Issue - meetings

To consider the head of planning’s report. 

Cabinet considered the head of planning’s report on changes to the government’s neighbourhood planning grants.  The report sought approval to end the council’s grant support to community groups preparing or reviewing neighbourhood plans. 

Cabinet noted that the way the government funded neighbourhood planning had changed.  The government grant to district councils had reduced by £10,000 per plan.  Instead, the government was offering community group grants directly, rather than through district councils.  Cabinet considered that it should no longer offer grants to community groups as these were now being offered directly by the government.  The council would continue to support neighbourhood plans with officer advice through the dedicated neighbourhood planning team, and by funding the costs of examination and referendums. 

Officers were asked to monitor the impact of this decision.  The council could reconsider this if grant funding became available from government once again. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)      cease the council’s district neighbourhood planning grant support from 1 April 2020; and

(b)      support neighbourhood planning groups in securing alternative grant funding towards developing new and revising neighbourhood plans.