Agenda and minutes

To record apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Debra Dewhurst,

Oliver Forder, Debby Hallett, Mike Pighills and Sally Povolotsky.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests and non-registrable interests or any conflicts of interest in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

Councillor Crawford declared an interest in agenda item 5 as a Director of Westmill Solar - a co-operative based in Watchfield. On seeking advice from the monitoring officer, he remained in the room and voted on the item.

To receive notification of any matters which the chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chair. 

The chair advised that there was no urgent business and provided housekeeping announcements.  

Members of the public who wish to address Council on the agenda items for this meeting must register to do so in writing or by email to democratic.services@southandvale.gov.uk no later than 5.00pm on Tuesday 17 September 2024. 

No members of the public had registered to address Council.

Cabinet, at its meeting to be held on 18 September prior to this meeting, will consider the report of the head of policy and programmes on progress made to date with the preparation of the Joint Local Plan, including explaining how comments raised during previous public consultations and internal consultation have influenced its structure and content. 

The report which Cabinet will consider is available here.

Council is invited to consider Cabinet’s recommendations.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendations, made at its meeting immediately preceding the Council meeting on the approval of the publication version of the Joint Local Plan 2041.

Councillor Foulsham, Cabinet Member for Policy and Programmes, introduced the item and moved Cabinet’s recommendations. In doing so he began by expressing his delight that he was able to present a plan to Council which reflected the policies which so many members had been campaigning on and pursuing with diligence and enthusiasm at recent elections and during their time as councillors. The Regulation 19 Joint Local Plan (the Plan) presented to Council marked the culmination of collaborative work commenced in March 2021 with South Oxfordshire District Council. The Plan would set a higher policy requirement for new development leading to more sustainable development in each district. The Plan would secure nature recovery, more affordable housing, a substantial response to climate change and protect landscapes.  He advised that the Plan was being brought forward earlier than anticipated. The revision to the timeline was in response to an offer from the Deputy Prime Minister to submit a plan within one month of the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) coming into force. Whilst the Plan had been accelerated, he emphasised that effective consultation had been undertaken with the public who had responded positively. In addition, 35 member steering group sessions had been undertaken and 14 all member roundtable sessions. He reminded Council that to enable the submission of the Plan in December it was necessary to agree the Plan as drafted. Unpicking elements of the Plan at this stage risked running into problems with the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation Assessment and Viability Assessment which would prevent the early submission, and with it the advantages, of the Plan. He thanked Councillor Debby Hallett, the previous Cabinet portfolio holder, for all the work she had undertaken to progress the Plan, and Councillor Anne-Marie Simpson, South Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, who had provided him with support and guidance during the development of the Plan.  

Members welcomed the Plan which was ambitious for residents and the environment. Members welcomed the policies included to provide housing for residents – affordable, rental and of different sizes and types. They welcomed the policies to protect the environment, tackle climate change, build sustainable communities and the inclusion of policies applicable to development including embodied carbon, biodiversity net gain and dark skies mapping. The development of a joint plan would also serve those communities within the new developments around Didcot well, which were split between the two district councils.

Whilst members who expressed a view welcomed the Plan some issues and observations were raised. Concern was expressed that the Plan allocated the bulk of employment sites across both districts to Harwell Campus which was not well located for sustainable travel, was not located close to where people lived and would not protect the landscape and beauty of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Views were also expressed regretting the need to reduce  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

At its meeting on 3 September 2024, the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee considered a report on the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s proposed warding pattern for the district. The committee considered the submissions set out in appendix A of the report received from members and made recommendations to Council for consideration.

Council is invited to consider the report of the head of legal and democratic attached.

Council considered the recommendations of the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee on the proposed council’s response to the local Government Boundary Commission for England’s (the Commission) draft recommendations on a warding pattern for the district.

Councillor Maddison, Chair of the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee, introduced the committee’s recommendations and advised that the committee had considered member responses on the Commission’s draft recommendations at its meeting held on 3 September 2024. He highlighted that the majority of the proposed wards wholly or mostly matched those submitted by the council earlier in the review process.

RESOLVED:

1.    To agree the draft submission response agreed by the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee and as attached to the report of the head of legal and democratic to Council on 18 September 2024.

2.    To authorise the democratic services manager to finalise the document for submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.