Neighbourhood Plan referendum - please vote!

Mon 14 Jun 2021, 17:59

I'm wondering what 6% opposed were actually about?! Perhaps we have Developers' shills amongst us.

Congratulations to the workers from our Town who did this most excellent piece of work. Yes, I actually read it cover to PDFcover one night and couldn't think of much to fault it on. Your work should be appreciated by everyone here in Charlbury.

It's just a pity that our lifetime ration of democracy is limited to about 5 or so general election crosses, and a small, but greater proportion, of crosses for somewhat teethless local powers to affect our lives.

Sat 12 Jun 2021, 08:50

I was disappointed to learn that although 94% positive vote, in fact only 24% voted. 

Sat 12 Jun 2021, 08:08

CIL is the Community Infrastructure Levy, a mechanism which is more or less self-explanatory; developers pay a chunk of money on developments to fund key local infrastructure at a flat rate.

It was developed because Section 106 funding (an older mechanism and part of the planning process) doesn’t cover all aspects of infrastructure.

More information in Richard’s original post.

Fri 11 Jun 2021, 23:30

Richard, please would you explain what ‘CIL’ and ‘S106’ are and also what the implications are if the former is abandoned.

Fri 11 Jun 2021, 10:56

On CIL – there is a rather opaque note in recent WODC minutes that states “Officers are currently in the process of determining the most appropriate way forward in light of the CIL consultation responses received in autumn 2020 (around 170 responses) responses to the draft Developer Contributions SPD received in December 2020, the supporting CIL evidence base as well as the Government’s stated intention to abolish CIL (and Section 106) and replace it with a new, nationally set, value-based flat rate charge. Further updates on the proposed way forward in respect of CIL will therefore be published on the Council’s website in due course.”

So I wouldn’t be astonished if they abandon the currently proposed CIL schedule (for the second time…) and just keep going with S106 until the Government’s intentions become clear.

Fri 11 Jun 2021, 09:23

Thank you Gareth for your kind words.  I would like to add my own thanks to all of the willing volunteers of Charlbury who helped us to pull together the information and evidence for the plan and especially to the steering group team who worked hard with me to get the plan through all of its complex legal stages.  Thanks too to everyone who engaged with the plan process in various ways to let us know your thoughts and ensure that the plan represents the wishes and aspirations of the community.  And of course, thanks to all who turned out to the referendum yesterday to support the plan.  We wouldn’t have got here without all of your input and Charlbury wouldn’t have this legal foothold in the planning system. Now we just have to be vigilant to ensure that the plan is followed.  A great day for Charlbury.   Thank you all.

Thu 10 Jun 2021, 23:15

Hopefully you will all have seen the news that the Neighbourhood Plan has been adopted with a resounding 94% in favour.

Thanks to Peter Kenrick and all those who worked for so long to make this happen.  It will give Charlbury much more of a say in decisions that affect us.

Matthew - to answer your question, which is a good one, we do not know until the legislation has been published.  I hope it doesn’t.  But like West Oxfordshire’s bizarre decision to exempt developers from paying Community Infrastructure Levy, it might affect us and the Town Council will let people know if this is the case.  We are concerned about what we have heard so far.

Thu 10 Jun 2021, 17:58 (last edited on Fri 11 Jun 2021, 07:59)

Many thanks to all who have put so much work into formulating this Neighbourhood Plan for Charlbury. I can't imagine why anyone would vote against it so assume it will be approved.

Does anyone know if the proposed new Planning Bill will affect the Charlbury Neighbourhood Plan as the aim is to bypass local planning objections. Are we protected by being a AONB? Some details of the legislation here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57075080

Thu 10 Jun 2021, 16:33 (last edited on Thu 10 Jun 2021, 16:35)

I have been to vote, and I urge all others to do so ... even though in view of what has happened in places like Hixet Wood, it is rather a case of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. I hope I am wrong.

Thu 10 Jun 2021, 10:29

 What % of the electorate must vote for the result to be valid?

I am looking forward to a yes vote.

Thu 10 Jun 2021, 09:20 (last edited on Thu 10 Jun 2021, 09:29)

And the upshot of that is that West Oxfordshire would use solely its own Local Plan for determining planning applications, which isn’t tailored to the particular needs of Charlbury.

Effectively you can think of the Neighbourhood Plan as a ‘cheat sheet’ for the WODC planning department – it’s a set of rules setting out Charlbury’s particular circumstances for them to have by their side when assessing planning applications. A no vote would mean they won’t be able to use that sheet.

Thu 10 Jun 2021, 08:43

The consequence of a no vote would be that there is no Neighbourhood Plan. 

Wed 9 Jun 2021, 21:37

I find it slightly curious that although I have seen the consequences of a yes vote spelled out two or three times, I have seen absolutely no mention at all of the consequences of a no vote.

Wed 9 Jun 2021, 20:59

Thursday is the referendum on Charlbury’s Neighbourhood Plan.

One of those quirks of electoral legislation means that the Town Council has to keep schtum about the referendum, which is probably why you haven’t seen people campaigning about it. Happily I’ve stood down from the Town Council so can say whatever…

Long post - click to read full text