Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

 

The report sought approval for the draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) for approval.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning Policy & Transport

 

     i.        Agreed the draft Statement of Community Involvement (attached at Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report) for consultation purposes.

    ii.        Noted the consultation period  would take place for six weeks between Monday 4 February and Monday 18 March 2019.

   iii.        Agreed the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development is granted delegated authority, in liaison with the Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Transport, and the Chair and Spokes for the Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee, to make any editing changes prior to publication.

 

Reason for the Decision

 

As set out in the officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

 

The Committee received a report from the Planning Policy Manager.  The report referenced how the SCI would set out in what ways the public would have an opportunity to engage in the planning process in Greater Cambridge.  The SCI described how the public, businesses, interest groups and individuals within the local authority areas could get involved in the creation of local planning policy and the planning application process aiming at shaping where they lived, worked and traded.

 

In response to the Committees’ comments, the Director of Planning and Economic Development and the Planning Policy Manager said the following:

     i.        Confirmed there was no change to the Councils approach in the adopted SCI 2013 document apart from an explanation of the Neighbourhood Plan preparation, followed by details of the support available to community groups who were preparing such documents. It also incorporated flexibility to future proof the mechanisms that may be used in future planning consultations.

    ii.        It would be possible to include Residents’ Association and Parish Councils in the Statement of Intention to Engagement, p317 of the agenda pack.

   iii.        Agreed to add Residents’ Associations to the list on appendix 2, p35 of the SCI, page 352 of the agenda pack, under Examples of Non-Statutory Consultees that the Councils may Consult (those consulted will vary depending on the type of application).

  iv.        By adding Residents’ Associations to appendix 2, p35 of the SCI, this could then be crossed referenced to the Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) under consultation methods, 2^nd paragraph of the table of page 11 of the SCI, page 328 of the agenda pack.  Additional text would be included in the table, 2^nd paragraph to reference the appropriate appendix.

   v.        Agreed that an additional paragraph would be included in the Statement of Intention to Engagement, (p317 of the agenda pack) setting out the differing role of members of the Planning Committee and of ward members.

  vi.        Where possible, officers always undertook to do more than the standard consultation process if time permitted, such as extending the consultation time or engaging with residents using the City Council’s magazine for residents, Cambridge Matters.  This information could be highlighted in additional text.

 

Councillor Bick proposed the following amendment to statement of our intention to engage with our communities, page iii, 3^rd paragraph of the SCI  page 317 of the agenda pack (additional text underlined, deleted text struck through:

 

We would encourage you, as residents and stakeholders, (including Parish Councils and Residents' Associations as appropriate) to use this Statement of Community Involvement and the protocols set out within it, to hold the Authorities to account and ensure that all local people have sufficient opportunities to have their say. We recognise that consultation and engagement activities are constantly evolving and this SCI will be revisited at regular intervals to ensure it is fully up-to-date and reflects local and national priorities, practices and policies.

 

This amendment was carried unanimously.

 

The Executive Councillor reiterated that the Statement of Community Involvement was a starting point for the consultation process and what the Council was accountable for. On city wide SPD, officers worked hard to go above the standard consultation process which could be seen by looking at the list of consultees.

 

The Committee:

 

The Committee resolved unanimously to endorse the recommendations as amended.

 

The Executive Councillor for Planning Policy & Transport approved the recommendations.