Thanet District Council Statement of Community Involvement Review July 2012 - Review Thanet District Council | p 2 Contents 1 What is a Statement of Community Involvement? 4 2 How we let people know about new planning policy 5 3 How people can become involved 6 4 What happens to comments that the Council receives? 10 5 Neighbourhood Plans 10 6 Where to get help with a planning issue 11 7 How we tell people about Planning Applications 12 8 Review of the SCI 13 Appendices Appendix 1 – Planning and Corporate Background 15 The Planning System 15 The Legal Context .............................................................................. 15 Planning Policy .................................................................................. 16 Planning Policy Framework Structure ................................................ 17 Links with other Community Involvement Initiatives 17 The Council‟s Corporate Plan and Community Strategy .................... 17 Pre-submission consultation and wider community involvement ........ 18 Appendix 2 – Consultation Bodies 20 Appendix 3 – The Neighbourhood Planning Process 23 Thanet District Council | p 3 1 What is a Statement of Community Involvement? 1.1 The Council is keen to involve the Community as much as possible in the planning process as the process relies on local knowledge to produce meaningful and appropriate planning policy. More comprehensive involvement of the community in the planning process has several benefits and ultimately greater ownership of the planning decisions that shape the future of the area. 1.2 The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out how the Council will involve people in the planning process. It explains how people can become involved when the Council is making planning policies, and deciding planning applications. 1.3 Appendix 1 of this document gives more information about the planning system, Appendix 2 lists groups we may consult and Appendix 3 outlines processes for neighbourhood planning. Thanet District Council | p 4 2 How we let people know about new planning policy 2.1 The Council will let people know about new planning policies in a number of ways: Mail-outs – we Local press – we Online – we will put will write to or will advertise the information on our website, email anyone publication of and people can register on who has asked consultation our online consultation to be kept documents in a system to receive updates informed in free and paid for at writing local newspaper http://consult.thanet.gov.uk We want to ensure that everybody has the opportunity to get involved with planning decisions and therefore we will aim to make contact with Hard to Reach Groups. How we aim to contact Hard to Reach Groups 2.2 There is no clear definition of Hard to Reach groups, although some definitions include „those inaccessible to most traditional and conventional methods for any reason‟, „those who have traditionally been under-represented‟ or „people who are hard to engage with on a positive level‟. 2.3 The Council would like to increase participation from all sectors of our community and pay particular regard to the needs of different race and disability groups. The Council uses a number of specialist companies who can translate documents into different languages should a need be identified or requested. Documents in braille, other languages or on audiotape can also be available on request by calling 01843 577165. 2.4 The following table identifies hard to reach groups and ways we might engage with these groups: Hard to reach group Possible Solutions Young people Send Packs/leaflets to schools Presentations to schools/‟student committees‟ Youth Council BME Ethnic Groups/ Gypsies and Via organisations/support groups Travellers Those with low levels of Use of plain English literacy/education Contacts via links with external organisations Wider Thanet District Council | p 5 distribution of leaflets/publicity material in relevant places Residents who work outside the Wider distribution of leaflets/publicity material district Consider evening/weekend consultation exercises Disabled Wider distribution of leaflets/publicity material – for example via meals on wheels Availability of documents in large print/Braille or audiotape on request Consider access arrangements when organising events Older people Wider distribution of leaflets/publicity material – for example via meals on wheels/Age UK Availability of documents in large print/Braille or audiotape on request Consider access arrangements when organising events The Council will involve external agencies and organisations who represent the groups mentioned above wherever possible. 3 How people can become involved 3.1 Whenever there is a formal consultation stage the Council will publicise this through press releases and the Website. The Council will seek to maximise its use of email and the website to advise the public of consultation documents and encourage the use of online consultations. Anyone can register on the consultation system at http://consult.thanet.gov.uk and will be able to receive emails with the latest updates. Paper copies will also be available on request, and available for inspection at the Gateway and libraries where posters will be displayed to advertise the consultation and availability of documents. 3.2 The Council will receive comments via its online consultation system, email, fax or by post. At the formal stages of the process, those making representations will be encouraged to use the official forms (provided by the Planning Inspectorate) for making comments, although all comments submitted, where appropriate, will still be registered. Representations made by telephone cannot be registered as formal representations - any comments made verbally must be confirmed in writing. 3.3 At all stages the Council will contact Statutory Consultees as required by the Regulations. Letters or emails will be sent at each stage, and it may be necessary to hold more in depth discussions with some bodies or agencies. 3.4 There are two types of planning policy document – Local Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents. The diagram below shows the key stages in the production of a Local Plan Document and how people can become involved at each stage. At stage 1, the Council will provide an outline of the anticipated timetable for the following stages. Thanet District Council | p 6 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Informal Involvement Statutory Statutory No Involvement Involvement Involvement STAGE 1: Evidence gathering and early community involvement - ’front-loading’: Who? Targeted consultation with some or all of the following: Statutory Agencies, Town and Parish Councils, Mayors Offices, Business Community, Developers, Community Groups, Residents Associations, Traders Associations How? Workshops, Focus Groups, Discussions/Meetings STAGE 2: Public participation in preparation of a Local Plan (Regulation 18) Draft planning document produced - people will have an opportunity to comment on the Councils preferred strategy or consider possible alternatives Who? General invitation for people to make representations giving at least 6 weeks for people to comment How? Statutory adverts in newspapers and press releases. Documents and comments forms online and at Gateway and Libraries. The Council may also hold exhibitions, workshops or meetings. STAGE 3: Publication of a Local Plan (Regulation 19) Revised planning document produced having considered comments from previous stage. This will be the version the Council intends to submit to the Secretary of State for Examination in Public. Who? General invitation to comment on whether the plan has been prepared in accordance with the Duty to Cooperate, legal and procedural requirements and whether it is sound, giving at least 6 weeks for people to comment. How? Statutory adverts in newspapers and press releases – formal consultation for six weeks. Documents and comments forms online and at Gateway and Libraries. Representations on proposed submission document (Regulation 20) The Council will summarise the main issues raised in the consultation, but all comments received at the Regulation 19 stage will be considered by the Planning Inspector appointed on behalf of the Secretary of State. Thanet District Council | p 7 STAGE 4: Submission to Secretary of State The document will be sent to the Secretary of State who will examine the document on its preparation in accordance with the Duty to Cooperate, legal and procedural requirements and whether it is sound. People who commented on the consultation will be advised that the document has been submitted, either by letter or email. The submission document and other associated documents/papers will be available at the Gateway and on the Council website. The website will be kept up to date with the progress of the examination. , Independent Examination The Planning Inspector appointed on behalf of the Secretary of State will arrange hearings and/or consider written representations. Inspectors Report The Planning Inspector will submit a report to the Council containing recommendations for changes to be made to the document. This report is not binding and the Council will decide whether or not the changes should be made. Adoption The document will be reported to full Council for adoption. Monitoring and Review Adopted planning policies are reviewed regularly in the Councils Monitoring Report and may be amended as necessary depending on the findings of that report. 3.5 There are fewer stages in the process for