Purpose

Approval of Executive is sought to accept the changes recommended by the Examiner and to progress the plan to a referendum.

Decision

Councillor Lindsay Ferris declared a personal interest in agenda item 122: Twyford Neighbourhood Plan, as a member of the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group prior to becoming an Executive Member. He advised that he would leave the meeting room during the consideration of this item.

Councillor Stephen Conway declared a personal interest in agenda item 122: Twyford Neighbourhood Plan, as he had been involved in working on the Neighbourhood Plan prior to joining the Council as an elected member in 2018. Given that a number of years had passed since his involvement, he would remain present for the consideration of this item.  

Councillor Lindsay Ferris left the meeting room for the consideration of this item.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

i)               Accepted the modifications recommended by the Independent Examination into the Twyford Neighbourhood Plan (as set out in Enclosure 1) and for the modified plan to proceed to referendum;

ii)              Agreed that the Twyford Neighbourhood Plan, as modified in accordance with the recommendations of the Independent Examiner, meets the basic conditions and complies with the provisions of Paragraph 8 (1) (a) (2) of Schedule 4B to the Town

and Country Planning Act 1990 (inserted by the Localism Act 2011);

iii)            Agreed to publish the ‘Decision Statement’ as set out at Enclosure 2 of the report;

iv)            Authorised the Director of Place and Growth, in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Local Plan, to agree minor factual and consequential modifications necessary to the Twyford Neighbourhood Plan, the Decision Statement, and other supporting documents prior to the referendum;

v)             Agreed the referendum be organised and conducted in the Twyford neighbourhood area. The Executive were keen to facilitate and support the progress of this neighbourhood plan. It was noted that the cost of the referendum would be covered by government grant.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

The report considers the findings of the examination of the submission Twyford Neighbourhood Plan, the modifications recommended by the Independent Examiner and if those modifications are accepted, seeks approval for the plan to progress to a public vote at referendum.

The Twyford Neighbourhood Plan, prepared by Twyford Parish Council, if made (adopted) will become part of the development plan and be used alongside the Wokingham Borough Council’s local plans to guide decisions on planning applications.