To consider the way forward in respect of support for neighbourhood planning.

1.      That Parishes which start preparing a Neighbourhood Development Plan no longer be offered grants of £2,000 from Tewkesbury Borough Council; Officers will continue to support Parishes in seeking funding opportunities to aid the delivery of their Plans.

2.      That the offer of grant funding to Parishes which have already started to develop a Neighbourhood Development Plan, having had a Neighbourhood Area designated prior to the date of this decision, be honoured.  

63.1           The report of the Planning Policy Officer, circulated at Pages No. 61-72, provided information on the reduction of funding for Neighbourhood Development Plans from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The Committee was asked to agree a way forward for the Council to continue to support Parishes in seeking funding opportunities to aid delivery of their Neighbourhood Plans without providing financial assistance.

63.2           The Head of Development Services explained that the DCLG funding to local planning authorities was on a three stage payment with the first payment of £5,000 being made upon designation of a Neighbourhood Area; a second payment of £5,000 following the submission of a plan to the local planning authority for consultation and independent examination; and a third payment of £20,000 following a referendum. In February, a letter had been received from the Chief Planning Officer which had set out the government’s changes to that funding for 2017/18 which meant the first payment of £5,000 would be limited to five Neighbourhood Development Plans; the second payment had been withdrawn; and the third payment of £20,000 would be paid once a Plan had completed a successful independent examination and a date was set for a community referendum. At the same time the funding available to Parish Councils direct from the DCLG had increased from £8,000 in 2016/17 to £9,000 in 2017/18.

63.3           Members were advised that the information contained within the report demonstrated that the new grant of £20,000, which the local planning authority received to produce the Neighbourhood Development Plans, would only just cover the cost that it had to meet. In addition, the Council supported Parishes anyway through the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council funded from the Council’s community development budget and through dedicated Officer time in the preparation of Plans. It was felt that, given the reduction in grant to local planning authorities, and the corresponding increase in funding to Parishes, the Council could no longer support the preparation of the Plans through the grant aid of £2,000. The Council would continue to meet its legal requirements in the preparation of Plans, provide Parishes with professional support and help them in seeking funding opportunities. It was also suggested that, if an area had already been designated, the offer of grant funding should be honoured.  In response to a query, the Head of Development Services explained that the money the Council received was for the running of the referendum etc. so it would still be able to do that for Parishes it just would not be able to pass on the extra £2,000 as it would no longer receive it.

63.4           Accordingly, it was