Decision details

A report of the Deputy Managing Director was received which would also be going to Council on 13 March 2018.

Councillor Sharpe introduced the report and explained that reforms in planning policy in recent years had replaced strategic planning with a ‘duty to cooperate’.  The government had announced today changes in the National Planning Policy Framework to make councils deliver housing targets. There was, therefore, a need to recognise that problems did not start and end at district council boundaries but there were shared problems in this part of Hertfordshire.  There was recognition of the need to cooperate and the report before Cabinet was the start of work on a joint strategic plan and a statement of common ground.

The Deputy Managing Director commented that there were a number of authorities now adopting a similar approach.  Housing was a key feature but the joint strategic plans would cover a wider scope.  With regards to funding, there had been a bid to central government which had been successful and the council had been awarded £250,000. The memorandum of understanding was being worked on presently. 

            RESOLVED

            That Cabinet recommends to Council:

1.     To agree to work with the other South West Herts Authorities (Three Rivers, Dacorum, Hertsmere and St Albans Councils) to prepare a Joint Strategic Plan.  Details of working arrangements and governance structures will be included in a Memorandum of Understanding which is currently being worked on.  A timetable and the relationship with individual local plans will be set out in a Statement of Common Ground, to be agreed by all partners.

2.     To agree to progress a Memorandum of Understanding as the framework for governing future joint working arrangements and for the final terms of the Memorandum of Understanding to be delegated to the Deputy Managing Director for agreement.

3.     To agree to officers progressing work on the joint plan and to note that this will come back to Council for final approval.

4.     To note the support of Hertfordshire County Council and the Hertfordshire LEP for this process.