Issue - meetings

The report provides an updated financial position in regard to preparing a new Local Plan in line with the recently approved Local Plan timetable.

Following consideration, it was resolved to:

(1)      Note the financial update position with regards to the Local Plan and Planning Policy staffing funding.

(2)      Note the potential shortfall in funding for 2023/24 and 2024/25.

(3)      Agree to delegate authority to the Chair of Licensing and Planning Policy Committee in conjunction with the Head of Place Development to effectively and efficiently use the Local Plan funds to deliver an up-to-date and robust Regulation 19 Proposed Submission Local Plan in line with the recently approved Local Plan timetable.

The Committee received a report providing an updated financial position in regard to preparing a new Local Plan in line with the recently approved Local Plan timetable.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            Cost of Local Plan to date: A councillor enquired as to the amount of money spent to date, on the Local Plan.  An officer confirmed that this amount will be calculated and then conveyed to Members.

b)            Impact of pandemic on the cost of Local Plan: A councillor enquired as to the impact of the pandemic on the cost of the Local Plan, and whether this cost had been recovered from government.  It was noted that this cost had not been quantified, and also that it was generally accepted that many local authorities are out of pocket as a result of the pandemic.

c)            Cost of the next Local Plan: An officer confirmed that once an updated Local Plan is in place, the successive reviews thereof should not have to be as extensive as the current review, and should therefore not be as costly to achieve. It was noted that any budget change would need to be submitted to the Strategy & Resources Committee.

Following consideration, it was resolved to:

(1)      Note the financial update position with regards to the Local Plan and Planning Policy staffing funding.

(2)      Note the potential shortfall in funding for 2023/24 and 2024/25.

(3)      Agree to delegate authority to the Chair of Licensing and Planning Policy Committee in conjunction with the Head of Place Development to effectively and efficiently use the Local Plan funds to deliver an up-to-date and robust Regulation 19 Proposed Submission Local Plan in line with the recently approved Local Plan timetable.