Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided details of the Medway Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). The purpose of the SCI was to lay out in a concise and clear way, how the Council would engage with stakeholders in matters relating to the Local Plan and the principles to be considered in consulting on planning applications. This included publicity methods at key stages in the planning process to reach all sectors of the community. It was noted that the SCI was a statutory requirement to support development policy and was a key document needed in order to progress through the stages to an adopted Local Plan.

The updated Consultation Draft SCI 2014 was set out at Appendix 1 to the report. This sought to update the policy context for the document, and provide clearer guidance on the principles and methods of consultation to be used. A flexible approach would be adopted to reflect the needs and circumstances of different groups in order that all sections of the community had an opportunity to be involved in planning for Medway.

A Diversity Impact Assessment screening had been completed for the revised draft SCI (Appendix 2 to the report). This assessment concluded that there were no disproportionate impacts on particular sectors of the community.  The purpose of the SCI was to make explicit considerations of the diverse needs of the communities across Medway.  It was therefore a helpful tool in contributing to the awareness of equalities issues to be addressed through the plan making process.

Reasons:

This is to provide the Council with an appropriate updated SCI in line with legislative requirements that can be used to inform the process for the preparation of a new Local Plan.