The Y&RI Neighbourhood Plan – May Progress Update
The Steering Group have agreed, after discussion with the Parish Council, that they will endeavour to have the Pre-submission draft of the Neighbourhood Plan ready for submission to them in time for the September Council meeting. This was longer than had been intended but it was felt that that with the August recess, other Council business may not provide the necessary space in the meeting timetable for the Plan to be considered and for the subsequent required statutory consultation with the community and adjoining parishes to be undertaken. This date is still dependent on everything coming together at the same time!
The AECOM (AECOM provide free technical support to Neighbourhood Plan Groups) report on the site assessment process used for the Plan had been favourable and this has been welcomed by the Steering Group.
Locality have produced a guidance note on Climate Change and we have used this to produce our own criteria. It has been decided to incorporate these Climate Change Objectives and Policies within the Environment Section of the draft as this seems a more practical approach and this work is being done. The provision of photographs and maps is underway, and we are considering producing a less “technical” summary version to accompany the main document as this, it is felt, will make the plan more “user friendly”.
The period for the Government’s Locality grant has now expired and the “End of Term” report which details how the funding has been used has been submitted. Not all the approved amount has been taken up and it is intended to apply for further grant aid (the 5th grant) in the near future to help with minor outstanding issues of the draft and enable the production of the final document once the pre-submission consultation process has been completed.