Agenda Item No:

North Joint Planning Committee Meeting [NNJPC]

Minutes: 29 January 2009

Council Chamber Borough Council of

(Meeting held in public)

Present for all or part of the meeting:-

Councillor Terry Freer, Borough Council (Chair)

Councillor David Brackenbury, East Northamptonshire Council Councillor Mark Bullock, Northamptonshire County Council Councillor David Harley, Borough Council Councillor Stan Heggs, Corby Borough Council Councillor Lora Lawman, Borough Council of Wellingborough Councillor Mark Pengelly, Corby Borough Council Councillor Bob Seery, Northamptonshire County Council Councillor Michael Tebbutt, Kettering Borough Council Councillor Geoff Timms, Borough Council of Wellingborough Councillor Robin Underwood, East Northamptonshire Council Councillor Malcolm Waters, Northamptonshire County Council

Also present: Paul Hanson Northamptonshire County Council (minutes) Karen Horner Joint Planning Unit Andrew Longley Planning Manager, North Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit

There were 8 others also in attendance.

01/09 Apologies and non-attendance

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Blackwell, Borough Council of Wellingborough and Glithero, East Northamptonshire Council.

02/09 Declarations of interest by Councillors

Item Councillor Type Nature All Seery Personal Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport (NCC)

03/09 Minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2008 and Matters Arising

RESOLVED: The Committee agreed the minutes of 16th September 2008.

Matters Arising: Councillor Seery referred the Committee to a paper entitled ‘Major Infrastructure Projects Position Statement’ (copies of which were circulated at the meeting) and made the following points: Funding was in place for the A509 Isham Bypass and the A43 Corby Link Road; and He appreciated that the A509 Isham to Wellingborough Improvement was also important and he hoped this would also be brought forwards

Councillors made the following points: It was disappointing that the full funding for the A509 Isham to Wellingborough Improvement had not been put forwards by the Government and Northamptonshire County Council were asked to lobby the Government further; and Assurance was sought that the Corby Southern Link Road would go ahead on time because delays would put Section 106 money at risk.

Councillor Seery said that he was optimistic about the delivery of the A509 Isham Bypass and the A43 Corby Link Road and that would help bring forward the A509 Isham to Wellingborough Improvement.

04/09 North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy Review: Regulation 25 Consultation and Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report

The Chairman invited Karen Horner to introduce the item to the Committee. She highlighted the following points: The Regulation 25 consultation would run for six weeks alongside the Sustainability Appraisal consultation; The Participation Action Plan had been revised in light of comments made at the previous meeting; Consultation was intended to commence on 16 February 2009 and run until 30 March 2009; and A draft submission Core Spatial Strategy would be brought back to the Committee in January 2010.

The Committee made the following points: The it was suggested that the final sentence of point 5.4 of the report be amended to read ‘A continuation of focussed meetings and seminars with stakeholders and interested or affected parties will help to cement partnership working and ensure buy in to any revised proposals emerging from the review’; and The status of the Regional Plan was questioned.

The Planning Manager, Andrew Longley, replied that the East Midlands Regional Plan was currently with the Secretary of State and was expected to be signed off in March.

RESOLVED that: 1. the Regulation 25 consultation document and the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report were approved for consultation; and 2. the Participation Action Plan was agreed.

05/09 West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy: Regulation 25 Consultation

The Chairman invited the Planning Manager to introduce the item to the Committee. The Planning Manager introduced the report and highlighted the following points: The consultation was an opportunity for stakeholders such as the North Northamptonshire Joint Planning Committee to have their say; and He suggested a response stressing the need for cross-boundary coordination in developing the core strategy be made.

The Committee made the following points: The Borough Council of Wellingborough objected to any proposed development within the boundary of Wellingborough; It was suggested that West Northamptonshire could benefit from the progress made by North Northamptonshire to speed up their process; There was a need to coordinate work on developer contributions; and There was also a need to look to the west of Northamptonshire to see if there were any developments in counties such as Warwickshire that may have an impact.

The Planning Manager said that links were being established with other areas such as Peterborough and Warwickshire and he would pick up the issue of developer contributions.

RESOLVED: the Committee agreed to submit a response to the West Northamptonshire Regulation 25 consultation on the basis of the matters raised in paragraph 2.4 of the report.

06/09 Standing Orders for the North Northamptonshire Joint Committee and approach to joint Local Development Documents

The Chairman invited the Planning Manager to introduce the item to the Committee. The Planning Manager introduced the report and highlighted the following points: The report was presented in two parts. The first part dealt with some issues related to the Joint Committee Order 2005, which may have to be referred to the Government for revision as it contained a drafting error; Additional standing orders for the appointment of the Chairman of the Joint Planning Committee were set out in the report; Other issues around public speaking were also included for completeness; and The issue of quorum was also addressed in the report.

Councillors made the following points: The Chairman should be chosen by the Committee and not by an individual authority;

The question of whether the Committee had the power to create it’s own standing orders was raised; Regarding the second part of the proposal (relating to joint Local Development Documents), the Borough Council of Wellingborough had not changed it’s mind on this issue; It was suggested that the proposal be agreed and that Corby’s recommendation for Chairman should also be agreed;

The Chairman made the following points: An exchange with Corby Borough Council had led to this discussion; It was important to make sure that the Chairman from a particular authority had the backing of that authority; and The Committee had managed to work well together for the last four years.

The Planning Manager made the following points in reply When the Committee was first established, it was always the intention that constituent authorities should be able to put forward their Chairman of choice but this had been omitted from the original order; Provision for the Committee to create it’s own standing orders was made within the 2005 Order; Regarding joint Local Development Documents, other than the Core Spatial Strategy, the report suggested an approach that would lead to final sign-off by each authority individually

RESOLVED: 1. The Joint Planning Committee Standing Orders set out at appendix 2 be agreed; 2. Members of the partner planning authorities be engaged in ongoing work of the Joint Planning Committee as set out in paragraph 2.4 of this report; 3. The approach to preparation of joint Local Delivery Documents be agreed as set out in paragraphs 2.5 to 2.8 of the report; and 4. The District/Borough Planning Authorities be requested to adopt the Joint Supplementary Planning Document on Sustainable Design.

07/09 Urgent Business

None.

There being no other business the meeting concluded at 8.53pm

Paul Hanson Democratic Support Service, Northamptonshire County Council