Issue - meetings

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]

The Deputy Leader presented the report on the Surrey Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Partnership and drew attention to the Localism Act (2011) and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that required public bodies to cooperate on planning issues that crossed administrative boundaries.

This sets out that, at a Local Plan Examination, local planning authorities are expected to demonstrate evidence that they have complied with this legal ‘Duty to Cooperate’. Infrastructure was a strategic planning matter and the County Council had a key role in Local Plan preparation as the Local Highways Authority, the local planning authority for waste and minerals and as a major infrastructure provider, particularly for transport and schools, and was subject to the duty.

He explained that Surrey Leaders had agreed to meet as the Surrey Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Board to provide a vehicle for cooperation and joint working to help districts and boroughs in Surrey meet the challenging requirements of the duty. They have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding on how the local authorities in Surrey will work together to prepare a Local Strategic Statement setting out common priorities on strategic planning matters and actions. The partnership would also facilitate a co-ordinated approach to engaging with neighbouring authorities, particularly London and its growth impacts on Surrey.

The Cabinet Member for Business Services commented that it was very important to have a coordinated approach on this and this was supported by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning stating that working together would achieve so much more.

RESOLVED:

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.