Decision details

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive that was seeking approval to publicise the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan and following this, to submit the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan for examination in line with The Neighbourhood Planning Regulations (2012), as outlined in the amended timeline within the submitted report.

Given approval of the Motion “Ensuring Statutory Scrutiny and Enforceability for Places for Everyone Masterplans” at the Council meeting on 10^th December, there was therefore a need to reconsider the recommendations made to Cabinet on the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan in the report on the agenda, and revised recommendations were proposed in a supplement to the published agenda (supplement was published on 15^th December 2025).

This was due to the capacity within the team responsible for preparing the Local Plan, the Article 4 Direction for HMOs, and now the Supplementary Planning Document required for the Beal Valley and Broadbent Moss Strategic Location. Therefore, the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan would take longer to progress in readiness for consultation and examination.  In this regard, a revised timetable now replaced that within the previously published cabinet report and was detailed in the supplementary report, which the Cabinet considered.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1 (preferred Option) – to approve the recommendations detailed in the revised and updated report.

Option 2 – to refuse the report.

Resolved:

1.    That the Cabinet notes the amended timetable outlined in the addendum report.

2.    That the Cabinet agrees to the publicising of the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan, in line with Regulation 16 of The Neighbourhood Planning Regulations (at the appropriate time); and following this,

3.    Submit the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan for examination in line with Regulation 17 of The Neighbourhood Planning Regulations;

4.    Grant delegated authority to the Executive Director Place (Deputy Chief Executive) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, to consider the recommendations made in the Inspectors Report following independent examination of the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan and, in liaison with the Peak District National Park Authority, approve what action to take in response to each recommendation in said report in line with Regulation 17A (4) of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations, and approve publication of the examiner’s report, plan proposal and decision statement as soon as possible after the decision.

5.    That the Cabinet notes that the report will be considered by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board at the appropriate time in the new year, and should therefore be exempt from call-in, under Rule 14 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules in the Constitution, and the Executive Director Place (Deputy Chief Executive) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods be given delegated authority to respond to any feedback from scrutiny as part of their consideration of the Inspectors Report referred to in 3 above.