The Senior Planner introduced
the report and outlined the changes made to the to the Duty to
Cooperate (DtC) processes, as requested by the Committee during its
12 January 2021 meeting following its consideration of the DtC
Protocol.
The Senior Planner explained
that officer to officer meetings would be the first stage in
conversing with Neighbouring Authorities, with escalation to Senior
Officers and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee as required.
The discussions would be framed by the emerging Statement of Common
Ground (SoCG), which included the matters on which there had been
agreement and disagreement. If another Local Authority wished to
bring their Statement of Common Ground before the Council had
completed its own, then the same procedure in obtaining agreement
from the Committee would be applied.
It was reiterated that any
urgent changes required to the SoCG after it had been agreed by the
Committee would occur in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair
of the Committee. The Chair and Vice-Chair stated that if any
significant issues had arisen, the Committee would be informed.
The Committee expressed support
for the work undertaken by Officers.
RESOLVED: That
1.
The framework for future duty to cooperate
processes, as summarised in paragraph 2.16 of the report with
further detail outlined on meeting levels in paragraphs 2.7 to 2.10
of the report; sign-off procedure for minutes as detailed in
paragraphs 2.11 to 2.12 and the sign-off procedures for Statements
of Common Ground as detailed in paragraphs 2.13 to 2.15 of the
report, be agreed.