Decision details

To seek the Cabinet Member?s approval for the Statements of Common Ground relating to the Derbyshire and Derby Minerals Local Plan to be signed by the Cabinet Member, on behalf of the County Council.
 

That the Cabinet Member:

Approves the Statements of Common Ground relating to the Derbyshire and Derby Minerals Local Plan and signs the Statements on behalf of the County Council and thereafter to be submitted to the Secretary of State alongside the Joint Derby and Derbyshire Minerals Local Plan. 

The Localism Act 2011, and as set out in Section 33A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 places a duty on local planning authorities (including county councils) and prescribed public bodies to engage, on an ongoing basis, to maximise the effectiveness of a local plan in the context of strategic matters that cross administrative boundaries.

 Option 1: Do nothing - An important element of local plan preparation is the requirement to fulfil the Duty to Cooperate provisions established by the Localism Act 2011, and as set out in Section 33A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. It places a duty on local planning authorities (including county councils) and prescribed public bodies to engage, on an ongoing basis, to maximise the effectiveness of a local plan in the context of strategic matters that cross administrative boundaries. Evidence of the discussions and the outcomes from them will need to be made available at the local plan examination as part of the test of soundness. In order to demonstrate effective and on-going joint working, in 2018, the NPPF introduced the requirement for strategic policy-making authorities to prepare and maintain SoCG, documenting the cross-boundary matters being addressed and the progress in co-operating to address these. The Councils therefore do not have the option of doing nothing in this respect. It is a legal requirement to undertake this work.

Option 2: Prepare SOCG - As set out above, the councils have a legal requirement to undertake the Duty to Cooperate and to set out how this has been undertaken through the preparation of Statements of Common Ground.