Purpose

To seek Executive approval for the draft
Regulation 18 document for public consultation purposes.

Content

The Executive
Resolved

That (i)   the document in
Appendix i to the report be agreed for the purposes of public
consultation (subject to any proposed amendments);

       
(ii)  delegated authority be granted to
the Head of Planning and Portfolio Holder for Planning to determine
the detailed timescales for the formal consultation and to make any
minor amendments to the document if required prior to the
consultation;

       
(iii)  the possibility of engaging with
schools and colleges to gather further feedback from young people
be considered;

        (iv) a
question of whether residents are in favour of tourism be added,
and if so, specifically questioning what should be
promoted;

       
(v)  the term ‘employment
land’ be added to the glossary;

        (vi) a
question on working from home, and how this has changed
individual’s needs within the Borough be added;

        (vii) Question
18 be amended to assess priorities rather than invite binary
choices;

     
(viii)  Councillors be asked to
highlight the consultation through local events and social media
channels; and

        (ix) the
possibility of using a Market Research Society (MRS) –
accredited researcher to quality check final questions.

Reason:  The new local
plan will provide a policy framework or ‘blueprint’ to
guide the future growth needs of the Borough. The first stage is to
scope out the issues that should be addressed and to seek views on
what the Borough should look like in 2044. As a Council document,
it is essential that Members have an opportunity to feed into the
document and agree its content prior to consultation and to promote
it and encourage their communities to engage with the
consultation.