Issue - meetings

It is important that the Local Plan consultation is expertly undertaken so that residents, businesses , community groups and stakeholders are better informed of the Local Plan and therefore able to engage.  The Borough needs to resource the Local Plan engagement for the benefit of the residents of the Borough.  Through commissioning expertise the success of our communications, engagement, facilitation and management of the process will be assured.

The Committee agreed to the proposed commissioning of consultation and engagement experts; and specialist software to enable residents to comment for the Local Plan consultation with a budget of up to £75,000 as set out in paragraph 4.3 of the report.

The Committee received a report detailing a proposal to commission consultation experts and specialist software for the Local Plan public consultation.  The aim of the consultation is to reach businesses, community groups and stakeholders and to maximise opportunities for engagement with the Local Plan process.

The success of the Future 40 consultation was noted and it was commented that whilst the Local Plan consultation was anticipated to be equally successful the methodology was different.  It was agreed to circulate more information on the estimated number of responses for the Local Plan consultation.

It was anticipated the consultation would commence in November, however there was a possibility of the date would changing in the event of a General Election being called.

Accordingly, the Committee agreed to the proposed commissioning of consultation and engagement experts and specialist software to enable residents to comment for the Local Plan consultation with a budget of up to £75,000 as set out in paragraph 4.3 of the report.