(a)          Decision(s)

That Council be recommended to:-

(1)  Approve the proposed submission draft of the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan, as amended by the changes now agreed by Cabinet and itemised in the schedule attached as an Appendix to this Decision Notice, for the purposes of formally consulting for a statutory period of 6 weeks in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, and as the version proposed to be submitted to the Secretary of State for examination in accordance with Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, subject to the recommendations contained in (2) and (3) below.

(2)  Delegate authority to the Assistant Director (Community Fulfilment), after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth Strategy, to make amendments to the final VALP document and maps to address typographical errors and improve clarity, provided that these amendments did not alter policies significantly or change the sense of the supporting text, prior to the start of the publication period.

(3)  Delegate authority to the Director with responsibility for planning, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth Strategy, to approve any modifications or other amendments which might arise during the Examination.

(b)          Reason(s) for Decision(s)

To enable the Authority to meet its statutory obligations with regard to the preparation of a Local Plan.

(c)        Alternative Options Considered

None, as referred to above all local planning authorities are under a statutory obligation to prepare a Local Plan.

(d)       Relevant Scrutiny Committee

VALP Scrutiny Committee.  That Committee had considered the Submission Draft at its meeting on 26 September and had made a number of suggestions concerning the text of the Submission Draft.  These were itemised in the Cabinet report and a schedule of suggested changes circulated at the meeting.  All of the suggested changes were discussed individually by Cabinet.  Those recommended for approval by Council are referred to in the attached Appendix.  The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee attended the Cabinet meeting and elaborated upon his Committee’s deliberations.  Cabinet asked for its thanks for the work undertaken by the Scrutiny Committee to be recorded formally.

For the sake of completeness within the context of this Decision Notice,  Cabinet heard statements from three members of the Public and three District Councillors.  The views expressed were dealt with during the debate.

Cabinet’s recommendations will now be submitted to full Council and as such, they are not subject to call-in.

(e)        Conflicts of Interest / Dispensation(s)

None.