Cabinet consideration of the need to undertake technical evidence based studies, issue and accept tenders and receive and approve final reports, to support the preparation of the Local Development Framework, including the Core Strategy Development Plan Document.

The Deputy Chief Executive / Director of Corporate Services reported that following the resolution of Cabinet on 23 July 2009 (minute 63 refers) that a revised Local Development Scheme for Wirral should be submitted for the approval of the Secretary of State, the revised Scheme had now been approved by the Secretary of State by letter on 23 November 2009. A resolution of Council was now required to bring the final Scheme into legal effect.

The report also recommended the distribution of the annual award of Housing and Planning Delivery Grant (HPDG) for 2009/10.

Resolved – That Cabinet recommends to Council that,

(1) the Local Development Scheme attached to the Director’s report, as approved by the Secretary of State, be approved; and

(2) it resolves to bring the approved Local Development Scheme into legal effect on the Monday following the date the resolution of Council is passed;

(3) the HPDG be distributed with £9,915 allocated to the Department of Regeneration for the publication of a Strategic Housing Market Assessment; £27,000 allocated to the preparation of the Joint Waste DPD; and the remainder allocated to support the continued preparation of the Core Strategy DPD;

(4) in the event that the provisional allocation of HPDG is altered, that the final award of grant is distributed on a similar basis.