A cross-party working group of councillors representing each of Rutland County Council’s three political groups has been formed as part of the early stages of developing a new Local Plan for the area. All Planning Authorities must have a valid Local Plan that sets out where future housing, employment and other development will take place over a minimum 15-year period. Local Plans also provide a framework to support decision making around planning applications and other planning matters. The cross-party group is chaired by Rutland County Council’s Chief Executive, Mark Andrews, and will act as an advisory board to the officers developing and delivering the Local Plan. It will meet on a monthly basis to provide guidance and monitor the implementation of the Local Plan process, as well as identifying any issues that may arise and discussing solutions. The group will also have a role in making sure all Rutland County Councillors and the communities they represent are kept informed as the Local Plan is developed. This is expected to take four years.

This is an internal working group and, as such, has no formal powers. Rutland County Council’s Cabinet is the body responsible for preparing the Local Plan for Full Council to approve.

The cross-party working group is made up of the following Councillors:
• Council Leader (Cllr Oliver Hemsley)
• Leader of The Liberal Democrats Group (Cllr Gale Waller)
• Leader of The Independent & Green Group (Cllr Marc Oxley)
• Portfolio Holder for Planning (Cllr Ian Razzell)

“We are still at the very earliest stage of developing a new Local Plan for Rutland. There is a huge amount of work to be done to develop a Plan that provides a framework for effective planning policy, sustainable development and critical infrastructure across the county. The formation of this cross-party working group signals a clear intention by all councillors to work together for the benefit of Rutland, as a whole. The first thing we need to do is clarify the timescales involved in delivery of the Local Plan so that everyone – councillors and local residents – know exactly what to expect and when they will be able to get involved. This will be a key area of focus when the group next meets in December.” Councillor Oliver Hemsley, Leader of Rutland County Council