Decision details

The draft Statements of Common Ground (SoCG) summarises the key strategic matters between Maidstone Borough Council and other bodies. The bodies are Kent County Council (Exempt Appendix 1 and Appendix 2), Medway Council (Exempt Appendix 3), Natural England (Exempt Appendix 4), National Highways (Exempt Appendix 5), Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit (Exempt Appendix 6), the Heathlands site promoters and Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit (Exempt Appendix 7), the Lidsing site promoters and Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit (Exempt Appendix 8), the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (Exempt Appendix 9). In the case of Exempt Appendices 7 and 8, Maidstone Borough Council is a co-signatory with the respective site promoters in addition to having its own separate SoCG with the Kent Downs AONB Unit. The SoCGs relate to the examination of Maidstone Borough Council’s Local Plan Review and specifically the Duty to Cooperate obligation, which is an important part of the planning process.

The Lead Member for Planning and Infrastructure introduced the report and advised that there were three Statements of Common Ground that were ready to be signed off, which were with; Kent County Council (Exempt Appendix 2), Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit (Exempt Appendix 6) and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (Exempt Appendix 9).

The Lead Member stated that as the other Statements of Common Ground were not ready to be signed off, if they could not come back to a future meeting of the Committee, he would liaise with the Chairman and group Leaders under the urgency process already agreed with the Committee.

In response to questions from the Committee the Lead Member confirmed that the documents were factual and would outline both agreements and disagreements as the Council had a duty to cooperate, not to agree.

Should there be any significant changes to the documents, the Lead Member undertook to notify the Committee.

RESOLVED: That;

1.  The Lead Member be recommended to approve draft Statements of Common Ground set out in Exempt Appendices 2, 6 and 9 (between Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council, Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation);

The draft Statements of Common Ground set out in Exempt Appendices 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 be noted.