Decision details

To agree that the Leader of the Council should sign a Memorandum of Understanding on how Surrey County Council will work together with the Borough and District Councils in Surrey, towards the development of a Local Strategic Statement setting out common priorities on strategic planning matters.

The Leader of the Council be authorised to sign the Memorandum of Understanding for the Surrey Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Partnership to work towards the preparation of a Local Strategic Statement for Surrey.

Reasons for Decisions:

A number of local authorities who have recently had their plans examined have failed to meet the requirements of the Duty to Cooperate and have had to withdraw their Local Plans. Most Surrey local authorities are in the process of preparing planning documents and it is increasingly clear that meeting the requirements of the duty is a test that has been extremely difficult and would be significantly more likely if an appropriate framework to coordinate partnership working to address common strategic planning issues is established.

The Memorandum of Understanding and preparation of a Local Strategic Statement setting out common priorities can help overcome the difficulties that local authorities are presently experiencing and will help to make the case for investment in Surrey, especially funding for transport and other infrastructure from the Local Enterprise Partnerships.

The proposed partnership will also ensure a collective voice exists within Surrey to manage relationships with neighbouring authorities, particularly London, where projected increases in population suggest that it will not be able to meet all its future housing needs and this is likely to create further pressure to increase housing provision above locally identified needs in Surrey.

[The decision on this item can be called in by the Environment and Transport Select Committee]