1. ILCA Community Discussions 1
These slides prompt ideas for the structure of discussion and add extra information
Key
Make notes before the webinar as you will be asked to contribute to the discussion
Important to note
Useful books (available from SLCC bookshop, online and at conferences) and where to find further information
Recommended SLCC courses

2. Ground Rules of the Session
Please can you each in turn share the details below to the group: Your Name Council Name How long you have been in post Population or Electoral figure Precept figure
This gives us a sense of community during the group session. If you wish to speak during the webinar please can you state your name first so everyone in the group knows who is speaking at any one time.

3. Community led planning
What is Community Led Planning?

4. Community led planning
Community led planning helps town and parish councils, and local communities, to identify and evidence local needs and aspirations and give local people a greater say (and role) in planning for their future.

5. Community led planning
Does your council have, or are they developing, a community led plan?
Village design statement
Neighbourhood plan
Parish plan
Market town health check
How can these plans influence higher authority development plans?

6. Community led planning
Share your experience of....
Village design statements
Info from parish plans
Neighbourhood plans
When are these useful?
What counts in community led planning?
What hinders this process?

7. Localism Act 2011
Changes in the National Planning Framework have strengthened the role of town and parish councils in the planning system
The Localism Act 2011 Part 6, sections 109 to 144, led to further changes to Planning Act 2008.
This abolished regional plans
Introduced neighbourhood plans
Various changes to how local plans are dealt with in approval

8. National Planning Framework Principles
A plan-led system through local and neighbourhood plans (which must be consistent with national planning policy)
Presumption in favour of sustainable development
Intended to speed up decisions
Reduced government advice – PPSs and PPGs abolished 1000 pages > 50 pages

9. National Planning Framework (1)
Neighbourhood plans – local influence on where development will take place – not that no development will take place
Community Infrastructure Levy – Intended to largely replace Section 106 agreements. A share normally 15% should be paid to the town and parish where development has taken place
Underlines the concept of pre-consultation especially with town and parish councils
Clarification of aspects of the enforcement system

10. National Planning Framework (2)
Safeguarding natural and historic environment
Speeding up nationally significant infrastructure e.g. motorways and rail projects
Take account of different roles and characters of areas
Bigger role and say for communities
More opportunities for town and parish councils to become involved in the planning system, especially at the local level.

11. Commenting on Applications
How does your council decides its comments on planning applications?
Council, committee or delegation to officer?
Who visits site and how is this approached?
Policy or ad hoc?
If policy what is it based on?
Does your council understand what material considerations are?
Do you put issues raised into the response if you suspect that they aren’t material considerations

12. more on applications
How does your council receive requests from developers to present plans at pre submission stage?
How does your council feel about requesting conditions either if they are generally in favour of the application or if they are against it but it might be approved anyway.
Other comments

13. LPA What is an LPA? How does it notify you? How do you receive plans?
How easy is it to get an extension of the 21 days consultation period?
How approachable are the planning officers?
Will they come to site to see you and/or your cllrs?

14. Development plans
Do you know the names of the development plans in your area?
Is it right that developers can develop land if the council hasn’t finished its local plan?
Why do you think a planning authority could disregard the local plan?
Other comments?

15. Local Planning Authorities
Share experience of working with your LPA
Will they come to council meetings?
How approachable are the cllrs who are on the LPA? Do they hide behind predetermination?
Does your LPA provide training?
Other comments?

16. Delegating to officers
Compare notes on LPA policies for delegating planning decisions to officers verses allocating to committee or cllrs
Why is delegation used?
Can your council ask for a planning application to go to committee?
If not how is this done?
Any systems that create problems or improve life for local councils re dealing with applications?

17. Local planning authority
Planning applications are submitted to the local planning authority (LPA), usually the district, county or unitary council. LPA officers have the delegated power to decide some applications judged on predetermined guidelines given by that council. All other applications are decided by a planning committee of councillors.

18. Town and Parish councils…
can ask for an application to go to committee rather than being delegated to officers. There are time limits and material considerations that will need to be taken account if your council wish to make comment or objection.

19. Influencing the local plan
Compare notes on how effective local councils can influence the local plan
How important is it that the local council has an input into this plan?
At what stages of the plan can local councils comments count?
What makes a local council unique in this consultation?
What counts?

20. CIL & Section 106
Share experiences with Section 106, Community Infrastructure Levy and New Homes Bonus payments
Has your council used any of these?
If so what for and how much money?
How did it go?
Has your council missed out on funds due to the planning authority not sharing funds or for other reasons?

21. Any Questions?

22. Activities 2 and 3
You should now have enough information to write a short précis of these topics and discussions for Activity 2. You may need to do some further research and reading for Activity 3 but we have given you some hints in these slides Good luck