Issue - meetings

Item HP 22/5 referred from Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 19 July 2022

Consideration of recommendation HP 22/5 from the meeting of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 19 July 2022.

Members attention was drawn to two amendments that had arisen since the meeting of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee as detailed below:

(1)             Page 7, first paragraph, to read:

‘Local Authorities are required to publish all consultation documents on their website and make copies available at the Council offices, in the case of Tonbridge and Malling this is the Gibson Building, Kings Hill and Gateway at Tonbridge Castle (unless this is unachievable due to national or local lockdowns associated with the Covid-19 pandemic).’

(2)         Page 8, first sentence, to read:

‘Place notices on Council owned boards and those owned by parish councils.’

The Cabinet RESOLVED that:

(1)             subject to the two amendments set out above, the Statement of Community Involvement be adopted for development management and planning policy purposes

Decision Notice: D220079MEM

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 19 July 2022 (as set out at Minute Number HP 22/5). 

Members attention was drawn to two amendments that had arisen since the meeting of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee as detailed below:

(1)             Page 7, first paragraph, to read:

‘Local Authorities are required to publish all consultation documents on their website and make copies available at the Council offices, in the case of Tonbridge and Malling this is the Gibson Building, Kings Hill and Gateway at Tonbridge Castle (unless this is unachievable due to national or local lockdowns associated with the Covid-19 pandemic).’

(2)         Page 8, first sentence, to read:

‘Place notices on Council owned boards and those owned by parish councils.’

Particular reference was made to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), as set out on page 3 of the Statement, and the requirement for those wishing to be contacted in relation to community engagement and updates to the Local Plan to register with the Borough Council. It was noted that people would be invited to register in a number of ways including the TMBC app, via email and in writing.

Finally, it was confirmed that there would be regular updates on the progress of the Local Plan, including the Duty to Co-operate, provided to the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee.

RESOLVED:  That subject to the two amendments set out above, the Statement of Community Involvement be adopted for development management and planning policy purposes

The report explains how residents and other stakeholders will be engaged as the Council prepares planning policies and determines planning applications.

The report of the Director for Planning, Housing and Environmental Health explained how residents and other stakeholders would be engaged as the Council prepared planning policies and determined planning applications.  The Statement of Community Involvement was attached at Annex 1 to the report.  During discussion, members sought clarification on advertising means, the weight given to responses received from statutory consultative groups, and reassurance that there was consistency between the Statement of Community Involvement and the Development Management Protocol.

RECOMMENDED: That the Statement of Community Involvement be adopted for development management and planning policy purposes.