Strategic Planning & your Duty to Cooperate Councillor Briefing

What is PAS ? PAS is a DCLG grant-funded programme but part of the Local Government Association Governed by a ‘sector led’ board 10 staff – commissioners, generalists, support “PAS exists to provide support to local planning authorities to provide efficient and effective planning services, to drive improvement in those services and to respond to and deliver changes in the planning system”

Today’s Objectives (1) To help you get a better understanding of: –how the Duty to Cooperate helps deliver effective strategic planning; –what your role is and the role of key stakeholders. (2) To learn from local plan examination experience and emerging ‘good practice’ in strategic planning

The Duty to Cooperate in Context

Locally driven strategic planning ●Although the legal and policy context for strategic planning has changed considerably since 2011, Government continues to be committed to planning for issues that need to be effectively addressed at a larger then local scale. ●Rather than setting rules and structures Government has removed barriers to addressing strategic planning issues – its up to you to make it work. ●Local plans are now the mechanism for delivering on strategic planning – they have to have strategic policies.

Strategic planning in context Duty to Co-operate National Strategic Local Nationally significant infrastructure National Policy Statements NPPF/NPPG The ‘Duty to Cooperate’ NPPF: Cross -boundary working The London Plan Local Plans Financial Incentives: CIL, NHB Neighbourhood Plans

The Duty to Cooperate in Context The Duty is part of testing process for effectiveness of strategic policies at Examination Test (1) is a legal test, Test (2) is a ‘soundness’ test Effective strategic planning Duty to Cooperate Sound plan

The Localism Act: Legal requirements Councils and other public bodies must “engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis” to develop strategic planning policies where needed. Cooperation is required when dealing with “sustainable development or use of land that has or would have a significant impact on at least two planning areas”.

PPF: Policy requirements “The Government expects joint working in areas of common interest to be diligently undertaken for the mutual benefit of neighbouring authorities.” Strategic priorities across local boundaries should be “properly co-ordinated and clearly reflected in individual local plans.”

PPG: Government guidance LPAs are expected to “work together constructively from the outset of plan preparation” to “maximise the effectiveness” of strategic policies. Effective cooperation is likely to require “sustained joint working with concrete actions and outcomes” and is unlikely to be met alone by “an exchange of correspondence, conversations or consultations”.

Strategic Matters LPAs are expected to work together on a range of strategic priorities, including those set out in NPPF. Key issues are: Housing provision and relationship with jobs Strategic infrastructure, particularly transport Energy and waste It applies to strategic policies and site allocations

Who does the Duty apply to? All Local Authorities and the Mayor of London Other ‘public bodies’ as prescribed in Local Plan Regulations LEPs and LNPs not subject to the Duty but LPAs must have “regard to their activities” when preparing local plans

Local Enterprise Partnerships LEPs are key partnerships in delivering growth ‘Business-led’ Boards with close relationship with local authorities Key commissioning role for strategic funds, including EU funding Access to additional funding and ‘freedoms’ via ‘growth deals’ and Strategic Economic Plans Despite some concerns about accountability, LEPs are beginning to establish themselves as key support bodies in the delivery of planning priorities.

Local Enterprise Partnerships 60% Growth Deals commit LEPs to housing delivery. 28% of Growth Deals commit LEPs to work with LPAs under Duty to Cooperate to deliver LPs “ The Local Enterprise Partnership commits to supporting the XX Local Planning Authorities in its area to ensure they positively engage with the Duty to Cooperate to deliver strategic planning priorities and update their Local Plans in accordance with the timetable submitted as part of the Local Enterprise Partnership monitoring framework.”

48 LNPs exist throughout England LNPs take a strategic look at challenges and opportunities involved in managing the local natural environment but also how they support the economy and quality of life Opportunities for collaboration between LNPs, LAs, LEPs and Health & Wellbeing Boards Key role in supporting local plan-making and delivery, Nature Improvement Areas and Green Infrastructure Local Nature Partnerships “Self-sustaining strategic partnerships of a broad range of local organisations, businesses and people with the credibility to work with, and influence, other local strategic decision makers.”

The Strategic Challenges Political leadership Strategic geography Local government boundaries Alignment of strategic evidence and plan timetables Green Belt and other constraints Supporting city growth

The Duty – Experience from examinations

Experience from Examinations No longer in transition period Inspectors dealing with strategic matters and the Duty in a more consistent way…….as are developers! Duty should be met if strategic issues managed effectively The Duty is a ‘legal’ test – it can’t be ‘fixed’ by Inspectors and is subject to legal challenge Housing provision and its relationship with employment targets/economic strategy of plan a key challenge at Examination. Diligent Mutual Benefit Active Ongoing Collaborative Constructive

Experience from Examinations Start at the beginning and keep going Co-operation should start with the initial thinking and should lead to evidenced, effective (policy) outcomes Cooperation should continue to examination and beyond into delivery and review Articulate your DtC story throughout process

Experience from Examinations There must be clear, evidenced commitment from decision-makers: The more formal the governance structures, the better MoU’s useful tools to demonstrated shared commitment but must have clear, agreed outcome - not ‘agreements to agree’ Existing arrangements need to be ‘fit for purpose’ Member LiaisonVoluntary BoardJoint Committee

Experience from Examinations Cooperation should be proactive & proportionate: Don’t give up at the first hurdle Don’t take silence as meaning no issues Focus efforts as you move through process on those that are most likely to be in a position to help

Experience from Examinations It’s not a duty to agree but …. You will need to submit comprehensive and robust evidence to demonstrate that you have explored all options for delivering the strategy Inspector will look at the implications for delivery of the strategy e.g. extent of unmet need, and willingness of LPAs and other partners to work towards a solution. If LPA can’t secure cooperation and still has unmet needs, will impact on ‘uncooperative’ neighbours plan (if already adopted, will be out of date!)

Experience from Examinations Different strategic geographies are being used: PPG advises a pragmatic approach to geography Geography can be administrative (county, city region, combined authority) and/or functional (housing market area, travel to work, river catchment, ecological, waste management) Different geographies are being used to address different strategic issues

New and emerging models in Strategic Planning

New models of strategic cooperation Strategic planning & investment frameworks Local authority led but support from partners re priorities and delivery Shared, voluntary governance model Basis for ‘making the case’ for investment e.g. via LEP SEP Based on shared strategic evidence Supports ‘duty to cooperate’ Based on voluntary willingness of partners to share growth accepting there will be winners and losers Developed on both functional and admin geography

New models of strategic cooperation Local Enterprise Partnerships Long term spatial frameworks being developed to help integrate strategic spatial priorities with economic and transport priorities of SEP Local Authority led but being done under the auspices of the LEP. Only really works where strategic planning geography aligned with LEP geography Sensitivities around setting housing distribution and issues around accountabilities.

New models of strategic cooperation Combined Authorities Statutory basis for governance 1 CA (Manchester) and 4 shadow CAs in place with more being considered Existing powers for transport & economy but legislative changes needed to include strategic planning Government’s model of choice - POS and TCPA promoting CAs in their manifestos Need to consider whether CAs can work in areas outside city regions Greater Manchester CA now progressing spatial framework for city region as statutory joint DPDs

New models of strategic cooperation Lessons so far: All long term frameworks, particularly in relation to strategic infrastructure priorities Governed by formal ‘voluntary’ arrangements Strong political (and officer) leadership Supported by shared resource (very small) providing expertise and impartial advice Geography based on what makes sense to LAs - some cases established geography (e.g. county), other cases functional (e.g. city region, LEP) Framework seen as a corporate responsibility

New models of strategic cooperation Lessons so far (contd): Evidence based essential to support local plans SA process used to help inform options but not a requirement Clear strategic priorities (short, med and long term) Not a ‘motherhood and apple pie statement’ – clear steer for local plans (and other decision-making) with spatially specific priorities. Provide a framework for aligning investment priorities of others (e.g. EA, HA, HCA)

Strategic Planning: emerging practice & models Strategic planning & investment frameworks Coastal West Sussex & Greater Brighton Local Strategic Framework board/ board/ Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Memorandum of Cooperation um%20of%20Co-operation.pdf um%20of%20Co-operation.pdf LEP driven spatial frameworks Greater Birmingham & Solihull Spatial Plan for Recovery and Growth Combined authority models Greater Manchester Spatial Framework ork_dpd_260914_publish1.pdf ork_dpd_260914_publish1.pdf

Further strategic planning support from PAS 1:1 critical friend support/Dragons’ Den Good practice Case studies

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