Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Planning.

(a)  That the Council makes the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 – 2032 (as set out in Appendix A) part of the statutory development plan for the Chesil Neighbourhood Area.

(b)  That the Council offers its congratulations to Chesil Bank Parish Council and members of the Neighbourhood Plan Group in producing a successful neighbourhood plan.

Reason for the decision

To formally make the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 - 2032 part of the statutory development plan for the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Area. In addition, to recognise the significant amount of work undertaken by the Parish Council and members of the Neighbourhood Plan Group in preparing the plan and to congratulate the Councils and the Group on their success.    

The Portfolio Holder for Planning presented the report and proposed the recommendations.  He confirmed that the Council had held a referendum on 28 September 2023 with the area covered by the referendum being the Civil Parishes of Portesham, Abbotsbury, Langton Herring and Fleet.  167 people (75.2%) voted in favour of the plan with 55 people (24.7%) voting against it.  The turnout was 19.8%.

Due to a regrettable error when administering the referendum one polling district was inadvertently excluded.  This meant that 35 residents who could have chosen to vote were unable to do so. If all 35 residents affected by the error had voted against the plan this would not have altered the outcome, but the Portfolio Holder acknowledged that it was important that all of those entitled to vote were able to do so.  Letters of apology had been sent to those affected and steps had been put into place to ensure that the error could not occur again.

As the local ward Member, Cllr M Roberts spoke in support of the recommendation.

It was proposed by Cllr D Walsh seconded by Cllr J Haynes

Decision

(a)           That the Council makes the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 – 2032 (as set out in Appendix A) part of the statutory development plan for the Chesil Neighbourhood Area.

(b)           That the Council offers its congratulations to Chesil Bank Parish Council and members of the Neighbourhood Plan Group in producing a successful neighbourhood plan.

Reason for the decision

To formally make the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 - 2032 part of the statutory development plan for the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Area. In addition, to recognise the significant amount of work undertaken by the Parish Council and members of the Neighbourhood Plan Group in preparing the plan and to congratulate the Councils and the Group on their success.