Tue, 25/03/2014
Committee To Be Set Up To Prepare Tendring's Local Plan For Final Submission
A special committee is to be set up to prepare Tendring’s Local Plan for submission to the Secretary of State.
The committee will work together with Essex County Council (ECC) and Colchester Borough Council (CBC) to develop a plan that helps to deliver high quality job opportunities, infrastructure and housing for residents.
The committee will look into a number of issues which have been raised by both ECC and CBC which will need to be addressed before submission and examination by a Planning Inspector.
Among the issues raised include the lack of sufficient sites to deliver the full assessed need for housing over the next 15 years and the legal duty to co-operate with neighbouring authorities and partner organisations of cross-border significance.
TDC officers have taken advice over the situation and fear that if the plan is rejected Tendring could be left extremely vulnerable to unwanted development in the District and powerless to influence the scale, type and design of that development.
TDC’s Cabinet was told on Friday that many other Councils had found themselves in a similar position right across the country due to recent changes in Government guidelines.
The Cabinet decided to support the setting up of a dedicated committee to see the job through and this will need to be approved by the Full Council, the body which is responsible for approving the plan for submission.
TDC Leader Mick Page said: “I think it is only right and proper that we go forward with a cross party committee to sort these matters out.”
If work can begin on a new version of the Local Plan in April, it can be published for initial consultation later this year.
It could then be published for final consultation in mid-2015 and submitted to the Secretary of State before the end of 2015 and adopted by April 2016.
LOCAL COMMUNITIES JOIN FORCES ON CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVE
Two Essex Village of the Year winners have joined forces to fund a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). The officer will work in Alresford and Great Bentley. This is believed to be the first arrangement of its type in Essex.
The initiative was prompted when Essex Police made it clear that it is looking to refocus its PCSO resources away from rural communities to areas of greater need.
Alresford has had a dedicated PCSO for 7 years and became concerned that it would lose this service. PCSO Louise Cox has developed an excellent working relationship with residents and local businesses in Alresford and has made a positive impact on levels of crime in the village. In the UK we are told that it is often the fear of crime that is greater than the actual level of criminal activity in a locality. Alresford Council Chairman Ernie Osborne said the presence of PCSO Cox has contributed in this regard. Local residents have become used to seeing her go about her work in the village and that provides a sense of security.
Great Bentley Parish Council when approached by Alresford Parish Council spent some time investigating the matter. Councillor George Wright Chairman of the Sub Committee formed to look in to this matter said that Great Bentley Councillors were very impressed by PCSO Cox when they interviewed her and I am confident that she will be able to assist to address the issues in Great Bentley and will make a positive contribution to community safety.
The joint agreement is set to run for one year initially when it will be reviewed.
8 April 2014
Note to Editors
There have been a number of photos of PCSO Cox published over the past five years. For more information, please contact Cllr Frank Belgrove Tel. 01206 823739.
