September Cabinet meeting

The council’s Cabinet will meet on Monday 1 September to discuss a range of reports. 

The reports include two important planning updates. The Statement of Community Involvement is currently being consulted on, and there is an update to the timetable for the Local Plan through the Local Development Scheme. The regular financial and performance monitoring reports will also be on the agenda, alongside a verbal update on the council’s work on landslides and land stability. 

The Statement of Community Involvement sets out how and when we will engage with residents, businesses and organisations in shaping the future of our town. It details how we will involve the community when developing new planning policies, considering proposals for the use and development of land and before making decisions on planning applications. It has to be updated every five years, and it outlines how the community will be involved in preparing and updating the Local Plan. 

The main update in the Local Development Scheme is a revised timetable for the new Local Plan. The timetable now includes a further Regulation 18 public consultation at the end of the year, before the final version of the draft Plan and the Regulation 19 publication stage, rescheduled for summer 2026. More information on this will be available in the coming weeks and months. 

Cllr Glenn Haffenden, leader of the council, said: “We know that the last time residents were able to comment on the Local Plan was in 2021 and since then there have been lots of changes including to government housing targets. We wanted to give everyone a chance to have their say with these changes in mind.  

“We want residents to be able to be involved in the decisions that the council makes, and updating our SCI, alongside the further consultation on the draft Local Plan is a key part of us enabling this. Residents are able to join us in person for Cabinet meetings and ask questions of cabinet members in the first half hour of the meeting. You can then stay for the rest of the discussion.” 

The full reports are available online. You can watch the meeting online from 6pm on Monday 1 September or attend in person from 5.45pm at Muriel Matters House.