Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.  No interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 15 February 2011.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 15 February 2011 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or a matter within the Executive’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Monday 28 February 2011.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

To receive details of those items that are listed on the Forward Plan for the next two Executive meetings.

Members received and noted details of those items currently listed on the Forward Plan for the next two Executive meetings.

This report invites Members to consider the draft LDF Core Strategy Submission document and associated legal and soundness issues.

Note:

Annexes A, B C, D and E to the above report have been made available on-line only and are not included in the printed agenda papers.  A printed copy of Annex A will be circulated separately to Executive Members.

RECOMMENDED:(i) That Council approve the Core Strategy, as amended (Annex A), subject to the inclusion of the further suggested amendments set out in Annex H to the report, along with supporting information, for publication and submission for public examination.

REASON:                  In order to progress the Local Development Framework Core Strategy and to ensure that it encourages the development of a City respectful of both its historic built heritage and its natural environment, with high employment levels, increased opportunities for leisure activities and an improved transport system.

(ii)That the final version of the Core Strategy Submission Document be placed on the Council’s website.

REASON:                  To ensure that the document is publicly accessible.

Members considered a report which presented the draft Local Development Framework (LDF) Core Strategy Submission document and associated legal and soundness issues. 

The Core Strategy was a written statement of the planning strategy and vision for the City of York, together with strategic policies, with which all other planning documents produced must comply.  Having undergone the Issues and Options stage in June 2006 and the Preferred Options consultation stage in 2009, the Core Strategy was now at the Submission stage.  The Strategy document itself, published on-line as Annex A to the report and circulated in hard copy to Executive Members, reflected the recommendations made by the LDF Working Group at their meetings in October and November 2010 and February 2011.

Further information  and advice in respect of legal and soundness issues, , was provided in paragraphs 29 to 36 of the report.  Members were invited to consider the following options:

Option 1 – recommend that Council approve the document at Annex A for publication and submission for public examination.

Option 2 – request Officers to provide a further report on legal and soundness issues before recommending the document for approval.

Option 3 – seek further amendments to the document to address legal and soundness issues before recommending it for approval.

Having noted the comments of the Labour Group Spokespersons on this item, the additional comments from members of the LDF Working Group published on-line as Annex H, the written submission from Cllr Hyman on behalf of Huntington & New Earswick Ward Councillors, and the comments contained in the minutes of the meetings of the Without Walls Partnership and the York Economic Partnership circulated to Members, it was

RECOMMENDED:(i) That Council approve the Core Strategy, as amended (Annex A), subject to the inclusion of the further suggested amendments set out in Annex H to the report, along with supporting information, for publication and submission for public examination.

REASON:                  In order to progress the Local Development Framework Core Strategy and to ensure that it encourages the development of a City respectful of both its historic built heritage and its natural environment, with high employment levels, increased opportunities for leisure activities and an improved transport system.

(ii)That the final version of the Core Strategy Submission Document be placed on the Council’s website.

REASON:                  To ensure that the document is publicly accessible.