Agenda item

To consider a response to the above consultation by West Oxfordshire District Council concerning future developer spending on community infrastructure in specific areas. Members are asked to view the following link ahead of the meeting https://communityinfrastructure.commonplace.is/ and provide a list to be returned, if appropriate.

The Town Council’s comment made in 2020 as part of the earlier consultation , along with WODC response are included for information.

The Committee received and considered the revised consultation from West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) regarding developer contributions along with notification of a new web resource inviting residents to submit community infrastructure requests.

Members were pleased to see that their comments from the Supplementary Planning Document consultation in 2020 had been considered and received a response from WODC. This had resulted in an easier to understand documents. One exception was  Witney Town Council’s comment regarding the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) which had not been addressed and members asked that this could be looked at again.

Members concerns surrounded the inclusion of cycleways and footpaths in developers plans and that sports and community facilities  are made a priority and delivered in the early stages of any new development.

Also discussed was the need for utilities providers to undertake investment in upgrades and if this financial commitment cannot be agreed that developers are approached to meet any financial shortfalls to ensure that strategic upgrades are completed.

With regard to the new web-based resource, Commonplace, they agreed that this should be forwarded to all councillors, so they had the opportunity to advise the residents in their wards Members felt it was still imperative that they were able to pass on resident requests via the committee process and asked that the Council’s strategic infrastructure plans be forwarded to WODC.

Resolved

1.            That, the consultation and correspondence be noted and,

2.            That, Witney Town Council forward a written submission regarding the Supplementary Planning Document to WODC covering the points above and,

3.            That, copies of both the Witney Active Travel Infrastructure Plan and Witney Town Council Open Spaces Strategy are forwarded with regards to community infrastructure requests.,