Agenda item

Local Plan 2034: options to progress

At its meeting on 3 October Cabinet will consider a report on the options to progress the Local Plan 2034. The report and appendices, which Cabinet will consider at its meeting, were circulated to all councillors. A revised Cabinet report is attached.

The Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 1 October. Following a debate on the Local Plan options a motion was put forward to support option A in the report – to allow the plan to continue to examination. The motion was not carried. The committee did not make any recommendations to Cabinet.

 

Cabinet’s recommendations will be circulated to all councillors.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Bretherton, Chairman of the council, invited Mark Stone, Chief Executive, to address Council. The chief executive advised that on Wednesday 9 October the council received a letter from the Rt Hon Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, addressed to the leader of the council, which advised that he was considering whether to give a direction to the council in respect of the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan.  He directed the council not to take any step in connection with the adoption of the Local Plan, while he considered the matter. In his letter he offered for his officials to work with council officers to discuss the next steps.

 

The chief executive advised that he wrote to the Secretary of State on 10 October to seek clarification regarding the direction. The Secretary of State responded prior to the Council meeting and there was nothing in the letter which removed the temporary direction. Until the council hears further from the Secretary of State it was not within the gift of Council to take any step in connection with the adoption of the Local Plan including hearing representations, responding to questions, debating or making a decision on the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan.

 

He recognised that many members of the public were attending the meeting for the Local Plan item and he apologised that the Council was unable to take the matter further at the meeting. He undertook to keep the public informed of any progress via the council’s website and social media.

 

The chairman further advised members of the public that there would be no public speaking or debate on the Local Plan item.

Supporting documents:

 

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