REPONSE FORM
SUBMISSION DOCUMENT
STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT (SCI)
MARCH/MAY 2006
|
Office use only Response No: |
|
|
Please use this form to make comments relating to the Submission
Document Statement of Community Involvement. You may photocopy this form or obtain further copies free of charge
from Cambridgeshire County Council. This form is also available on the web
site at:
|
PLEASE COMPLETE ALL SECTIONS
IN BLACK INK. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE BY
Name:
Postal
address: Vice Chairman – Mark Woolfenden
Mallard House
18 Stanbury Close
Fen Ditton
CB5 8UP
Email: vicechairman@fenditton.village-society.co.uk Telephone: (01223) 295722
Are you?
X
Supporting the SCI? Objecting
to the SCI?
Question 1: To which
paragraph does your representation relate?
If you are objecting to the SCI because something is
missing please state where in the document it should be inserted.
Table 2 – Technique for
Community Engagement (3.1.1)
Public Exhibitions and/or
Roadshow
4.2.1 (i)
Preferred Options – Recent M&WDP had no other or alternative “Options” so
technically misuse of the word “Option”.
4.3
Sustainability Proposal.
4.6.3
Statutory Holidays and
Consultation Period.
4.6.4
Preferred Options Stage –
Transparency and engagement.
5.2 & 5.3 Requirements for Pre-Application
Consultation with Affected Communities.
Question
2: The SCI will be tested according to
its “soundness”. If you are objecting,
which of the following tests of soundness do you consider the SCI fails to
meet?
It complies with the minimum requirements for
consultations as set out in the Town & Country Planning (Local Development)
(
Its
strategy for community involvement links with other community involvement
initiatives e.g. the community strategy;
X It
identifies in general terms which local community groups and other bodies will
be consulted;
X It
identifies how the community and other bodies can be involved in a timely and
accessible manner;
X The
methods of consultation to be employed are suitable for the intended audience
and for the different stages in the preparation of local development documents;
Resources
are available to manage community involvement effectively;
It shows how the results of community involvement will be
fed into the preparation of development plan documents and supplementary
planning documents;
It
sets out a mechanism for reviewing the statement of community involvement;
X It
clearly describes the planning authority's policy for consultation on planning
applications.
Question
3: Having regard to the tests of
soundness listed above, please give details of any changes that you would like
to see made to the SCI? and why?
As an
introductory comment it is easy to see why this paper needs feedback as the
whole process of consultation it is trying to specify and promote has failed at
the first hurdle with this as an example.
1. There
is a generalist feeling to the paper and one of trying to find too much of a
middle ground at the expense of clarity where proposals need to be detailed for
those most likely to be affected. Too woolly.
2. We
can see no consequences of failure singularly or severally if the process
defaults at any of the six guiding principles and as such any consultation made
under these recommendations will be deemed as faits accompli irrespective of
CC’s performance, i.e. no accountability and abdication of true responsibility
or duty of care. This would not be
acceptable in business or commerce.
3.
A complete lack of holistic oversight will lead to real issues of
transport and traffic in rural areas being completely overlooked. No compound view and a process, which almost
encourages a lack of joined up thinking.
You can never have enough roadshows or exhibitions and talking to the
community at large.
4.
Again, there is a need for complete transparency in submissions and
proposals and less spin in relation to the use of media and press. Community members can see through issues with
much more insight than they are given credit for. Disclosure should be mandatory and not
shielded by legal argument.
5.
The one-way nature of stating preferred options and a perceived
incalcitrance to even listen to other suggestions should be eradicated through
an enforcement obligation to pursue alternatives rigorously and openly.
6.
From long experience it would appear that consultation deadlines are
engineered to fail the community in their ability to respond, i.e. known
national holiday and religious and other periods in any one calendar year. There should be an automatic extension to the
six week period in circumstances giving rise to community pressure at a
particular time of year.
Question 4: If you are objecting please indicate whether
you wish to appear at Independent Examination or rely on written evidence?
Written Evidence Attend
Examination
If you wish to present
information at the examination stage please outline below why you consider this
to be necessary:
(The Inspector will determine the most appropriate procedure to adopt
to hear those who have indicated that they wish to attend the Examination)
|
Any
other comments: Fen Ditton Village Society believes effective
consultation starts with information and time enough to digest, assimilate
and respond to any one proposal – it is particularly difficult for
non-planning or non-environmental specialists to grasp the situation, backed
up by tomes of paperwork in many cases – the community will always need more
time to consider. |
Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary
Name:
Vice Chairman – Mark Woolfenden
Mallard House
18 Stanbury Close
Fen Ditton
CB5 8UP
Thank you for taking the
time to complete this form. In electronic
form it can be emailed to mwplan@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
It can be faxed
to: (01223) 718537, or mailed to:
Cambridgeshire
County Council
Shire Hall
CB3 0AP.
This document can be viewed on our web site, and is also available in other languages, large print or Braille etc on request.