Agenda item

Resolved to Recommend:

1.         the responses to comments received on the draft Statement of Community Involvement (2016); and

2.         the new Statement of Community Involvement to guide future consultation on planning matters as annexed to this report.

Decision

Resolved to Recommend:

1.    the responses to comments received on the draft Statement of Community Involvement (2016); and

2.    the new Statement of Community Involvement to guide future consultation on planning matters as annexed in the report to Cabinet.

Reason for Decision

That Cabinet consider consultation responses received on a new Statement of Community Involvement (2016), agree responses to comments received and recommend to Council the formal adoption of the new document.

Financial

There are no direct financial implications relating to the preparation of a new SCI.  However, there are implications for the consultation arrangements set out within it: and the need to balance public expectations regarding the types of consultation techniques with the costs involved. 

Value for money

The SCI sets out the range of consultation techniques that will be used within the planning process and the need to ensure that these are fit for purpose and proportionate in terms of the scale and nature of the planning issue(s) involved.

Legal

The production on an SCI is a legal requirement.  Compliance with an up to date SCI assist the Council in defending objections and appeals against its planning decisions.  Conversely, failure to comply with the standards and processes set out within the SCI could result in legal action against the Council. 

Staff

No direct implications for staffing.  However, all staff and elected Members need to be aware of the content of the SCI and follow processes and procedures within it.

Land

No direct implications, although the planning documents and proposals that will be subject to consultation will have implications for the future use of land.

Risk Implications

Key challenges relating to consultation are set out within the SCI itself.  Key risks relate to non-compliance with the SCI – resulting in legal challenges - and the need to balance public aspirations regarding consultation and involvement in planning decisions, with the limited budgets available.

Equalities Implications

Equalities issues are considered through the Sustainability Appraisal process that all planning policy documents are subject to.  The SCI itself also considers the most appropriate consultation techniques to reach different types of consultees. There may also be indirect implications for the SCI i.e. relating to the choice of venues for public consultation events and the need to ensure these are DDA complaint.

Health & Safety Implications

No direct implications.  There may be indirect implications relating to different types of consultation techniques and the choice of event venues.

Corporate Objectives

The SCI sets out how the Council will consult on its planning policy documents and on planning applications. It therefore directly supports the ‘Community Capacity’ and ‘Dacorum Delivers,’ and indirectly supports all other objectives via the plans and developments that arise through the planning process.

Monitoring Officer/S.151 Officer Comments

Monitoring Officer

No comments to add to the report.

Section 151 Officer

There are no direct financial consequences of the proposed recommendation. Any resource requirements for delivering consultations in line with the proposed Statement of Community involvement will have to be met from approved existing budgets

Advice

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration introduced the report and said this process was started in 2006 and has already been brought to Cabinet this year but this report has a few changes.

The Assistant Director for Planning, Development and Regeneration said the report highlights the principal changes. On page 24, the report shows the alignment with new legislation and the role of social media in the consultation process.

The Portfolio Holder for Environmental, Sustainability and Regulatory Services said that the newsletter was a brilliant idea. The Portfolio Holder mentioned this had been discussed at the Cabinet meeting in December and referred to page 84 of the report. The Portfolio Holder appreciated that this was a draft statement and so asked if the third column heading on page 84 could be changed to “site notice and/or neighbour notification letter” and this would allow for flexibility.

The Assistant Director for Planning, development and Regeneration said this was a helpful suggestion and sometimes it was appropriate to have both a site notice and neighbour notification letter.

Voting

None.