Agenda item

Report of the Director of Street Scene and Regulatory Services

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services which proposed a response to the Issues and Options consultation currently being undertaken by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council (NBBC) adopted their current Local Plan in June 2019 and had recently triggered a Local Plan review. The first stage of the Review is an Issues and Options public consultation, which was launched on 11 June 2021 and would close 6 August 2021. The consultation document was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

Coventry and Nuneaton & Bedworth are part of the same Housing Market Area (HMA) along with Stratford Rugby, Warwick and North Warwickshire, and as such both authorities had a Duty to Cooperate. Evidence of cooperative working was a key part of the Local Plan process and therefore it would be appropriate for Coventry City Council to respond to this consultation.

As part of the Duty to Cooperate, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was agreed between all authorities in the Housing Market Area to apportion the un-met Housing Need of Coventry, and this was taken into account in the drafting and examination of all Local Plans in the housing Market Area, including the current NBBC Local Plan. 

Paragraph 7.8 of the NBBC Issues and Options consultation, stated that NBBC would be “withdrawing from the current memorandum of understanding (and will seek to negotiate an appropriate arrangement with sub-regional partners”.

Given that the MoU was an integral part of meeting the sub-region’s Housing Need, it was important that the Council responded to this intention formally through the consultation process. A draft response was attached as Appendix II to the report. It was noted that there was a typo in the draft response and that the word “proscribes” would be amended to “prescribes” before the consultation response is finalised and submitted.

Members noted that, although disappointed with NBBC’s decision to withdraw from the MoU, Coventry City Council would remain committed to working closely, proactively and constructively with all neighbouring authorities.

Members discussed the impact that major developments taking place in NBBC had on the infrastructure within Coventry, especially those close to the neighbouring borders to the north of the City and particularly in terms of highways and air quality. Although such matters were not covered within the NBBC consultation, Members requested that this be included within the response to ensure that NBBC continue to work closely and collaboratively with Coventry to achieve the best outcome for both authorities and their residents. 

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities approves the submission of the proposed response as attached at Appendix II of the report subject to the addition of the request made by Members to ensure that Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council continue to work closely and engage with Coventry Council in relation to any major development proposals close to neighbouring borders to ensure that appropriate consideration has been given to the impact on services and infrastructure within Coventry boundaries.