6 - Clydeplan - Regional Spatial Strategy future governance update
Renfrewshire Council · 9 May 2024
Back to Council — 9 May 2024 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Council On: 9 May 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Clydeplan / Regional Spatial Strategy – future governance update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report seeks the approval of Council to withdraw from the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority (G&CVSDPA) Joint Committee and agree to transfer the responsibility for the preparation of a Regional Spatial Strategy to a new Regional Spatial Planning Sub-Committee of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Council agree to: • Note the recommendation of the G&CVSDPA (Clydeplan) Joint Committee to transfer responsibility for the development of a Regional Spatial Strategy to the Glasgow City Region Cabinet; • Note Glasgow City Region Cabinet’s approval of the establishment of a new Regional Spatial Planning Sub-Committee to oversee the development of a Regional Spatial Strategy; • Note that approval of any future Regional Spatial Strategy (as it affects Renfrewshire) will be a future decision for Renfrewshire Council; • Formally withdraw from the Clydeplan Joint Committee and transfer requisition funding to Glasgow City Council as lead authority for the Glasgow City Region and grant delegated authority to the Head of Corporate Governance, Head of Finance and Procurement and Head of
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Economy and Development to make any necessary arrangements to carry out that withdrawal • Participate in the Regional Spatial Planning Sub-Committee; • Confirm elected members, Councillor John McNaughtan and Councillor Jim Paterson as the Council’s representatives on the new Regional Spatial Planning Sub-Committee; ________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 Since local government reorganisation in 1996, Renfrewshire Council has been the lead authority for Clydeplan (Strategic Development Plan) for the Glasgow city region. 3.2 The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 has resulted in significant changes to the planning system in Scotland. The Act, together with the adoption of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), removes strategic development plans (like Clydeplan) from the statutory development plan. 3.3 Since the enactment of this legislation (and within the context of potential new governance structures to oversee the preparation of a new Regional Spatial Strategy) a collaborative approach to regional planning has continued in the Clyde Valley/Glasgow City Region Area through the regular meetings of an officer Steering Group made up of representatives from the eight local authorities. 3.4 In September 2023 Renfrewshire Council considered a report on the future governance of Clydeplan / Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). 3.5 Four options were presented to the Council in terms of future governance. The Council’s preference at that time was the continuation of the existing Clydeplan Joint Committee in its present format. 3.6 Following that meeting the Council’s decision was intimated to the ClydePlan Steering Group. In December 2023, North Lanarkshire Council voted to formally withdraw from the existing Joint Committee and will serve its two year notice from 31st March 2024. Officers on the Steering Group considered the decisions by Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire Councils and views expressed by other member authorities. A revised proposal for future consideration of Regional Spatial Strategies was formulated. This revised proposal involved the creation of a new Sub-Committee of the Glasgow City Region cabinet which would consider the draft RSS but the final decision on approving it would lie with the individual member authorities. 3.7 The Director of Regional Economic Growth presented a report to GCR Cabinet on 13 February 2024 seeking their agreement on a new Regional Planning Sub-Committee and that the approval of any future RSS would lie with the individual member authorities.
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3.8 Cabinet endorsed this approach and requested that that member authorities seek approval for this approach through their own democratic structures at the earliest opportunity. 3.9 Since Renfrewshire Council considered this matter at its meeting of 28 September 2023, the Clydeplan Joint Committee has met in January and March 2024. On both occasions it received reports or updates from the Director of Regional Economic Growth (Glasgow City Region) on the latest position regarding proposed governance going forward. This was based upon discussions with officers from the individual member authorities. 3.10 At its meeting of 11 March 2024 the Joint Committee agreed to recommend to the member authorities an approach which mirrors that recommended in this report to Council. 4. Decisions by other member authorities 4.1 Following the recommendation of the Joint Committee in March 2024, it now falls on each of the eight member authorities to decide individually how they wish to proceed. 4.2 At the point of writing this report, six of the 8 member local authorities have reached formal decisions to withdraw from the existing Joint Committee governance and to transfer responsibility to the proposed new Regional Planning Sub-Committee at GCR. All except Renfrewshire and Glasgow City have formalised their position. Glasgow City Council are expected to make their decision in May or June 2024. 5. Next steps 5.1 If all of the member authorities reach the view that they will withdraw from the existing Joint Committee, it will be formally terminated, and the new Sub- Committee enacted. Terms of Reference will be presented to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee for agreement of members. 5.2 Glasgow City Region have recently appointed to a new Head of Place post. If agreed, this post will have responsibility for co-ordinating the preparation of a Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) going forward and will circulate future papers to the Sub-Committee to this effect to reach agreement on scope, workload, budgets and timescales, aligning with guidance from Scottish Government when it is published. 5.3 If agreed, existing Clydeplan (and Clyde Valley Green Network) staff resource would be reviewed considering the new requirements for RSS preparation. Existing staff would be consulted on a possible TUPE transfer to Glasgow City Council, who would take over lead authority responsibility from Renfrewshire Council. If transferred, existing posts would be integrated into the existing city region structures (overseen by the Head of Place and Regional Director) who would take responsibility for preparing an RSS and reporting this through to the
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Regional Planning Sub-Committee for them to recommend approval to the individual authorities. 5.4 The cost of resourcing the new team structure within the City Region has not yet been finalised and will not be known until TUPE processes are concluded. Glasgow City Region has confirmed, however that the cost will not exceed the existing Clydeplan budget. As well as resourcing lead authority support, Renfrewshire Council currently contributes an annual requisition of £87.7k to Clydeplan, including the Green Network Partnership. 5.5 It should be noted that the Sub-Committee will not be able to impose the content of a future RSS on any individual authority. Each authority will take a decision to approve the draft RSS through their own governance, following a recommendation from the Regional Sub-Committee. 5.6 Should Council agree to the proposed new arrangements, formal legal agreements with the other member authorities will be required to wind up the existing Clydeplan structures. The financial arrangements around distribution of reserve balances will also require to be concluded. Negotiations in respect of the potential TUPE transfer of staff will require to be carried out. It is requested that Council agree to delegate such arrangements to the Head of Corporate Governance, Head of Finance and Procurement, and Head of Economy and Development. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – to be determined by new Sub-Committee (if enacted). Clydeplan resources are currently achieved through a requisition cost divided between each of the eight constituent authorities, with Renfrewshire Council as lead authority to date. Renfrewshire Council currently contributes a gross annual requisition of £87.7k to ClydePlan, including the Green network Partnership. 2. HR & Organisational Development – The Clydeplan and GCR Green Network team are currently Renfrewshire Council employees (due to RC being lead authority for these matters). Any potential transfer of employer for these employees would be subject to consultation through the recognised TUPE arrangements. 3. Community/Council Planning – • Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – The RSS could be a key document in establishing a land use framework for supporting, encouraging and delivering economic development in Renfrewshire. 4. Legal - will depend on the decisions of the constituent authorities including Renfrewshire in terms of governance arrangements.
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5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Cosla Policy Position – Not Applicable. 13. Climate Risk – None. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) “Regional Spatial Planning Arrangements”; Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority Joint Committee; 11 March 2024 (b) “Clydeplan / Regional Spatial Strategy – future governance” - Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority Joint Committee; 28 September 2023 (c) “Towards a Regional Spatial Strategy”; Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority Joint Committee; 28 June 2023 (d) “Towards a Regional Spatial Strategy”; Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority Joint Committee; 12 June 2023 (e) “Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 - Duty to prepare a Regional Spatial Strategy”; Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority Joint Committee; 8 March 2021 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Alasdair Morrison; Head of Economy and Development Alasdair.morrison@renfrewshire.gov.uk - Telephone: 0300 300 0273