Agenda item - Local Plan process

In June 2025, Cabinet agreed to prepare a new Local Plan under the Government’s reformed plan-making system. The Government has now published the Regulations and guidance setting out the new process, which is intended to enable plans to be prepared and adopted within 30 months from Gateway 1. This report summarises the process and proposed timetable for preparing the new BCP Local Plan and seeks authorisation to undertake the Stage 1 (“Getting ready”) activities, together with delegated authority to progress the Plan through the prescribed Gateway stages. Cabinet decisions will remain for each formal consultation stage. A cross party Working Group is being set up to guide the Local Plan.

RESOLVED that: -

(a) Cabinet give delegated authority to the Leader of the Council and Chair of the Cabinet to undertake the necessary activities to:

(i) Issue the Notice to Commence plan making;

(ii) Publish the timetable and Project Initiation Document, and update as required.

(iii) Publish a scoping consultation exercise for a period of 6 weeks.

(iv) Progress the Local Plan through the Gateway stages.

(b) Cabinet agreed the Terms of Reference of the Local Plan Working Group subject to the inclusion to allow the possibility for substitute members provided that group leaders or their nominated representative notify of the change at least 72 hours in advance of a meeting and provided that the substitute attend a briefing with relevant officers prior to the meeting:

(c) further clarification be provided on the stakeholders who will be engaged with, beyond the statutory consultees and that Ward members be encouraged to provide the details to officers of any organisations that they feel should be engaged with as stakeholders; and

(d) a risk concerning the wider potential implications of devolution and local government reorganisation, e.g. changing consultees, be added to the risk register included within the Project Initiation Document

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Leader of the Council

Reason

To agree the governance arrangements and enable work to formally commence on preparing a new Local Plan within the reformed 30-month plan making system.

The Leader of the Council presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was reminded that in June 2025, Cabinet had agreed to prepare a new Local Plan under the Government’s reformed plan-making system.

In relation this Cabinet was advised that the Government had now published the Regulations and guidance setting out the new process, which was intended to enable plans to be prepared and adopted within 30 months from Gateway 1.

Cabinet was informed that this report summarised the process and proposed timetable for preparing the new BCP Local Plan and sought authorisation to undertake the Stage 1 (“Getting ready”) activities, together with delegated authority to progress the Plan through the prescribed Gateway stages.

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that Cabinet decisions would remain for each formal consultation stage, and that a cross-party Working Group was being set up to guide the Local Plan.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Board, Councillor Kate Salmon, addressed Cabinet and advised that, at its recent meeting, the Board had given detailed consideration to this item and had resolved to submit the following recommendations: -

The Overview and Scrutiny Board recommend to Cabinet:

1. That further clarification be provided on the stakeholders who will be engaged with beyond the statutory consultees and that Ward members be encouraged to provide the details to officers of any organisations that they feel should be engaged with as stakeholders.

2. That the Working Group Terms of reference be amended to allow the possibility for substitute members provided that group leaders or their nominated representative notify of the change at least 72 hours in advance of a meeting and provided that the substitute attend a briefing with relevant officers prior to the meeting.

3. That a risk concerning the wider potential implications of devolution and local government reorganisation, e.g. changing consultees, be added to the risk register included within the Project Initiation Document

Voting: Nem. Con.

The Leader thanked the Board for its recommendations and advised that these were accepted and, subject to Cabinet’s agreement, would be incorporated within the formal resolutions of Cabinet.