Issue - meetings

RESOLVED that a Local Plan Working Group is set up as proposed in the report be approved.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning presented the report to establish a Local Plan Working Group consisting of nine members to informally consider and discuss the Teignbridge Local Plan Update. It was anticipated that the work on the Local Plan would be completed by the end of 2022, and would run alongside the joint working on the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan. The Council had clear environmental and living standards aims which it wished to deliver through the update to the Local Plan. There was also a need to deliver employment sites and related infrastructure to aid job creation and productivity. This Group would not have decision making powers and its aim was to improve member involvement in the preparation of the plan.

The Principal Planning Officer clarified that the first meeting of the group would take place on 21 October 2019.

The Leader commented that this Group was part of the consultation exercise and all Members were encouraged to attend the meetings.

It was noted that the Group’s membership was the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change Emergency and Housing and Councillors Haines, Bullivant, Goodman-Bradbury, Daws, L Petherick, Nuttall and Purser.

A non-Executive Member raised concerns that this was an exclusive group; Overview & Scrutiny Committee should be scrutinising the Local Plan; and questioned if the meeting notes would be shared.

Executive Members discussed the merits of this cross party working group, its engagement with all Members and it was acknowledged that the notes of this group would be appended to reports submitted to Committees.

The Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee commented that he was in support of this group and that Overview and Scrutiny could still examine any aspect of the Local Plan should it wish to.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning proposed the recommendation, this was seconded by the Portfolio Holder for Communities & IT.

RESOLVED that a Local Plan Working Group is set up as proposed in the report be approved.