Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Planning and Emergency Planning
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
The
Wimborne St Giles Neighbourhood Plan 2021 to 2036 – Independent Examiner’s
Report and Progress to Referendum
a)
The Wimborne St Giles Neighbourhood Plan 2021 to
2036, as modified (please see Appendix B), can proceed to referendum.
b)
A recommendation to ‘make’ the Wimborne St Giles
Neighbourhood Plan 2021 to 2036 be made to a Cabinet meeting after the
referendum if the result of the referendum is in support of making the plan and
there are no other issues identified that would go against such a decision.
To progress the Wimborne St Giles Neighbourhood Plan 2021 to
2036 to referendum so that pending a favourable vote, the plan can be ‘made’.
The Council can decide not to follow the recommendations of
the Examiner, but it must set out its reasons for doing so.
The Council has agreed to accept all of the Examiner’s
recommendations made within his report (Appendix A).
No conflicts of interest declared.
Consultees
The plan has been subject to a large amount of public consultation as it has been progressed.
Budget Implications
On making a formal decision to progress a neighbourhood plan
to referendum, the Council is eligible for a grant of £20,000. The grant is
intended to cover the costs associated with the Council’s input into the
production of a neighbourhood plan including the examination and referendum.
The grant of £20,000 will be sufficient to cover the costs associated with the
examination and referendum.
Legal Implications
A legal challenge could theoretically be made against a
decision to proceed to referendum.
Such a challenge could be made on the basis that the neighbourhood plan, as
modified, does not meet the basic conditions, is not compatible with the
Convention rights or because it does not comply with the definition of a
neighbourhood development plan. However, the independent Examiner has
considered these matters in light of all of the comments received during the
public consultation and examination periods.
Given the evidence before them, officers consider that there is no basis
for reaching a different view to the Examiner.
Publication date: 24/01/2025
Date of decision: 20/01/2025