Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Williamson.

Councillor Harkness advised that he had submitted a question to an earlier meeting of this Scrutiny Board but had not received a reply thereon, relating to the timings of meetings and members not being adequately appraised of reasons for the cancellation of meetings.

The Chair reported that Councillor Harkness would receive a reply to his question in due corse.

A report, of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive requesting consideration of the Beal Valley and Broadbent Moss Masterplan and Spatial Design Code, prepared in accordance with Places for Everyone, criteria 1 of JPA 10 Beal Valley and criteria 1 of JPA 12 Broadbent Moss, and its incorporation into a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

The Scrutiny Board received a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive that sought consideration of the Beal Valley and Broadbent Moss Masterplan and Spatial Design Code, that had been prepared in accordance with Places for Everyone, criteria 1 of JPA 10 Beal Valley and criteria 1 of JPA 12 Broadbent Moss, in light of the Motion agreed at the Council meeting on 10^th December, (“Ensuring Statutory Scrutiny and Enforceability for Places for Everyone Masterplans”), that necessitated the requirement of the preparation of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) incorporating this Masterplan and Spatial Design Code.

The report had previously been considered by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 15^th December 2025.

A member referred to Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 12 which permitted the Board to invite people other than Members of the Scrutiny Board and relevant officers to “address it, discuss issues of local concern and/or answer questions. Such people may be, for example, representatives from partner organisations, other stakeholders or members of the public.  Attendance by those persons is entirely optional, except where attendance is required by law.” The Member added that members of the public attending the meeting possessed certain technical knowledge regarding this matter that could be of benefit to members in their consideration and determination of this item and as such they should be permitted to address the meeting thereon.

The Scrutiny Board briefly adjourned to seek legal advice on this matter after which it was suggested that the Board defer consideration of this item to the Board’s next meeting to allow appropriate officers to determine a suitable public participation protocol to allow interested members of the public to contribute to the meeting in a meaningful way.   

Resolved:

That consideration of the Beal Valley and Broadbent Moss Masterplan and Spatial Design Code, be deferred to the next scheduled meeting of the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board on Thursday, 22^nd January 2026.

A report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive, seeking consideration of the report and addendum report to Cabinet on 15 December 2025 seeking approval to publicise the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan and submit the plan for examination, as per the agreed recommendation 5) of the addendum report.

The Board scrutinised a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive that had sought Cabinet’s 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. The report was therefore presented so that Scrutiny Board members could provide feedback on the Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan as it progressed towards publication and submission, as detailed in the amended timetable that was detailed at Appendix A to the 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 for the Cabinet to reconsider the report, and, in this regard, revised recommendations that 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 Planning Service’s 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 was considered.

The options and alternatives presented to the Cabinet were: to approve the recommendations detailed in the revised and updated report, or, to refuse the report.

The Cabinet, after consideration agreed to approve the recommendations in the report, as follows:

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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive seeking approval, from the Council of the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan for publication and consultation. Report to be circulated.

The Scrutiny Board was consulted on a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive which was ultimately seeking Cabinet approval for the publication of and public consultation on the Oldham Local Plan.

Following its adoption in March 2024 the Places for Everyone Joint Plan (PfE) now formed part of Oldham’s Local Plan. PfE set the strategic policies for the Borough, but there is still a need for local policies that support the implementation of PfE across Oldham and delivered the Council’s regeneration objectives and priorities.

The Government were in the process of reforming the existing system for preparing Local Plans. In the meantime, for plans progressing to adoption under the current plan-making legal framework (which includes the review of the Oldham Local Plan) there was a requirement for these to be submitted for examination by 31^st December 2026.

The Oldham Local Plan was therefore being prepared under The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulation 2012 (‘the Regulations’). There were various stages in the production of a Local Plan and Oldham Council was now at the Regulation 19 (or Publication Plan) stage.

The submitted report was seeking approval of Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan for publication and consultation, pursuant to Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 for a six-week period for representations to begin no earlier than 28^th January 2026.

The ‘Publication Plan’ stage is a formal ‘statutory’ consultation that provides an opportunity for organisations, and individuals, to submit their final views on the content of the Plan. Following consultation the Publication Plan, representations received, and other relevant supporting documentation, will be sent to the Secretary of State. This was called the ‘Submission stage’, pursuant to Regulation 22 and requires approval at Council. A separate report seeking approval to submit the Publication Plan for examination will be brought to Council, prior to submission May/June 2026.

The Scrutiny Board was advised that the report would be presented to the Cabinet at its meeting on 19^th January for approval.

Members of the Scrutiny Board were supportive of the report and recommended that it be approved by the Cabinet

Resolved:

That the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board recommend that the Cabinet, at its meeting on 19^th January 2026:

a.    approve the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan, Policies Map and supporting documentation for publication and consultation, pursuant to Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 for a six-week period for representations to begin no earlier than 28 January 2026.

b.    Delegate authority to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods in consultation with the Executive Director – Deputy Chief Executive (Place) to approve the Statement of Common Ground required pursuant to the National Planning Policy Framework.

c.     Delegate authority to the Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Housing Delivery to make any minor non-material amendments to the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan, Policies Map and supporting documentation ahead of its publication and consultation.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.