RESOLVED that the underspend of £73,670 in the forward planning for the local plan production (154 0000 000 4410) from 2020/21, be carried over into the same budget for 2021/22 be approved.

The Preparation of a Local Plan is a statutory requirement. Plans must be underpinned by an appropriate evidence base, much of which is required at an early stage of the preparation process in order to inform future decisions over development strategies and allocations.

1)    To agree to the recommendation. This would allow the Council to commence critical work on the review of the Local Plan.

2)    Not to agree to the carry over of the budget. (Do Nothing). This would mean that some of the evidence required for the review of the Local Plan would not be completed and would result in work on the new Plan being delayed until the required evidence base was resourced and completed.