Issue - meetings

To consider a Local Plan Grant from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Decision

That Cabinet:

1.    Endorse the acceptance of the Local Plan grant funding of £227,962.50 Local Plan Grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

2.    Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and s151 Officer to establish the appropriate revenue budgets to enable the Local Plan funding to be allocated in accordance with the grant conditions.

Reasons for the decision

Work needs to be carried out regardless of whether or not the Council uses the funding. By using the funding and not returning it to government, this would lessen the burden on the Council’s own budgets.

Other options considered and rejected

Whilst the Council could return the funds to government, the additional work still needed to be carried out, and this would have placed additional pressures on the Council’s budgets; this option had therefore been discounted.

Purpose of report

To endorse the acceptance of a Local Plan Grant from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and to approve the creation of the appropriate revenue budget to enable the grant to be allocated and spent.

Decision

That Cabinet:

1.    Endorses the acceptance of the Local Plan grant funding of £227,962.50 Local Plan Grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

2.    Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and s151 Officer to establish the appropriate revenue budgets to enable the Local Plan funding to be allocated in accordance with the grant conditions.

Other options considered

Whilst the Council could return the funds to government, the additional work still needed to be carried out, and this would have placed additional pressures on the Council’s budgets; this option had therefore been discounted.

Reasons for the decision

Work needs to be carried out regardless of whether or not the Council uses the funding. By using the funding and not returning it to government, this would lessen the burden on the Council’s own budgets.

A Local Plan review was due by the end of 2026. There have been many changes in recent years to the planning system including a significant increase in the amount of housing growth the Council was expected to plan for. The government, in December 2024, increased housing requirements for Local Authorities across the country. The housing requirements for South Kesteven increased from approximately 650 dwellings per annum to 895 dwellings per annum. As a result, the Council has had to review its local plan housing allocations to ensure that this increased housing need can be properly planned for.

The government had recognised this pressure on local authorities by making additional funding available to support the additional work incurred. This funding would go towards the overall cost of £600,000 needed to deliver the Local Plan.