Purpose

The
Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 - 2032 – Independent Examiner’s Report and
Progress to Referendum.

 

Alternative Options considered and rejected

 

The
Council can decide not to follow the recommendations of the Examiner, but it
must set out its reasons for doing so.

 

The
Council has agreed to accept all of the Examiner’s
recommendations made within his report (Appendix A).

 

Consultees

 

The plan has been subject to
a large amount of public consultation as it has been progressed.

 

Budget Implications

 

On
making a formal decision to progress the plan to referendum, the Council
becomes eligible for a grant of £20,000. This grant is intended to cover the
costs associated with the Council’s input into the production of the
neighbourhood plan including the examination and referendum. The grant of
£20,000 will be sufficient to cover the costs associated with the examination
and referendum.

 

Legal Implications

 

A legal challenge could
theoretically be made against a decision to
proceed to referendum. Such a challenge could be made on the basis that the
neighbourhood plan, as modified, does not meet the basic conditions, is not
compatible with the Convention rights or because it does not comply with the
definition of a neighbourhood development plan. However, the independent
Examiner has considered these matters in light of all
of the objections that have been made to the plan.  Given the evidence before them, officers
consider that there is no basis for reaching a different view to the Examiner.

 

Reference Documents

 

·       Appendix A:
Examiner’s Report

·       Appendix B: Referendum
Version of the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 - 2032

 

Content

Decision

 

a)            
The Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 -2032, as
modified (please see Appendix B), can proceed to referendum.

 

b)            
A recommendation
to ‘make’ the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 - 2032 be made to a Cabinet
meeting after the referendum if the result of the referendum is in support of
making the plan and there are no other issues identified that would go against
such a decision.

 

Reason for the
Decision

 

To progress the Chesil Bank Neighbourhood Plan 2022 -
2032 to referendum so that pending a favourable vote, the plan can be ‘made’.