Agenda and minutes

To note any substitution of Panel Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rules.

The following substitution of Committee Members had been made in accordance with Council Procedure Rule:

Councillor T. Travell for Councillor D. Richardson

Councillor J. Cragg for Councillor F. Wachuku

Apologies of absence was received from Councillors D. Richardson and F. Wachuku.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 April 2022  (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 April 2022 were approved as a correct record.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on this Agenda.

Councillors S. Boulton and S. Thusu each declared a non-pecuniary interest in items on the agenda as appropriate by virtue of being a Member of Hertfordshire County Council.

Report of the Assistant Director (Planning) on the Northaw and Cuffley Neighbourhood Plan.

Report of the Assistant Director (Planning) on the Northaw and Cuffley Parish council Neighbourhood Plan. Following consultation in 2021 the Parish Council has submitted the Plan to the Council and requested it be published for public consultation. The Council has a statutory duty to assist communities in the preparation of neighbourhood development plans and to take plans through a process of examination and referendum.

The compliance check undertaken by officers found that the documentation submitted fulfilled the requirements of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended).  It was proposed that the council now publicise the plan for a period of six week, to give people an opportunity to make representations that will be passed to an independent examiner.

The following points were raised and discussed:

·       Members sought clarification over who would vote in the referendum. Officers explained that it would be those in the neighbourhood plan location therefore residents that live in the parish of Northaw and Cuffley.

·       Members asked for the terms of the referendum. It was explained it would follow the first past the post system.

·       Members stated that the neighbourhood plan area was not the same as the ward area and queried whether the parish overlapped with neighbouring Broxbourne. Officers stated that the eastern boundary of the parish mirrors the borough boundary.

·       Members raised the lack of social and affordable housing mentioned the neighbourhood plan. Officers clarified that the plan presented was the Parish’s plan and a report with the council’s comments will be presented to the committee as the council is a consultee in due course.

·       Members sought clarification on the weight given to the plan if adopted for planning policies. Officers stated that once the neighbourhood plan came into effect it would be part of the development plan. Development Management Committee and Planning Inspectors would make their decisions on the policies of the development plan unless there were material considerations.

·       Members asked when the six-week consultation period would begin. Officers stated that the Parish was eager to progress so the consultation period would start shortly after Cabinet.

          RESOLVED

(Unanimous)

1)    The council, as Local Planning Authority (LPA), accepts the draft Northaw and Cuffley Neighbourhood Plan as validly made.

2)    The draft Northaw and Cuffley Neighbourhood Plan go out for consultation for a period of six weeks.

3)     An independent examiner be appointed and for the neighbourhood plan to be submitted for examination following public consultation.

Members asked whether they would have longer to view the papers for the next meeting of the Cabinet Parking and Planning Panel which it is understood will include a report on the Local Plan. Officers stated that there would be a smaller number of sites to assess, and the report was unlikely to be ready prior to the statutory agenda publication date. The Chair stated that the previous site selection addendum would be circulated to members ahead of the next meeting.