Agenda item

The report of the Executive Manager – Communities is attached.

The Portfolio holder for Housing and Planning presented the report of Executive Manager – Communities seeking approval, subject to a majority vote from the referendum in favour, for the Council to adopt the Keyworth Neighbourhood Plan to help decide planning applications.

The Portfolio holder advised that Keyworth Parish Council had produced the Keyworth Neighbourhood Plan in consultation with the local community and that the Plan contained a number of policies which were intended to form part of the statutory development plan for the Borough and, therefore, to assist the Borough Council in the determination of relevant planning applications. In accordance with the Localism Act 2011, the Borough Council had invited representations on the submitted draft Plan and had appointed an Independent

Examiner to examine the Plan and consider all representations received through the consultation undertaken by the Borough Council. The Independent Examiner had concluded that subject to a number of modifications, the Plan met the required statutory requirements and should proceed to referendum. The Plan, incorporating the Independent Examiner’s modifications had been presented to Cabinet on 13 March 2018 where it had been resolved that the proposed Plan met the relevant statutory requirements and should proceed to referendum in order for residents to decide whether the Plan should become part of the statutory development plan. (Cabinet Minute No. 55, 2017/18). The Portfolio holder noted that a referendum had been scheduled for 30 May 2018. The recommendations were seconded by Councillor Edyvean.

Councillor MacInnes thanked Keyworth residents for their efforts in creating the Plan and urged them to take part in the referendum. Councillor S Mallender welcomed the active role that the local community had played in the development of the plan and noted that she hoped local residents would vote in favour of its adoption in the upcoming referendum.

Councillor Cottee noted the five years of hard work that had gone into the production of the Keyworth Neighbourhood Plan and noted that the Independent Examiner had commended the wide-ranging consultation that had taken place, the community engagement and the engagement with the Council that had happened in the production of the Plan. Councillor Cottee noted with disappointment that some negative campaigning had been taking place in Keyworth and advised that while the Plan may not be perfect or please everybody fully, that it was better to have a plan in place that reflected public opinion that no plan at all.  Councillor Jones noted his support for the plan and commended the thorough processes involved in its creation.

Councillor Upton responded to the issues raised in the debate and noted that having been involved in the creation of the Radcliffe-on-Trent Neighbourhood Plan he fully understood the effort, as well as the difficult decisions and compromises that had been involved in creating the Plan. 

It was RESOLVED that, subject to a majority vote from the referendum in favour of using the Keyworth Neighbourhood Plan to help decide planning applications:

a)    the Council ‘makes’ (adopts) the Neighbourhood Plan.

b)    authority be delegated to the Executive Manager – Communities to issue a statement setting out this decision as soon as possible following the referendum.