Council backs new plan for development
Local Democracy Reporter MERTHYR Tydfil councillors have given their backing to a regional development plan for South East Wales.
The strategic development plan (SDP) for the Cardiff capital region is being put together covering 10 councils in South East Wales.
All 10 councils – Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen and the Vale of Glamorgan – need to sign the SDP off.
The Vale of Glamorgan is set to be the responsible authority overseeing the SDP.
It is expected to cost £3.14m over five years to deliver with the total cost to Merthyr being more than £136,000 (an annual cost of about £27,000 over the five years) as well as £2,715 towards the £50,000 start-up costs.
The SDP sits above each authority’s own local development plan (LDP).
Strategic decisions around housing, transport, employment and infrastructure will be taken at a regional level but key decisions on planning proposals will be taken locally through LDP allocations and policies and in planning committee decisions.
There will be a strategic planning plan as part of the SDP made up of representatives from all the councils and Merthyr’s representative is set to be Councillor David Hughes, who is the cabinet member for planning and neighbourhood services.
At full council on Wednesday, some councillors raised concerns over how the voting was weighted between the 10 authorities on the SDP panel with Cardiff getting five votes and Merthyr only getting one.
This is different to the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal cabinet where each member gets one vote.
Councillor Chris Barry asked why it’s not one person one vote on the SDP panel and said: “I can’t understand the rationale or the fairness.”
The council officer said the weighting of the voting was based on population and the area of each local authority area and was considered to be the most appropriate way forward.
Councillor Chris Davies says the weighting of the voting “doesn’t make it democratic in any way, shape or form” but he said he’s pleased that the council should soon have a new LDP to deal with any developments Merthyr doesn’t want.
Councillor Geraint Thomas said they all had reservations about the voting process but that Merthyr was currently in a good place.
The leader of the council, Kevin O’Neill, said: “One of the powerful elements of the city deal is that we get the same vote as Cardiff.”
In terms of the voting on the SDP panel, he said: “We have raised it in relation to our uneasiness as to how that voting framework looks.”
Judith Jones, chief officer for neighbourhood services, said: “The opportunities are clear as a region. The opportunity to have influence over developments in the region that we haven’t had until now.
“It is important that we are at the table to have that voice. It is one vote but it can be an important vote.”
In terms of the risks of not backing the SDP, Ms Jones said they would not be at the table and so would have no say over any proposals in Merthyr Tydfil.
Merthyr Tydfil Council adopted its current LDP in 2011 and it runs out in 2021.
It is currently reviewing this plan, which is expected to be adopted in January next year.