Issue - meetings

Cabinet discussed the draft Birchington Neighbourhood Plan. Under the Localism Act 2011, Neighbourhood plans could be prepared by local communities and would be led by Town or Parish Councils or a Neighbourhood Forum in areas which do not have a Town or Parish Council. If Thanet Council adopted a neighbourhood plan, it would have the same significance as other Development Plan Documents (e.g. the Local Plan) for the district.

Birchington Parish Council prepared the draft neighbourhood plan. It was published and formally submitted to the Council and had subsequently been assessed by an independent Examiner. The Examiner’s report had also been published. It supported the proposed Neighbourhood Plan, with some minor modifications and recommended that it be subject to a referendum.

The Council now had to issue a Decision Statement as to whether or not it accepted the recommendations in the Examiners report, and, if not, what actions would be necessary. The Council also had to consider whether the draft Plan met the “basic conditions” for a Neighbourhood Plan. The report before Cabinet set out relevant issues in the Examiner’s report for Cabinet’s decision which would also form the basis of the Decision Statement.

The draft Neighbourhood Plan was generally supported by Members that it had been positively prepared, and includes policies that generally conform with the adopted Local Plan. It was encouraging to see that the Parish Council had included policies which, although too detailed or too specific for the Local Plan, generally supported the delivery of the local plan and had a good evidence base.

Members proposed the recommendations as set out in the report; that the Birchington Neighbourhood Plan be modified with the modifications set out in the Examiners Report (annex 1 to the Cabinet report) and that the Cabinet issued a Decision Statement that the plan should proceed to a referendum.

Councillor Kup spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Keen seconded and Cabinet agreed the following:

1.  That the draft Neighbourhood Plan be modified as set out in this report; and

2.  That the Council issues a Decision Statement that it accepts the recommendations in the Examiners report, and the draft Neighbourhood Plan can proceed to referendum.