Decision Maker: Executive

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: February 13, 2025

Purpose: The report will ask the Executive to agree an approach to preparing a review of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan, in advance of agreeing a timetable.

Content: RESOLVED   KEY DECISION   That the Executive agreed that a new Minerals and Waste Local Plan is:   (a)  Progressed to adoption; and   (b)  Prepared to cover the county of Northamptonshire, subject to the agreement of West Northamptonshire Council and its decision for preparing a Plan     Reason for Recommendations – The Council has a legal duty to prepare and keep up-to-date a Minerals & Waste Local Plan that covers the North Northamptonshire area.  As a result of the Local Government Review for Northamptonshire, the Minerals & Waste function and the staff that led on its development and undertook the application function were employed by North Northamptonshire Council. At Vesting Day, an Inter-Authority Agreement (IAA) was put in place for the North to provide the service for West Northamptonshire, at a shared cost.  There is an added confidence in the capabilities of the team to continue to carry on this commitment, potentially under a different partnership agreement with West Northamptonshire Council. The team is experienced in undertaking this work having done so under Northamptonshire County Council previously.  Also, under a one-plan approach for the Local Plan element of their work, there are significant savings to be made, as opposed to progressing individually in preparing two separate Plans, one for each authority.   Alternative Options Considered – Beyond carrying out the Minerals & Waste Planning function for North Northamptonshire alone, the proposition for expanding the service beyond Northamptonshire has been considered an option.  Doing so on a regional basis may be a possibility at some point in the future, potentially with/for a group of authorities to the south of the North Northamptonshire area.  However, this is not considered viable at this moment in time, requiring significant forethought and planning to get the agreement of those authorities and other governance and structures in place.  Also, uncertainty from the prospect of further local government reorganisation adds to the risk from this option.  The Minerals & Waste Planning service has previously been provided to Rutland County Council, from which some income beyond costs was gained