Issue - meetings

That:

1)         the report of the Independent Examination into the Arborfield and

Barkham Neighbourhood Plan be accepted and that the modifications recommended by the Independent Examiner be made to the plan prior to a local referendum being held; and

2)        it be agreed that the referendum version of the Arborfield and Barkham Neighbourhood Plan, as modified in accordance with the recommendations following Independent Examination, meets the basic conditions and complies with the provisions of Paragraph 8 (1) (a) (2) of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (inserted by the Localism Act 2011).  A statement to that effect will be published on the Council’s website as well as the ‘Referendum Version’ of the Plan; and

3)        a local referendum be organised and conducted on 6 February 2020 in the Arborfield and Barkham Neighbourhood area. This will allow all eligible persons that are registered on the electoral roll within the two parishes, to vote on whether the Arborfield and Barkham Neighbourhood Plan should be used by Wokingham Borough Council to help it determine planning applications in the Neighbourhood Area.

The Executive considered a report setting out the response of the Independent Examiner to the Arborfield and Barkham Neighbourhood Plan.

When introducing the report the Executive Member for Planning and Enforcement highlighted the process that had been followed which included a six week consultation and the examination of the Plan which was carried out by an Independent Examiner in September 2019.

Councillor Smith advised that feedback had been received from the Examiner and this had been included in the report.  It was noted that the next stage in the process was a Neighbourhood Plan Referendum which was scheduled to take place on 6 February 2020.

Councillor Kaiser highlighted the importance of the Plan to the neighbourhood area which had taken four years of committed hard work by Arborfield and Barkham Parish Councils. 

RESOLVED that:

1)         the report of the Independent Examination into the Arborfield and

Barkham Neighbourhood Plan be accepted and that the modifications recommended by the Independent Examiner be made to the plan prior to a local referendum being held; and

2)        it be agreed that the referendum version of the Arborfield and Barkham Neighbourhood Plan, as modified in accordance with the recommendations following Independent Examination, meets the basic conditions and complies with the provisions of Paragraph 8 (1) (a) (2) of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (inserted by the Localism Act 2011). A statement to that effect will be published on the Council’s website as well as the ‘Referendum Version’ of the Plan; and

3)        a local referendum be organised and conducted on 6 February 2020 in the Arborfield and Barkham Neighbourhood area. This will allow all eligible persons that are registered on the electoral roll within the two parishes, to vote on whether the Arborfield and Barkham Neighbourhood Plan should be used by Wokingham Borough Council to help it determine planning applications in the Neighbourhood Area.