Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/081

Contact: Chris Kenneford, Service Manager – Planning Regulations Tel: (01865) 815615

Report by Interim Deputy Director for Environment & Economy – Strategy & Infrastructure Planning (CA10).

The County Council has a statutory duty to prepare a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). This sets out how the Council will involve the community (consultees, stakeholders and other interested parties) in: preparing and reviewing the Minerals and Waste Local Plan; and making decisions on planning applications for minerals, waste and County Council developments. The Council must comply with its SCI in preparing the Local Plan.

The current SCI was adopted by the Council in November 2006. Since then there have been changes in legislative requirements for consultation and in the way the Council carries out consultation.     In view of these changes, a review of the adopted SCI is required. This should be undertaken now, so that an up to date SCI can be put in place before the Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Core Strategy is published and submitted to the Secretary of State for examination early in 2015.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)               agree the draft revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement at Annex 1, subject to final detailed amendment, updating and editing, as a draft for public consultation;

(b)              authorise the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Strategy & Infrastructure Planning) to:

(i)                                  carry out final detailed amendment, updating and editing of the draft revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment;

(ii)                                publish the draft revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement for public consultation.

Recommendations agreed subject to paragraph 5.15 on the review of old mineral permissions being amended to reflect that the process would be similar to that  for planning permissions.

The County Council has a statutory duty to prepare a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). Cabinet considered a report that set out how the Council will involve the community (consultees, stakeholders and other interested parties) in: preparing and reviewing the Minerals and Waste Local Plan; and making decisions on planning applications for minerals, waste and County Council developments. The Council must comply with its SCI in preparing the Local Plan.

Councillor John Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Environment asked what criteria was used to decide on the statutory consultees, noting that there was not a comprehensive list of Council parishes. He also queried what measures had been taken to consult the general public. Councillor Nimmo Smith replied that all 63 Councillors knew that this was happening and they should be making people aware. Peter Day added that consultation included all Parish and Town Councils in Oxfordshire and they relied on the Councils and established Action Groups to get word out.  

Following comments from Councillor Lindsay Gale it was agreed to amend paragraph 5.15 on the review of old mineral permissions to reflect that the process would be similar to that for planning permissions.

RESOLVED:           to

(a)               agree the draft revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement at Annex 1, subject to final detailed amendment, updating and editing, including the change to paragraph 5.15, as a draft for public consultation ;

(b)               authorise the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Strategy & Infrastructure Planning) to:

(i)                                  carry out final detailed amendment, updating and editing of the draft revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment;

(ii)                                 publish the draft revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement for public consultation.