Issue - meetings

Report of the Leader

The Leader introduced the report, he explained that The Statement of Common Ground  (SoCG) had been established by the National Planning Policy Framework. He advised that the intention of the (SoCG) was to provide a more coordinated approach by all the authorities in the borough to long term spatial planning in Gloucestershire. He highlighted that it was particularly important given developments in the planning process with regards to the transport plan and adoption of the JCS2. Similarly, they were expecting the local plan report back from the inspector imminently.  

He advised that Gloucestershire County Council had recently recruited a strategic planning coordinator and this would hopefully streamline the planning process going forward. He advised that they were establishing how best to use the SoCG to put the Gloucestershire 2050 vision in place an ensure the vision could be shared across the County.  He highlighted that the SoCG would need to be produced and agreed between the six local planning authorities, the County Council, the GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership and other key parties as appropriate, including Severn Trent, Highways England and Homes England. He highlighted that if they were to agree the SoCG in principle today they would aim to have the final version back within 12 months.

In the debate that followed, Members made the following comments:

·           One Member had reservations about the terminology used on the Glos 2050 website with regards to the concept of a ‘supercity’ and whilst they were happy to support the recommendations they requested this terminology be amended. 

The Leader agreed that the reference to the supercity needed to be challenged and amended.

A Member asked whether CBC could encourage others, such as the County Council, to sign up to the initiatives which CBC were committing to. In response the Leader explained that 3 out of the 6 districts had now declared a climate emergency.

RESOLVED (with one abstention) THAT

The council work in partnership with the five other Local Planning Authorities, Gloucestershire County Council and the GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership to develop a Strategic Planning Framework for Gloucestershire, to 2050 and beyond, via the preparation of a ‘Statement of Common Ground’.