready the Neighbourhood Plan for referendum.

Reasons

The draft Bloxham Neighbourhood Plan Review has been independently examined and is recommended by the Examiner for referendum subject to the incorporation of a number of modifications. Officers agree with the Examiner’s conclusion. It is therefore considered that, with the recommended modifications, the Neighbourhood Plan meets the requisite Basic Conditions and should proceed to referendum.

Alternative options

Option 1: Not to accept all the Examiner’s recommendations.

Where a local planning authority proposes to make a decision that differs from the Examiner’s recommendations it is required to set out these reasons in a Decision Statement which would be subject to further consultation. Officers consider that the Examiner’s recommendations should be accepted.

Option 2: Not to accept the Examiner’s recommendations and not to proceed to a referendum.

Option 2 could only be justified if the Examiner recommends that the Draft Neighbourhood Plan should not proceed to a referendum, or the Council is not satisfied that the Draft Neighbourhood Plan has met the procedural and legal requirements. Officers consider that the Examiner's recommendations should be accepted and are of the view that the procedural and legal requirements have been met.