Issue - meetings

This report presents information on the findings of the Inspector who examined York’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) and asks the Executive to recommend the amended SCI to Full Council for formal adoption.

RECOMMENDED:That Council adopt the Statement of Community Involvement, attached as Annex B to the Executive report, as part of York’s Local Development Framework (LDF).

REASON:                  To comply with section 18(1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and so that the standards set out in the Statement can inform future community involvement in the LDF and in making decisions on planning applications.

Members considered a report which presented the findings of the inspection of York’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), and asked them to recommend the amended SCI to full Council for formal adoption.

Following submission of York’s draft SCI to the Secretary of State, an Inspector had been appointed to carry out an independent examination of the SCI.  The Inspector had judged the SCI to be sound but had recommended a number of minor amendments, details of which were set out in the Inspector’s Report attached as Annex A.   The Inspector had also recommended that changes put forward in response to comments received during the submission consultation be implemented.   All of the recommended changes had now been made to the SCI and the final document was attached as Annex B.

The Inspector’s Report was binding on the Council, so there was no option to make any further amendments to the SCI at Annex B.  The options available were either to adopt the SCI as recommended by the Inspector or to ask Officers to prepare a different SCI.  The latter was not recommended, as it would take approximately three years in view of the consultation stages required and would have considerable resource implications.

Members expressed their thanks to Officers for their hard work in progressing the SCI document to completion.

RECOMMENDED:That Council adopt the Statement of Community Involvement, attached as Annex B to the Executive report, as part of York’s Local Development Framework (LDF).

REASON:                  To comply with section 18(1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and so that the standards set out in the Statement can inform future community involvement in the LDF and in making decisions on planning applications.