Decision details

a)    That approval be given in principle for the County Council to participate with Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council to prepare a joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland local authority areas, subject to:

i)        Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council, via their respective governance processes, also giving formal approval;

ii)        all three authorities agreeing appropriate governance and decision-making, resourcing, and cost-sharing arrangements for the joint plan-making;

b)    That subject to agreement of a) above, a further report be submitted to the Cabinet in autumn 2026 regarding the Plan timetable, publication of the Intention to Commence, and governance arrangements for joint plan-making.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

Leicestershire County Council has a statutory function to prepare an M&WLP for the County and keep it up to date. The Government has introduced a new plan-making system which requires the County Council to start preparing a new M&WLP before the end of 2026.

As minerals and waste are strategic issues, preparing a joint plan across the larger area of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is a sensible geography to plan for. It will also mitigate the uncertainty associated with the currently unknown boundaries of a future authority under local government reorganisation and allow for sharing of resources across the authorities participating in the joint plan. Approval in principle is sought to ensure that the Cabinet is supportive in advance of committing resources to a joint plan-making approach.