We are being told from several sources that are close to the community end of neighbourhood planning that (in some councils) there are delays between applications for designation as a neighbourhood forum and the decision to designate or not.
Before heading off to prepare some support on this, I would like to ask you all to give me some thoughts on these questions that I will use as a kind of straw poll on the issue;
1. Does the scenario of delays between the application for designation and the decision ring true in your experience?
2. If this is recognisable for you, what do you think is behind the delay - uncertainty/ lack of confidence/ that the designation should be made or more process and resources driven issues?
2. Does your council have a delegation agreement that allows for the designation decisions to be passed to officers or does this decision have to be taken by members?
3. Does your council have a protocol/ gudance note etc that sets out for prospective forums the way in which applications will be considered in that council? This guidance might provide assurances of timescales for the consideration of applications and/or advice as to the criteria for evaluating applications within that council.
I appreciate that some might not wish to post the answer to the first question of this open forum, so if you'd be more comfortable, please send the answers directly to me at phillipa.silcock@local.gov.uk. All such information and impressions will be traeted in confidence and not attributable in any future work.
If you have examples of guidance about your designation proceedures and such, please attach these here for others to draw inspiration from or else send these to me directly and I will pass on the good practice.
Many Thanks
Phillipa Silcock
Principal Consultant (PAS)
