5. RESOURCES
Officer Involvement
5.1 The majority of the work involved in
undertaking community involvement in the production of the
LDF
will be the
responsibility of the Planning Policy and Urban Design Team.
However, officers in Development Control will have responsibility
for organising community involvement with regard to planning
applications. All groups in the Council need to be aware of the
principles set out in the
SCI
. However, direct
input will be required with regard to the Community Strategy, the
Community Boards, Communications and Consultation.
Local Development Framework
Project Board
5.2 An officers group has been
established to provide a corporate overview to the
LDF
. The following terms of
reference have been agreed:
- To assess progress of
LDF
documents in relation to
published milestones.
- To provide officer steer on direction of
work.
- To provide cross – relationship with other
corporate projects.
- The allocation of corporate resources across the
organisation to ensure corporate buy in.
- To advise Management Team of general progress
and highlight any key issues that need to be resolved as
appropriate.
5.3 The Project Board will be chaired by the Director of
Regeneration; and attended by the Head of Planning and Development
Services; Head of Technical Services; Head of Regeneration; Head of
Democratic Services; Head of Community Services and the Deputy to
the Council Solicitor. The Project Board will be serviced by the
Planning Policy and Urban Design Manager and the Planning Policy
Team Leader
5.4 The Project Board is
programmed to meet on a minimum of a two monthly basis.
Elected Member Involvement
5.5 The Council has established a
LDF
Members Panel. The
frequency of meetings will be on an as needs basis in accordance
with the programme of work, ensuring that Members are fully
involved in the
LDF
process. The Panel
includes the Leader of the Council, the Chairman of the Development
Control Committee, the Chairmen of the Strategy and Regeneration
and Environmental and Community Boards, the Regeneration Portfolio
Holder and the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group.
5.6 The following Terms of Reference have been agreed for the
Panel:
- To monitor and review resources, workload and progress on local
development documents in the light of the Council's approved Local
Development Scheme.
- To ensure that the standards set out in the Council’s Statement
of Community Involvement are met.
- To ensure that the evidence base for local development
documents is sound
- To ensure that the requirements of sustainability appraisal are
met in the preparation of local development documents.
- To oversee the preparation of spatial planning policies and
development proposals in local development documents.
- To consider the annual review of the Local Development
Scheme.
- To consider the Annual Monitoring Report and its implications
for policy development.
Planning Aid
5.7 Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional
town planning advice and support to communities and individuals who
cannot afford to pay fees to a planning consultant. The Council
will be using the services of Planning Aid to provide training for
the Havant Community Partnership, the Community Boards and
Residents Associations.
Planning Applications
5.8 The Government expects Councils to achieve 90% of all
planning application decisions to be by delegation to officers. The
Council consistently exceeds this target. The remaining
applications, which are predominantly major proposals, are
determined by the Development Control Committee that sits
approximately every 3 weeks and is made up of 14 Councillors from
around the Borough.