The Cabinet at South Oxfordshire District Council is set to consider a report regarding the progress of its Local Plan, which has been held up following the temporary direction issued by the Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick MP, in October last year.
Discussions have been ongoing between the district council and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government since last autumn regarding the Local Plan 2034, which is currently at Examination.
In February 2020, Oxfordshire County Council voted to accept any potential future invitation by the government to take control of the district council’s plan.
Cllr Sue Cooper, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Stripping us of our plan-making powers would take the ability to influence the Local Plan out of the hands of those who were elected to do just that. It would mean putting it in the hands of a council that has no democratic mandate to make local plans in South Oxfordshire, nor any experience of making this type of plan.”
The district council has endeavoured to engage in constructive discussions with officials at the Ministry throughout, an approach reciprocated by MHCLG officials. Following the most recent discussions, officers believe that the Secretary of State may now be minded to withdraw the temporary direction so Cabinet Members and Council can consider the new report at their meetings on 5 March.
The report explains the current context and sets out two options that Cabinet could recommend to councillors at their Council meeting – to allow the plan to continue through the examination or to withdraw the plan.
The report also explains that if Cabinet recommends that councillors should withdraw the plan, it’s highly likely the Secretary of State would impose a new direction to prevent its withdrawal. In such an instance it would be highly likely to direct the plan to continue through examination, but in the hands of a council not elected to prepare a local plan.
Cllr Cooper added, “The new report sets out all of the risks and benefits of each of the options, and I am very sure my colleagues in the Cabinet will discuss them thoroughly and as always come to a recommendation that has the best interests of South Oxfordshire residents at its heart.”
