Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Eves substituted for Councillor Brown, Councillor Stockwell substituted for Councillor Clarke, Councillor Bradbury substituted for Councillor Coote and Councillor Dabell substituted for Councillor Peacock.

Apologies were received from Councillors M Belsey, Brown, Clarke, Coote and Peacock.

Councillor Bradbury declared a non-pre-determined interest in item 4 as he is Chairman of the High Weald ANOB.  Councillor Gary Marsh declared a non-pre-determined interest in item 4 as he is the Council’s representative for the South Downs National Park.

In response to a Member’s question Tom Clark, Corporate Solicitor advised the minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2022 were available online, but it had not been possible to include the minutes in the agenda pack.

The Chairman reminded the Committee that they were reviewing the work of the officers and the Members Working Group to scrutinise and debate the consultation draft District Plan and to recommend the draft Plan to Council for public consultation at Regulation 18 stage.  He assured the Committee that all due processes were followed, the findings are evidence based and approved methodologies have been used. Following this meeting any further questions should be raised during the public consultation. He noted that approving the draft Plan would ensure a five-year land supply and protect the District from unwanted, speculative development.  The Members should only raise new comments on the parts of the report already discussed at the meeting on 5 October and this meeting would discuss sections 14 and 15 of the housing policies and allocations, and appendices two through to five.

Judy Holmes, Deputy Chief Executive introduced the report and advised Members how to navigate the full suite of documents that would go out for Regulation 18 Consultation subject to Council’s approval on 2 November 2022.  She noted the sections the Committee debated at the last meeting and reiterated that only new comments on those sections should be made.  Members were reminded that the sites had been selected using a methodology discussed and agreed by the Members Working Group made up of members of this Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Robert Salisbury, Cabinet Member for Planning noted that this was the start of the process and that after the Regulation 18 Consultation a report would be presented to this Scrutiny Committee to review any comments received.  He thanked the officers for their dedication, professionalism, in helping Members understand the process. He also thanked the Committee and those who were part of the Working Group.  He noted the importance of having a Plan for stakeholders such as., utility, health and education providers to help them plan changes to infrastructure requirements.

Councillor Gary Marsh, as Chairman of the Working Group also thanked the officers for their diligence.  He assured the Committee that the Working Group looked at every policy and every site; they may not have agreed on each site, but they agreed the methodology had been followed. He suggested the Committee recommend the report go to Council and then review the comments received from the consultation.

Members queried the final calculation of the housing requirement and the time allowed for the consultation.  Andrew Marsh, Head of Planning Policy and Housing Enablingnoted the housing requirement results in a potential oversupply of 302 which is a 3.7% increase compared to the residual requirement. The 5% buffer noted in the NPPF relates to the five-year land supply calculation and not a requirement for plan making.  The Deputy Chief Executive noted that the Council has traditionally used six weeks for consultation and that is the requirement set out in the regulations. Historically six 6 weeks has always resulted in a high return number of representation when compared to other councils.  Appendix 4, the Community Involvement Plan details  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Tom Clark, Solicitor to the Council introduced the Committee’s Work Programme.  He noted that the programme for future meetings was uncertain and the request from Cllr Brown for scrutiny of water neutrality matters was being considered.

RESOLVED

The Committee noted the Committee’s Work Programme as set out at paragraph 5 of the report.

None.

The Chairman noted that the Corporate Solicitor would be leaving the Council and he thanked him for his guidance and expertise at committee meetings.