Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Planning Services Manager.

(Executive Councillor: Cllr R Fuller)

That the District Council be authorised to act upon the Examiners’ reports and recommended modifications, and progress the neighbourhood plan, attached to the report now submitted as Appendix 1, to referendum.

Consideration was given to a report by the Senior Planning Policy Officer to which was appended the modified version of the Neighbourhood Plan, the examiners reports and the draft decision statement setting out the modifications considered by the Examiners as necessary to enable the submission of the Neighbourhood Plan to meet the required basic conditions (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book). The Executive Councillor for Housing and Planning advised the Cabinet that in order to best meet the needs of residents a second independent Examiner’s report was commissioned. It was noted that further to the findings of the second report, an outcome had been reached which, despite compromises, was acceptable to all. Members were asked to agree to act upon the Examiner’s report regarding the Houghton and Wyton Neighbourhood Plan leading to a referendum asking residents whether or not the Neighbourhood Plan should be brought into force and used by Huntingdonshire District Council as a supplementary planning document. Having noted the timetable for the proposal, it was

RESOLVED

that the District Council be authorised to act upon the Examiner’s reports and recommended modifications and progress the Houghton and Wyton Neighbourhood Plan to referendum.

The Houghton and Wyton Neighbourhood Plan will be presented to the Panel.

With the aid of a report by the Senior Planning Policy Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Houghton and Wyton Neighbourhood Plan was presented to the Panel.

The Senior Planning Policy Officer introduced the report to Members and in doing so stated that the Neighbourhood Plan meets the basic requirements and should proceed to referendum. In addition, the Houghton and Wyton Parish Councillors are content for the Neighbourhood Plan to proceed to referendum.

Members were informed that the statutory requirement before the referendum is held is a 28 working days’ notice. In addition there is a requirement that the referendum is held within 56 working days of the decision that the Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to referendum.

In response to a question regarding the amendments, the Panel was informed that the first examiner suggested amendments to the Neighbourhood Plan, these amendments were made and reviewed by the second examiner. The second examiner decided that the modified plan had met the minimum requirements.

The Panel recommends to Cabinet that the Neighbourhood Plan progresses to referendum.

(At 7.56pm, during the consideration of this item, Councillor Mrs P A Jordan left the meeting and did not return.)

(At 8.00pm, during the consideration of this item, Councillor M F Shellens left the meeting and did not return.)