Agenda item - Strategic Planning Update

- Report for consideration by the Combined Authority Committee and the Joint Committee.

The West of England Joint Committee RESOLVED to:

- Agree the Memorandum of Understanding at Appendix A.

The West of England Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED:

1. To agree the Memorandum of Understanding at Appendix A.

2. To agree the proposed draft Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) programme subject to ongoing review, draft at Appendix B.

3. To note the funding request to support the strategic evidence base work required including the transport modelling work (as referenced in the Investment Fund report elsewhere on the agenda).

4. Agree the process for progressing the WECA Statement of Common Ground and the cross-boundary issues to be considered. Officers are asked to work through the detail of the Statement of Common Ground with the Planning & Housing Board and to report back progress to a future WECA/Joint Committee (an example structure/contents page for a Statement of Common Ground was set out at Appendix C).

5. That officers work with the Planning & Housing Board and Transport Board to develop and agree the ongoing non-statutory engagement programme for the SDS and report back progress to a future WECA/Joint Committee.

6. To agree the proposed officer support for the SDS process.

7. To agree the governance and decision-making process for the SDS.

8. To note and support the North Somerset update on progress with their local plan.

9. That the following wording be added to the report narrative (section 1 of the report):

‘The ambition to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all in the area will take account of UN Sustainable Development Goals. Using the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals will help to recognise the interdependence of social issues, for example hunger (SDG 1); health (SDG 3); education (SDG 4); gender equality (SGD 5); decent work and economic growth (SDG8); strong infrastructure (SDG 9); sustainable cities and communities (including housing) (SDG 11), sustainable environment (climate change, life in the sea, life on land, and responsible production and consumption) (SDGs 11, 13,14,15). This will support the commitment to promote and ensure clean and inclusive growth so that everyone shares in the future opportunities for growth and renewal.

The UN SDGs will inform work on the cross boundary strategic issues as worked through in the Statement of Common Ground (see section 6 below).’

10. That as officers work through the detail of the Statement of Common Ground with the Planning & Housing Board, they will report back progress to a future WECA/Joint Committee which will include an update of how the SDGs have been incorporated as part of the development process.

The Combined Authority Committee and the Joint Committee considered a report setting out an update on strategic planning and the formal agreement of the constituent authorities of WECA and North Somerset on the Memorandum of Understanding which would guide the start of the strategic planning process (agenda item 21).

The Chair highlighted that in addition to the Memorandum of Understanding, the report also gave an update on the following:

· The proposed broad timetable for strategic planning activities.

· The steps for the formal duty to co-operate arrangements and the preparation of a Statement of Common Ground as a pre-cursor to starting the respective plan making processes.

· The proposed programme governance for the Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) and an update on the North Somerset Local Plan process.

The Chair also stressed that it was important to note that officers in all the authorities were continuing to work proactively with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in exploring planning freedoms to support the plan making process and the development of a robust and effective strategy that could be delivered.

Cllr Dudd moved the following amendment:

‘That the following wording be added to the report narrative (section 1 of the report):

“The ambition to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all in the area will take account of UN Sustainable Development Goals. Using the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals will help to recognise the interdependence of social issues for example, (hunger (SDG1); health (SDG 3); education (SDG 4); gender equality (SGD5); decent work and economic growth (SDG8); strong infrastructure (SDG9); sustainable Cities and Communities (incl housing) (SDG11), sustainable environment (climate change, life in the sea, life on land, and responsible production and consumption (SDGs 11, 13,14,15)). This will support the commitment to promote and ensure clean and inclusive growth so that everyone shares in the future opportunities for growth and renewal.

The UN SDGs will inform work on the cross boundary strategic issues as worked through in the Statement of Common Ground (see section 6 below).”

Add an additional recommendation for approval by the Combined Authority Committee, as follows:

“That as officers work through the detail of the Statement of Common Ground with the Planning & Housing Board, they will report back progress to future WECA/Joint Committee which will include an update of how the SDGs have been incorporated as part of the development process.” ’

It was noted that all members were supportive of the amendment.

The Chair accordingly moved that the recommendations as set out in the published report be approved, subject to the above amendment. This was seconded by Cllr Romero.

Cllr Romero commented that it was important to move on to the development of the SDS; the agreement of a Memorandum of Understanding between the authorities was a key point in the process and would set a broad framework to work within.

Cllr Savage welcomed the report and commented that it would be important to have a strategic spatial plan in place that could direct new development in the region, recognising that how people live and access work and other opportunities was not based on where individual council boundaries fell. From South Gloucestershire’s perspective, it was critical to make sure that the government, particularly the planning inspectorate recognised the importance of spatial planning in the region - it was essential not to have 5 year land supplies being used against individual unitary authorities, effectively picking off sites outside of a plan-led approach because this could inhibit an adoptable plan being put in place. He also noted that future approval stages for this work would be dependent on the authorities’ ability to negotiate the required flexibilities with government so that they can have as much confidence as possible that the time, effort and resource put into this process would deliver a successful outcome for all communities across the region.

Cllr Dudd stressed the importance of incorporating the UN SDGs to strengthen the approach, noting also that further work on the detail of the Statement of Common Ground would be taken forward through the Planning & Housing Board.

Cllr Davies supported Cllr Savage’s comments about the importance of securing a strategic spatial plan for the region. It would be essential to listen to communities’ views as the process was taken forward.

Professor West welcomed the report and was supportive of taking forward the strategic spatial planning through a joined-up approach across the city region.

The Chair then moved to the voting on the recommendations as amended. Voting took place as per constitutional requirements.