Purpose

National Planning Policy requires each Local Planning Authority to demonstrate effective and on-going joint working with its neighbouring authorities/other authorities in the sub-region and other prescribed bodies, through the preparation and maintenance of Statements of Common Ground. These must be agreed by the point of Submission of each Local Plan for its independent Examination. As part of the Crawley Borough Local Plan Review, substantial joint working with all of the neighbouring authorities and Prescribed Bodies has taken place and a number of Statements of Common Ground have already been agreed. This is set out in the Crawley Duty to Cooperate Statement (May 2023): https://crawley.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-05/Duty%20to%20Cooperate%20Statement%20May%202023%20%28low%20res%29.pdf A new Statement of Common Ground is being agreed between Crawley Borough Council and Horsham District Council in relation to the Crawley Borough Local Plan. It should be noted that there is no legal requirement for this decision to be taken by the relevant Cabinet Member and, under the Council’s delegation scheme, the Head of Service (HoS) has authority to take this decision. Should insufficient time be available to publish this decision and its associated documents in accordance with the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules (regarding delegated decisions taken by a Cabinet Member) this decision will be taken by the HoS in consultation with the Cabinet Member. Should this be necessary this decision will be published as a Significant Operational Decision.

Decision

Approve the signing of the Horsham District Council and Crawley Borough Council Statement of Common Ground, July 2023.