Agenda and minutes

Resolved – That Councillor N Cartwright of Preston City Council be appointed to act as Chair for the meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Central Lancashire LDF Joint Advisory Committee.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Barry Yates (South Ribble Borough Council), Councillor Roy Lees and Councillor Dennis Edgerley (Substitute) (Chorley Borough Council).

Minutes of the last meeting held on 30 November 2010 are attached.

The minutes of the last meeting of the Central Lancashire LDF Joint Advisory Committee held on 30 November 2010 were confirmed as a correct record.

Report enclosed.

The Joint LDF Officer Team submitted a report giving details of the number and scope of representations made on the Publication Core Strategy of which there were 120 duly made covering 415 separate matters. The report also focussed on the main issues raised. The report summarised the representations made on the Publication version of the Core Strategy and highlighted the main challenges to the Core Strategy which were regarding some aspects of the evidence base and the soundness of some policies including Policy 4 on housing delivery. Members were reminded that the Core Strategy refers to the intention to carry out an early partial review in respect of housing land requirements after its envisaged adoption. It was also noted in response to some of the matters raised in the representations received that minor changes proposed to the Core Strategy were envisaged and that these would be approved by the District Council Executive Members acting under delegated powers and would be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

Details of the procedures required to ensure compliance with the regulations, in preparation for the Core Strategy examination in June 2011, were also reported.

Resolved – That the contents of the report be noted and the Core Strategy be submitted for examination as previously resolved by all three District Councils.

Report enclosed.

The Joint LDF Officer Team submitted a report providing an overview of how the Issues and Options stage of consultation went for the three District Councils, who had all broadly used consistent approaches. The report also set out the main points raised in the representations received together with identifying the different ways used in seeking engagement.

The Chair expressed his appreciation and thanks to all of the officers involved in the consultation. Members suggested that the use of plain language and social networking sites should be focussed on as the Plan developed.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

Report enclosed.

The Joint LDF Officer Team submitted a report providing an update on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) including information on the advantages and disadvantages of it.

The report gave details of officer advice which suggested that the District Councils should adopt the CIL approach and that officers begin to prepare a Draft Charging Schedule which would set the levy rates and therefore be the means by which  developer contributions towards infrastructure would be collected within Central Lancashire.

Christina Marginson reported on a number of questions which had been raised in response to the consideration of the adoption of the CIL. Furthermore, she circulated a document which was a summary of the CIL provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Resolved –   (i)      That approval be given to pursue the adoption of the Community Infrastructure Levy approach; and

                        (ii)     that Officers be requested to prepare a Draft Charging Schedule.

Report enclosed.

The Joint LDF Officer Team submitted a report giving details of the outcome of progress made in preparing a joint Local Development Scheme (LDS) which is the timetable for the production of the Local Development Framework (LDF) documents.

The report set out the key preparatory timescales of the Local Development Framework over the next three years, 2011 – 2014, including the various planning documents, community engagement/preparation stages and risks and resources.

The report set out that it was a statutory requirement to produce an LDS and this would remain so following the enactment of the  Localism Bill.

A replacement page 5 of the draft LDS was circulated as some dates had been slightly adjusted.

Members also requested that page 52 of the draft LDS document be amended to incorporate details of other non-Planning resources which had been made available for preparing the Local Development documents.

Resolved –  (i)      That the joint Local Development Scheme be supported; and

                        (ii)     that each District Council be requested to provide Kezia Henderson, joint LDF Officer Team member, information identifying non-Planning resources used, for inclusion with the LDS document.

The next scheduled meetings of this Committee are as follows:-

Thursday 9 June 2011 at 5.30pm at South Ribble Borough Council

Thursday 1 September 2011 at 5.30pm at Chorley Borough Council

Thursday 8 November 2011 at 5.30pm at Preston City Council (Provisional)

Monday 30 January 2012 at 5.30pm at South Ribble Borough Council

Thursday 15 March 2012 at 5.30pm at Chorley Borough Council

The dates and venues of future meetings of the Committee were

confirmed as follows:-

Thursday 9 June 2011 at 5.30pm at South Ribble Borough Council

Thursday 1 September 2011 at 5.30pm at Chorley Borough Council

Thursday 8 November 2011 at 5.30pm at Preston City Council (Provisional)

Monday 30 January 2012 at 5.30pm at South Ribble Borough Council

Thursday 15 March 2012 at 5.30pm at Chorley Borough Council