The Director of Finance and Business Improvement introduced the report and referenced the Committee’s request to the Policy and Resources Committee, for additional funding to be allocated to the Local Plan Review (LPR) budget. In response, the Policy and Resources Committee had requested that officers re-examine the budget allocated for the LPR, with the outcomes of the review presented to that Committee in March 2021.

The work undertaken by the Finance and Planning Teams was highlighted, with the projected expenditure up until 2023 outlined in Appendix A to the report. The expenditure had been split into Core Funding, New Requirements and Discretionary categories.

The projections included a £30,000 contingency fund for both 2021/22 and 2022/23, with the proposed work relating to the Town Centre Plan to be funded separately through Section 106 contributions. The additional £200,000 required for 2021/22 would be funded through the Corporate Contingency Fund, which would be supported by additional income that the Council was expecting. The £135,000 required for 2022/23 would be considered as part of the annual review of the Council’s budget proposals, with it likely that another £100,000 would be brought forward from future year’s expenditure to supplement the funding.

Several Members of the Committee expressed concerns over the LPR budget’s viability and the feasibility of the actions proposed, which were felt to be overly optimistic, particularly in reference to Development Plan Documents (DPD). However, as mitigating actions had been proposed, it was felt that the budget should continue to be monitored.

The Chairman requested that his dissent with the LPR budget review having been presented to the Policy and Resources Committee, before the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee, be noted.

RESOLVED: That

1.  The programme for the Local Plan Review and related projects, be noted;

2.  Arrangements for funding the work in line with the Council’s agreed budget and policy framework, be noted;

3.  The process for monitoring actual expenditure and reporting this back to the Policy and Resources Committee and this Committee, be noted; and

4.  Due to the Committee’s concerns the Policy and Resources Committee be requested to have the Local Plan Review Budget as a standing item on their agenda to have full surveillance on the matter.