Update from your Tandridge District Councillor – December 2024

Around the District and Around the Nation

Around the Nation. As I am writing this, we are now in the week in which the government was due to reveal its white paper on devolution. It is now due by the end of the year. Also due by the end of the year is the government’s update to the National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”). By the time you read this, both these documents should have been published, so please look out for them, and summaries of them.

They matter, because there are changes afoot as to planning policy and building permission which could affect the characters of our areas, as well as potential changes as to how local government is run.

What is Devolution?

The previous national administration was working hard towards devolution of local government, as is the current administration. Devolution is about introducing structural change to local government (everything below Parliament) across England with the aim of simplifying structures, reducing cost, delivering more strategically aligned plans across a wider geography (e.g. infrastructure with housing) and speeding decision making. In theory and hopefully in practice, the goal of simplification is to ensure simpler structures make sense for local areas. We hope so.

Devolution is targeting delivering more joined up local growth plans. To deliver all of this, County and similar authorities need to do Devolution Deals with our national government, which aims to establish “foundational combined authorities” which would progress to becoming large mayoral authorities.

I do note that discussions are being held at the National and County levels, but we are not involved at the District and Parish Council levels. Devolution may well reduce the layers of local government and change the responsibilities and workload of those remaining.

What are the new National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) proposals?

Only publication of the actual new NPPF will answer all our questions, but we have responded, at the District and Parish levels, at the County level and across the nation, to a consultation on proposed changes to the NPPF. Some of the expected and much touted changes follow.

The requirements to deliver housing have already been increased, with a new formula in place. Planning authorities will be required to demonstrate a 5-year housing supply at all times, regardless of the age of their Development Plan.

A new concept has been launched framed as grey belt, which will enable building in Green Belt areas that no longer serve their purpose and we expect (and hope for) clear definition in the revised NPPF to identify such areas. There will be strengthened requirements for cross-border working to ensure housing numbers can be delivered and infrastructure challenges are simultaneously resolved. There will be a host of other changes relating to the strategic delivery of a modern economy and more housing. This is the promise. And we eagerly await the release of the revised NPPF.

Around the District. Meanwhile as we attend to day-to-day business at Tandridge District Council, your District Council is hard at work building a new budget for the coming years. We face a challenging situation as by law we must pass a balanced budget, and as costs have escalated, income has not. So, the District’s Officers and Councillors are working to fund £1million in savings each year for the next four years (cumulatively). We aim to do so with as little impact on frontline services as possible.

The District Council is also working on delivering a new Development Plan as quickly as possible. And the District Council also has been working hard on clearing planning and enforcement backlogs and the situation is considerably improved.

And finally, the District continues to focus on delivering much needed Council housing. Last month the District Council purchased Dormers, a disused former care home in Caterham that Surrey County Council had put up for sale. The site will add roughly 20 new net-zero two and three-bedroom Council rental houses to the District Council’s housing stock.

Have a question? Need help? Ask me and I can help. Email me at: cllr.deborah.sherry@tandridge.gov.uk.

Deborah Sherry, Tandridge District Councillor for Woldingham Ward