Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Regeneration and Housing

Further to Minute no. 5 (2) of 15 June 2021 the Committee considered the report of the Head of Regeneration and Housing that advised that social value was a term that related to wider social, environment and economic benefits from decisions; that planning decisions on development proposals could be a key way to secure social value benefits for local people; that the Sefton Local Plan already secured a wide range of social value benefits in Sefton; that however, there was the scope to look at what areas of social value were currently not being maximised and address this through a Social Value Social Supplementary Planning Document (SPD); and sought comments on the suggested scope of the Social Value from Development SPD.

The report indicated that social value had become an important principle of how to integrate the needs of communities into the decision-making processes of public and private sector organisations; that often financial considerations could be paramount in decision-making and this could be to the detriment of local people; but by embedding the principle of social value within the decision making proves this could help build capacity with local communities, make them more resilient and accepting of change.

The report also provided details on what a SPD was; and that a Social Value SPD could cover issues such as new housing, affordable housing, accessible and adaptable’ homes, areas of public open space on new developments, contributions to public transport, contributions towards new primary school places, mitigation measures to protect Sefton’s coast, flood mitigation measures, ecological benefits, high quality landscaping, high quality design, improved access routes, protection of heritage assets, climate change measures, provision and protection of employment land, protection of town centres and measures to improve health and recreation.

The report concluded that it was expected that a draft Social Value SPD would be prepared and approved for public engagement for May 2022; and that this would be subject to a 6-week engagement to July 2022 and that adoption would be sought in September 2022.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       Aspects of social value, such as high-quality employment paying a living wage, the value of planters, flower beds, etc., and accessibility for older people.

·       Quality of life for tenants in social housing.

·       Difficulties in quantifying the opportunities of new employment.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the report setting out the proposed scope of the Social Value from Development Supplementary Planning Document be noted; and

(2)      The issues/comments raised by Members of the Committee be noted.