Agenda item

The Chief Executive and the Regional Strategic Planning Officer to present the report.

To recommend to the Corporate Joint Committee that it is ready to approve the draft Delivery Agreement following consultation and submit it to the Welsh Government, subject to the SDP funding decision.

The report was submitted by the Regional Strategic Development Planning Officer.

RESOLVED

To recommend to the Corporate Joint Committee that it is ready to approve the draft Delivery Agreement following consultation and submit it to the Welsh Government, subject to the SDP funding decision.

REASONS FOR THE DECISION

The Strategic Planning Sub-Committee is responsible for preparing the draft Delivery Agreement. The sub-committee has co-ordination and planning functions relating to each step towards delivering the SDP.

DISCUSSION

Members were reminded that they had approved to hold a public consultation on the Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement in draft form for a six-week period, at an informal meeting of this Sub-committee held on 27 June 2025. It was updated that the public consultation had now concluded confirming that this report presented the feedback and responses received from the public and stakeholders.

It was reported that the Strategic Development Plan Delivery Plan had been approved by the Corporate Joint Committee at its meeting on 18 July 2025 and that the responses received as part of the consultation contributed to an update of that document.

It was noted that Officers had invited a large number of stakeholders and partners to participate in the public consultation, in order to ensure an open process. It was updated that 16 formal responses had been received to the public consultation from a number of organisations such as Local Authorities and specific officers within them, the Welsh Language Commissioner, community groups and Heneb. It was acknowledged that the number of responses that had been received was not high, but it was assured that the comments received were of a high standard and that this process was key to raising awareness of the Strategic Development Plan as a whole.

It was noted that a revised version of the responses received as part of the public consultation had been circulated to Members following the publication of the Agenda for this meeting. It was clarified that the consultation had not ended when the documentation of this meeting was being published and a number of the responses had reached Officers on the last day of the consultation. It was considered important that members received all the information that had come to hand and therefore a revised version of the responses was shared with Members, with the consent of the Chair.

It was highlighted that the responses asked whether sufficient time had been earmarked for consultative exercises. It was explained that the statutory requirements of ensuring that public consultations were held for a six-week period were adhered to in order to ensure legislative compliance. It was also noted that the Joint Committee had powers to extend the periods of public consultations if it wished to do so.

It was emphasised that a number of responses to the consultation highlighted Welsh language considerations. They were thanked for their comments and assured that the Welsh language received ongoing consideration within the work of the Joint Committee.

It was explained that a number of respondents had highlighted the duration of the Delivery Plan, which was a five-year period, considering whether this timeframe was too challenging and whether additional time would be required to deliver the Strategic Development Plan. In response to these considerations, the Regional Strategic Development Planning Officer confirmed that the timetable for the Plan was in line with statutory requirements emphasising that officers received guidance and advice to ensure that this timetable did not slip.

It was reported that several Local Authorities that had submitted comments to the public consultation had considered how the Plan was funded and what impact this would have on Local Authority budgets and resources. It was recognised that the funding of the Plan was a matter for the Corporate Joint Committee and that it was receiving constant consideration. It was elaborated that Officers were keen to ensure that resources were used in the most effective manner to ensure a collaborative process across the region. It was detailed that jobs would have to be created and secondments offered to ensure that the Plan was delivered, making every effort to ensure that that process was effective and not negatively disrupting Local Authority resources.