The report of the Strategic Director - Regeneration and Environment gives details of the Birkenhead & Tranmere Neighbourhood Planning Forum’s application to the Council to be formally designated as a statutory Neighbourhood Forum, to enable them to prepare a statutory Neighbourhood Development Plan for parts of Birkenhead and Tranmere. 

Their application includes a supporting statement, their proposed constitution and a proposed Neighbourhood Area boundary, which covers the Electoral Ward of Birkenhead & Tranmere, with small additional areas around the Williamson Art Gallery and Museum in Oxton Ward; and at Holborn Square, Holt Road and Sidney Road in Rock Ferry Ward.

The Council must now comply with a legal process set out in national regulations. This report therefore recommends that the application documents are advertised for statutory public consultation for a period of six weeks and that a further report, outlining the results of that consultation, is prepared before the final designation of a neighbourhood forum and a neighbourhood area boundary is considered.

It also recommends that the final designation of a neighbourhood forum and of a neighbourhood area boundary is confirmed by a resolution of Cabinet, rather than (as previously) by a resolution of Full Council, to facilitate the new statutory requirement to determine any area application within 13 weeks of the publication of the proposals. 

Any future Neighbourhood Development Plan to be prepared by the proposed Forum must have regard to national policy and be in general conformity with the strategic policies contained within the Council’s adopted Local Plans and can only be legally made following statutory consultation, independent examination and a majority vote of local Electors in a local referendum.

Resolved –

(1)  That the application by Birkenhead & Tranmere Neighbourhood Planning Forum, to be designated as the neighbourhood planning forum for the neighbourhood area identified on the map attached at Appendix 3 to this report, is advertised for statutory public consultation for a period of not less than six weeks.

(2)  That the final designation of the neighbourhood planning forum and the neighbourhood area boundary is subject to a further report, to Cabinet, once public consultation has been completed.