Decision details

Cabinet considered the head of policy and programmes’ report.  This reported that work had ended on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050.  The report also considered the implications for the Joint Local Plan and the Local Development Scheme. 

Cabinet recalled that in February 2018, the council had agreed to participate in developing a strategic plan with the other Oxfordshire authorities.  Later that year, Cabinet approved the timetable for an Oxfordshire plan.  However, during the summer 2022, the leaders of the five Oxfordshire local planning authorities announced that they were unable to reach agreement on the approach to planning for future housing needs and ended work on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050.  Instead, the councils agreed to tackle these issues through their own local plans, in the Vale’s case through a joint local plan with South Oxfordshire District Council, recognising the wider duty to co-operate. 

The report presented the next steps and sought approval of an amended timetable for the Joint Local Plan in an updated Local Development Scheme.  The report proposed that the timetable for progressing the Joint Local Plan to adoption stage should be extended by 11 months.  This would allow time to fill gaps in the evidence base and avoid holding public consultations during a pre-election period.  Recognising that the timetable might need to change again, the report sought delegated authority to make further updates. 

Cabinet noted the end of work on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 and welcomed the revised Local Development Scheme and its amended timetable for the Joint Local Plan.  Cabinet agreed to add a further resolution to note that the Joint Local Plan was progressing well, recognising the wider duty to co-operate with other councils. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)       formally note the cessation of work on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050;

(b)       note that Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire councils have committed to develop a Joint Local Plan and work is progressing well to the delivery of that outcome, recognising the wider duty to co-operate;

(c)        approve the updated Joint Local Development Scheme (December 2022), attached at Appendix 1 to the head of policy and programmes’ report to Cabinet on 2 December 2022; and

(d)       authorise the head of policy and programmes, in consultation with the Cabinet member for corporate services and transformation, to make any updates to the Joint Local Development Scheme.