Purpose of the Somerset Strategic Planning Conference (SSPC)
- To lead on the strategic spatial, land use and transport issues on behalf of the Somerset Strategic Partnership (SSP)
- To act as an advisory body to the SSP with regard to the above, in terms of policy, strategy development and delivery, including the Local Area Agreement
- To champion strategic spatial and transport issues relating to land use development in Somerset
- To advise key stakeholders on key sub regional spatial, land use and transport issues,
- At be a co-ordinating point for the development and consideration of multi-agency sub-regional spatial planning documentation,
- To advocate Somerset’s spatial planning policies and priorities sub-regionally and regionally and to engage, influence and maximise the benefit and relevance to Somerset in local and regional policies
- To co-ordinate and respond to local, regional and national policies relating the spatial planning that materially impact on Somerset
- To promote a focussed, shared agenda to spatial planning within Partner organisation service delivery. To provide a mechanism within which to demonstrate Best Value Inspectorate in the ways in which local government in Somerset is delivering Best Value in respect of strategic planning services
- To act as the key sub regional spatial planning partnership recognised by the Government Office for the South West, the South West Regional Development Agency and other relevant partners and stakeholders.
- To provide a strategic input into key regeneration initiatives and programmes in Somerset
Membership of the Somerset Strategic Planning Conference
The membership of the SSPC consists of:
- Two Officers and two member/portfolio holders representation from Mendip District Council
- Two Officers and two member/portfolio holders representation from Sedgemoor District Council
- Four Officers and four member/portfolio holders representation from Somerset County Council
- Two Officers and two member/portfolio holders representation from South Somerset District Council
- Two Officers and two member/portfolio holders representation from Somerset County Council
- Two Officers and two member/portfolio holders representation from Taunton Deane Borough Council
- Two Officers and two member/portfolio holders representation from West Somerset District Council
- Two Officers and two member/portfolio holders representation from Exmoor National Park Authority
- Two Officers representation from SWRA and GOSW
- One officer representation from SWERDA, SALC, Somerset Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and SSHOG.
It will be possible to invite other regional agencies (e.g. Highways Agency) and neighbouring Authorities (e.g. Devon County Council) to attend or participate in the Conference if required on an ad hoc basis
Limitations of the Somerset Strategic Planning Conference
- The SSPC acts as an advisory and co-ordinating body comprised of the membership listed above. It does not bind individual member organisations in terms of spatial planning, transport or regeneration policy and strategic development
- As an advisory body it does not direct member organisations with respect to spatial planning and regeneration delivery and budgetary deployment
- Member organisations are free to respond to consultation documents in their own right as well as participating in any co-ordinated SSPC response
Working Methods
- Full Conference meetings to be held at least four times a year. Meetings shall take place in Taunton, being the most central location for the participating bodies
- One annual general meeting will take place during any 12 month period
- The Conference will be led by the Strategic Planning Authorities and Somerset County Council as Highway Authority. The chair of the meeting will be a member representative from the County Council and will be elected for a term of one year at the Annual General meeting
- The vice-chair of the meeting will be a member organisation councillor and will be elected for a term of one year at the Annual General meeting
- The SSPC is entitled to nominate a member to sit of the Somerset Strategic Partnership Forum. One member organisation councillor will be elected to the Forum for a term of one year at the Annual General Meeting
- The SSPC will be the formal advisory body to the SSP Economic Leaders Group and Environment Leaders Group on strategic spatial, land-use and transport issues, and may nominate members to sit on those groups
- The Conference will decide its core work plan. Agenda items not within the core work plan will be scheduled in consultation and with the agreement of the Chair of the Board
- Meeting agendas will be dedicated in the main part to debate and decision-making on a maximum of six issues at any one meeting.
- The SSPC will be supported operationally by the SSPC Officer Working Group meeting between Conference meetings which comprises officers from the lead organisations and other agencies as required, to serve the Conference preparing reports and carrying out technical work as required, at locations to be agreed. Two officers would represent each district, ideally one from planning and/or transport and one from economic development/regeneration. The Officer Group would draw upon the wider resources of officers in the authorities.
- The office of the Head of Physical Regeneration, Somerset County Council will act as the secretariat for the conference and Officer Working Group
- Agendas, minutes of previous meetings and other supporting documents will be issued by the County Council at least one week prior to a meeting
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