Agenda item

Report by the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (CC6)

 

The County Council has a statutory duty to prepare a new Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan, to provide an effective planning strategy and policies for the supply of minerals and management of waste in the county. The Core Strategy will form the central part of the new Plan, setting out the Council’s vision, objectives, spatial strategy and core policies for the supply of minerals and management of waste in Oxfordshire to 2031. It is a strategic policy document that requires full Council approval before it is published for representations to be made and then submitted to the Government for independent examination.

 

The Cabinet on 25 November 2014 resolved to agree a draft of the Core Strategy in principle for recommendation to Council. A final amended draft of the Core Strategy has now been prepared. This takes into account comments received on the February 2014 consultation draft document, the outcomes of engagement under the duty to co-operate, further technical work and current national planning policy and guidance; and it should be found to be legally compliant and sound when examined by an inspector.

 

The County Council is also required to prepare and keep up to date a Statement of Community Involvement. This sets out how the Council will involve the community in preparing and reviewing the Minerals and Waste Local Plan and in making decisions on planning applications. It is a policy document that requires a decision by full Council to be adopted. The current Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement was adopted by the Council in 2006 and now needs to be revised. Following consultation on a draft earlier in 2014, the Cabinet on 25 November 2014 agreed to recommend a revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement to Council for adoption.

 

The Council is RECOMMENDED to:

 

In respect of A:

 

(a)              approve the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Part 1 – Core Strategy at Annex 4 for publication and submission to the Secretary of State for independent examination under Regulations 19 and 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

(b)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to finalise the text, tables, diagrams and plans in the Core Strategy in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, and to finalise the supporting documents, provided that the strategy and policy content of the Core Strategy is not materially changed; and

(c)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to publish the Core Strategy and supporting documents in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

(d)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to consider any representations received on the published Core Strategy in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and to finalise and submit the Core Strategy and other required documents and information to the Secretary of State in accordance with Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

(e)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to represent the Council, present evidence and respond to any comments made by other parties and any relevant changes in legislation or national policy or guidance during the examination of the Core Strategy and, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, to put forward to the Inspector any necessary changes to the Core Strategy if required during the examination.

 

In respect of B:

 

(a)              adopt the Revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement at Annex 6 to replace the existing Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement adopted on 7 November 2006; and

(b)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to carry out final editing and preparation of the Revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement for publication.

The County Council had a statutory duty to prepare a new Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan, to provide an effective planning strategy and policies for the supply of minerals and management of waste in the County. The Council had before them the Core Strategy (CC6) which would form the central part of the new Plan, setting out the Council’s vision, objectives, spatial strategy and core policies for the supply of minerals and management of waste in Oxfordshire to 2031. It was a strategic policy document that required full Council approval before it was published for representations to be made and then submitted to the Government for independent examination.

 

The Cabinet on 25 November 2014 resolved to agree a draft of the Core Strategy in principle for recommendation to Council. A final amended draft of the Core Strategy had now been prepared. This took into account comments received on the February 2014 consultation draft document, the outcomes of engagement under the duty to co-operate, further technical work and current national planning policy and guidance; and it should be found to be legally compliant and sound when examined by an inspector.

 

The County Council also had before it the Statement of Community Involvement (CC6). This set out how the Council would involve the community in preparing and reviewing the Minerals and Waste Local Plan and in making decisions on planning applications. It was a policy document that required a decision by full Council to be adopted. The current Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement was adopted by the Council in 2006 and now needed to be revised. Following consultation on a draft earlier in 2014, the Cabinet on 25 November 2014 agreed to recommend a revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement to Council for adoption.

 

Councillor Nimmo Smith moved and Councillor Hudspeth seconded that the recommendations set out in the report and on the face of the agenda be moved.

 

Councillor Lynda Atkins moved and Councillor Constance seconded the following amendment:

 

The Council is RECOMMENDED to:

 

In respect of A:

 

  (a)        approve  defer consideration of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Part 1 – Core Strategy at Annex 4 to allow consultation on the methodology used to prepare the Local Aggregates Assessment (LAA) with those interested parties who were consulted on the methodology for the previous Local Aggregates Assessment, but who were not consulted on the methodology in the current LAA for publication and submission to the Secretary of State for independent examination under Regulations 19 and 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

(b)            asks the Cabinet to have careful regard to the outcome of the additional consultation before final consideration of the draft Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Part 1 – Core Strategy by Council.

                (b)          authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to finalise the text, tables, diagrams and plans in the Core Strategy in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, and to finalise the supporting documents, provided that the strategy and policy content of the Core Strategy is not materially changed; and

                (c)          authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to publish the Core Strategy and supporting documents in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

                (d)          authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to consider any representations received on the published Core Strategy in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and to finalise and submit the Core Strategy and other required documents and information to the Secretary of State in accordance with Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

                (e)          authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to represent the Council, present evidence and respond to any comments made by other parties and any relevant changes in legislation or national policy or guidance during the examination of the Core Strategy and, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, to put forward to the Inspector any necessary changes to the Core Strategy if required during the examination.

In respect of B:

 

(a)          adopt the Revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement at Annex 6 to replace the existing Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement adopted on 7 November 2006; and

(b)        authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to carry out final editing and preparation of the Revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement for publication.

 

Following a lengthy debate in which those supporting the amendment expressed deep regret at the lack of consultation with local communities, together with their concern over the robustness of the Plan going forward, the amendment was put to the vote and was lost by 26 votes to 23, with 7 abstentions.

 

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and was carried by 39 votes

to 15, with 2 abstentions.

 

RESOLVED:  (by 39 votes to 15, 2 abstentions)

 

 

The Council is RECOMMENDED to:

 

In respect of A:

 

(c)              approve the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Part 1 – Core Strategy at Annex 4 for publication and submission to the Secretary of State for independent examination under Regulations 19 and 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

(d)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to finalise the text, tables, diagrams and plans in the Core Strategy in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, and to finalise the supporting documents, provided that the strategy and policy content of the Core Strategy is not materially changed; and

(e)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to publish the Core Strategy and supporting documents in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

 (f)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to consider any representations received on the published Core Strategy in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and to finalise and submit the Core Strategy and other required documents and information to the Secretary of State in accordance with Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; and

(g)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to represent the Council, present evidence and respond to any comments made by other parties and any relevant changes in legislation or national policy or guidance during the examination of the Core Strategy and, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, to put forward to the Inspector any necessary changes to the Core Strategy if required during the examination.

 

In respect of B:

 

(a)              adopt the Revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement at Annex 6 to replace the existing Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement adopted on 7 November 2006; and

(b)              authorise the Director for Environment and Economy to carry out final editing and preparation of the Revised Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement for publication.