Agenda item

To consider the decisions made by Cabinet at their meeting held on 23 April 2014 in relation to the above item, which has been called in by Councillors Ayre, Reid and Runciman in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.  A cover report is attached setting out the reasons for the call-in and the remit and powers of the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling-In) in relation to the call-in, together with the original report and the decisions of the Cabinet.

Members received a report which asked them to consider the decisions made by the Cabinet on 23 April 2014, in relation to ongoing work with potential Local Plan allocations and the decision to undertake public consultation on potential new sites and boundary changes on some of the sites originally identified.

Details of the Cabinet’s decision were attached at Annex A to the report, with the original report to the Cabinet attached at Annex B. The decision had been called in by Councillors Ayre, Reid and Runciman on the following grounds:

·               The proposed public consultation documents exclude projected housing numbers for the new residential sites or revised housing numbers for either the amended allocated sites or the amended strategic sites.

·               This exclusion is contrary to the Local Plan Preferred Options paper (June 2013) which included housing numbers; however, no proper explanation is offered as to why this approach has been abandoned.

·               Housing numbers are not provided for potentially large sites such as Stockton Lane, Boroughbridge Road, North of Escrick or in New Earswick.

·               It is not fully explained how the changes to strategic sites such as Metcalfe Lane, North of Haxby or Whinthorpe will affect proposed housing numbers on these sites. 

·               The papers fail to provide sufficient information on the infrastructure plans for the new sites or how the new sites will impact upon existing residents and on other proposed sites identified last year.

·               Failure to include housing numbers and other key information is symptomatic of an approach where there is no opportunity for group leaders to agree the contents and structure of public consultations.

·               The Further Sites consultation papers should include projected housing numbers and other key details so residents have all the information they need to respond.

·                Until all key information is published and included in the papers it is inappropriate for consultation to begin.

Members were asked whether to confirm the decision (Option a) or to refer it back to Cabinet for re-consideration (Option b) as set out in the report.

Councillor Reid addressed the meeting on behalf of the Calling-In members referring to the comprehensive reasons provided for the call-in, with the key reason being the exclusion of housing numbers in the consultation documents for both new and allocated residential sites. She pointed out that without housing numbers and infrastructure information residents would find it difficult to provide meaningful feedback to the consultation.

Councillor Ayre also addressed the meeting, on behalf of the Calling-In members, reiterating that any consultation would be uninformed without the additional information requested.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Planning & Sustainabilityresponded, confirming that the consultation proposed related to the principle of development at this stage and the safeguarding of sites, including the addition of new sites and potential boundary changes to some existing sites. He confirmed that it would be possible to include an estimate of housing numbers on each site however this would be with the caveat that these could change prior to the final consultation. He pointed out that the scale of the infrastructure would not be known until the next submission draft stage of the consultation.

Officers stated that there had been no intent to mislead or complicate the consultation process however any detail included would only be indicative at this stage. They confirmed that it would take around three days to add the additional information to the consultation documents.

Some Members, whilst understanding the issues raised by the call-in Members, reiterated concern that any figures provided should only be viewed as indicative.

In answer to questions, the Cabinet Member confirmed that legal advice had been sought which confirmed that the additional density information requested for inclusion, prior to consultation, could be carried out as part of the delegated powers previously given to the Director in conjunction with the Cabinet Member.

Following further discussion it was.

Resolved:  That Option A be approved and that the decision of Cabinet be confirmed subject to inclusion of housing site numbers in the consultation documents, as delegated to the Director of City and Environmental Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member.

Reason:     In accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Constitution.