Agenda item

The Committee to receive details of the consultation regarding the five-year Review of WNDC

David Kennedy, Chief Executive, referred the Committee to a paper issued from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) that gave details of the outcome of the Quenquennial review of the three Urban Development Corporations (UDC).  David Kennedy commented that this brings an end of the Quenquennial review of the West Northants Development Corporation (WNDC).  The outcome of the Review has a number of positive outcomes, which include: WNDC becoming more accountable and WNDC returning planning responsibilities to the local Planning Authorities.  WNDC is currently responsible for applications of 50 or more homes as well as most applications in the centre of Northampton.  It is intended that from April 2011 it will concentrate on planning applications for schemes of 200 homes or more and major commercial schemes across the area.

David Kennedy went on to comment that other Local Authorities and Public Agencies had responded to the consultation on the quenquennial review.  The response of Northampton Borough Council was similar to that of Daventry District Council and South Northants but differed from the response of NCC, therefore a joint submission was not made.

WNDC will now concentrate on strategic delivery of key projects with more joint working with partners, who will release efficiencies, find new ways of working and savings across organisations.  The paper issued by the DCLG advises that it would like to see a new type of local partnership take forward and deliver the work that WNDC has started.  WNDC’s natural life comes to an end in 2014.  This is the date that the Government is expecting everyone to work to.  It does not appear that this date will be extended. In the interim there is scope for WNDC to become a more strategic delivery focused organization working closely with other Agencies and partners.  The Minister’s statement says that the first stage of the transfer is that WNDC will only deal with larger applications and to return all other applications to the boroughs and districts, which includes all the applications with central area planning. It is expected that this will take effect from April 2011. Discussions have started with WNDC, which have indicated that there is an appetite for it to move more quickly than that.  If the new joint working arrangements can happen more quickly it will enable the Government to review this more quickly than 2014. 

The Committee asked questions, made comment and heard: -

·        The number of Local Authority representatives on the board will be preserved and the link with non Local Authority representatives will be strengthened.

·        A clear definition of how Local Authority members and other nominees to the board will be replaced was requested, David Kennedy confirmed that a full explanation will be given to full Council in March 2010.

·        It is expected that substantial cost reductions will be made of around £20 million by 2013/14 – if arrangements can be sorted at local level, further savings could be made. Whatever is undertaken at local level needs to be more cost effective.

·        The Committee commented that the body that replaces WNDC must have a clear and proper focus, locally defined, based on Northampton.

·        The Committee requested that further reports be presented to future meetings.

·        In response to a query, David Kennedy confirmed that if a proper and good arrangement at local level were agreed quickly, things would happen more rapidly.

·        David Kennedy confirmed that he would be expecting an exemplar model of efficient planning delivery, for example, an exemplar Local Authority in terms of planning in the future.

·        The Council is making comment to the Government regarding the costs involved.  There is a financial pressure.

·        It was confirmed that NBC would only be responsible for planning applications within the Northampton boundary.

·        The changes will have no effect on the Joint Planning Unit (JPU)  – none of this review will change how it operates.

·        In response to a query regarding timescales, David Kennedy advised that the timescale requires further discussion, as does the methodology, to ensure that it will work at local level, parts of which will require specialist knowledge.   The first and most important message is the new process needs to work best for Northampton.  This will be a key part of further discussions. For any new locally defined local delivery vehicle to work requires the support of all partners. 

AGREED: (1)  That the update be noted.

                 (2)   That a further report be presented to a future meeting of this Committee.