Cabinet considered the report regarding the approval for the Windsor Neighbourhood plan to proceed to referendum at the earliest practicable opportunity.

Cabinet was addressed by Claire Milne who was speaking on behalf of the Windsor Neighbourhood Committee.  She informed that there had been extensive consultation over 6 years thanks to a variety of volunteers.  Unfortunately Covid has delayed the process.  Sh thanked those who had provided support including their consultants, Legoland, RBWM officers, financial support and fantastic support from local organisations. She thanked the committee members, John Bastow, Susy Shearer, John Bastow, Jane Carter, Alison Logan, Helen Price and Cori Mackin.   The plan was community lead and showed that people valued open space, heritage, design and views.  The plan will give people a voice in what is built in the area and what it would look like. They were proud of the plan that would assist officers and councillors in making planning decisions. 

The Lead Member for Planning, Environmental Services and Maidenhead thanked Claire Milne for addressing Cabinet and her comprehensive speech.  He informed that the Royal Borough had always supported neighbourhood planning.  There  currently five neighbourhood plans which have been formally made and are part of the development plan: Ascot, Sunninghill and Sunningdale, Hurley and the Walthams, Eton and Eton Wick, Old Windsor and Horton and Wraysbury.  There were currently two plans being developed for Windsor, this one that covered the majority of the residential area and the Windsor Business neighbourhood Plan.  This plan was especially interesting because of the high value placed on community engagement.    The plan covered the period from 2019 to 2034 which was similar to the BLP.  The neighbourhood plan was scrutinised by an independent examiner.  The Forum had considered the Examiner’s recommendations and had modified their daft plan to incorporate the examiner’s recommendations.  Unfortunately the referendum has had to be delayed but it is hoped that it will take place on 6^th  May 2020, there was a £20k grant from Government.

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Resident and Leisure Services, HR, IT, Legal, Performance Management and Windsor also thanked Claire and the committee.  This set out the different historical areas of Windsor.  The investigation work and the skills taken to produce this was excellent. This will give valuable guidance for future development.  Windsor was lucky that it had lots of green spaces and this document shows their importance.

Cllr Tisi congratulated the committee for all their hard work and the document demonstrated that Windsor was a lot more than the castle.  It was great to have the community at its heart. 

Cllr Jones mentioned that it had been strange that one part of her ward had been covered by a plan and the other had not, so she welcomed this plan and hoped it would be adopted. 

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)          Confirms that the Plan meets the basic conditions test

ii)         Accepts the proposed changes to the Neighbourhood Plan as set out in appendix B

iii)        Agrees to put the modified Neighbourhood Plan to referendum.

iv)        Delegates authority to the Head of Planning to issue a Decision Statement and

v)         Delegates to the Head of Planning in consultation with the Electoral & Information Governance Services Manager and the Lead Member for Planning, Environmental Services and Maidenhead to decide on the date of the referendum.

vi)        Delegates to the Head of Planning in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning, Environmental Services and Maidenhead to make minor non material amendments to the neighbourhood plan prior to the referendum being announced.