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.

Havant Borough Council, Civic Centre Road, Havant, Hampshire PO9 2AX