Issue - meetings

(Planning Policy Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-047-2016/17).

(1)        That expenditure from the Local Plan budget to date in the 2016/17 financial year be noted; and

(2)        That an allocation of additional District Development Funding in the sum of £1,027,500 for 2017/18 and £237,000 for 2018/19 (£1,264,500 in total over the two financial years) be agreed.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy presented an update report on the resources required to complete the Epping Forest Local Plan.

The Portfolio Holder reported that regular monitoring of the resources available to deliver the Local Plan had identified a further shortfall in the existing budget provision of £1,027,500 in 2017/18 and £237,000 in 2018/19.  This shortfall had arisen from a number of elements, but particularly the further extension to the programme management support for the Local Plan, a need to provide for maternity cover for the Assistant Director (Planning Policy & Economic Development), and continued consultancy support for the site selection work strand, including analysis of potential employment sites.

Cllr Mohindra, the Finance Portfolio Holder, added that he had been assured that the additional funding requested would be sufficient provided there were no further changes to the process by the Government.

Decision:

(1)        That expenditure from the Local Plan budget to date in the 2016/17 financial year be noted; and

(2)        That an allocation of additional District Development Funding in the sum of £1,027,500 for 2017/18 and £237,000 for 2018/19 (£1,264,500 in total over the two financial years) be agreed.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure that the Local Plan was sound, it was vital that the process was adequately resourced.  The requirement for a comprehensive and robust evidence base was clear, and had to be in place prior to submission of the Local Plan for the Examination in Public.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not agree the additional funding identified for the Local Plan from the District Development Fund. However, the preparation of a Local Plan was a statutory requirement for each Local Authority, supported by a comprehensive and robust evidence base, with the necessary staffing resources in place to ensure delivery in a timely manner.

(Planning Policy Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-009-2016/17).

(1)        That the updated Local Development Scheme for 2016/17 be adopted and published on the Council’s website; and

(2)        That expenditure against the Local Plan budget for 2015/16, the projected expenditure for 2016/17 and the estimated expenditure for 2017/18 and 2018/19 be noted.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy presented a report on the Local Development Scheme and the Local Plan budget update.

The Portfolio Holder sought agreement to an updated Local Development Scheme (LDS), the high level project plan for the preparation of the Epping Forest District Local Plan. The preparation of the Local Plan for the District was an ongoing and complex process, and would provide a framework for the future development of the District for the period up to 2033. The proposed new scheme would supersede the previous Local Development Scheme agreed in June 2015. The new Scheme indicated that the draft Local Plan would be prepared by October 2016, with the statutory consultation period running from 31 October to 12 December 2016. The final Plan was scheduled for submission to the Planning Inspectorate in December 2017, and the Examination in Public was likely to be held in the Spring of 2018. It was anticipated that the final Local Plan would be adopted in October 2018.

The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that the budget agreed in February 2016 was £1.473million; this being the actual spend in 2015/16 plus the projected expenditure through to 2018/19. A review of the budget had indicated that additional funding would be required in 2017/18 and 2018/19, of approximately £448,810. This was due in part to the decision to appoint Ove Arup & Partners Limited as consultants to undertake work on settlement and site analysis and the Infrastructure Delivery Plan to meet the Local Plan timetable outlined above. The additional funding would be requested as part of the 2017/18 budget setting process. A detailed analysis of the Local Plan budget through to 2018/19 had been attached as an Appendix to the report.

The Portfolio Holder added that Ove Arup & Partners Limited was now performing significantly more work than had previously been envisaged, and hence the cost was now significantly higher.

Decision:

(1)        That the updated Local Development Scheme for 2016/17 be adopted and published on the Council’s website; and

(2)        That expenditure against the Local Plan budget for 2015/16, the projected expenditure for 2016/17 and the estimated expenditure for 2017/18 and 2018/19 be noted.

Reasons for Decision:

The Council was obliged under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) to prepare and publish a Local Development Scheme so that the public and stakeholders were aware of the likely timing of key stages of the plan making process. The Cabinet had previously requested a six monthly update on the Local Plan budget, which had also been re-profiled to match the amended Local Development Scheme.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not agree, or to vary, the Local Development Scheme.