Issue - meetings

Councillor Brook introduced the report and advised that the Cabinet (Local Plan) Committee had recommended for approval the Revised Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) for the purposes of planning policy and development management.

Corporate Head of Regulatory advised that the performance standards for Development Management would be up-dated to reflect the latest Government targets, as well as local targets already set,  and the table showing statutory requirements for publicising applications would be revised to show the discretionary additional publicity which is undertaken by the Council.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor Weir addressed Cabinet as summarised below.

·          The revised SCI, as set out, was too reliant on digital means of consultation – this was regrettable that there was seemingly less of an emphasis on face-to-face means.

·          Although it was appreciated that it was probably beyond the scope of the SCI, regard should be had to the non parished town area and mechanisms to routinely consult in the same way as what would normally occur for a Parish Council.  For example, an action group for the Dean Road area of Winchester should be routinely consulted on the cumulative impact of development in that area. 

In response to the points raised, Councillor Brook reminded that the refreshed SCI had been widely consulted on and in addition to this; the wider Local Plan process would address the wider consultation issue.  Further to this, the SCI did not limit how the Council undertook its consultation, as was specifically only a guide. 

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out above and outlined in the Report.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the document  attached at Appendix 2 to the Report, be approved  as the Statement of Community Involvement in Planning (SCI) for the Winchester District (with the exception of that part of the District within the South Downs National Park);

2.       That the SCI be adopted by Winchester City Council;

3.       That authority be granted to the Head of Strategic Planning and the Head of Development Management, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for the Built Environment, to make any necessary edits and minor alterations prior to the publication of the SCI;

4.       That the adopted SCI be published by Winchester City Council.

The Head of Strategic Planning introduced the report and responded to Members’ questions as summarised below:

·         The SDNP area of the district was excluded from the SCI as the Authority had produced its own SCI for their Plan area.  As most of the SCI contents were set out by legislation it was not anticipated that there would be any significant differences in approach.

·         The revised SCI differed from the previous version as it specifically relates to development management and planning policy.

·         Detailed proposals for planning enforcement were not appropriate for inclusion in the SCI, although were being addressed elsewhere within the Council.

·         One Member commented that Winchester Town was at a disadvantage in terms of consultation as it was not parished.  The Head of Strategic Planning advised that this had been raised in consultation responses and the SCI did highlight the role of the Winchester Town Forum and Ward Councillors in this regard.  The Chairman stated that she was in discussions with the Chairman of the Winchester Town Forum regarding potentially developing its role.

The Committee agreed to the following for the reasons set out above and outlined in the report.

RECOMMENDED (TO CABINET):

That the Statement of  Community Involvement in Planning (SCI) for the Winchester District (with the exception of that part of the District within the South Downs National Park) be adopted by Winchester City Council (as attached as Appendix 2 to the report).

RESOLVED:

1.         That subject to approval of Cabinet, the Statement of Community Involvement in Planning (SCI) for the Winchester District (with the exception of that part of the District within the South Downs National Park) be approved as attached as Appendix 2 to the report.

2.         That authority be granted to the Head of Strategic Planning and the Head of Development Management, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for the Built Environment, to make any necessary edits and minor alterations prior to the publication of the SCI.

3.       That the adopted SCI be published by Winchester City Council.