inform-residents-newsletter-winter-2016 (2)

Inform Winter 2016 13 Update on Council’s new functions Having your say on local issues Additional powers and functions, including planning, off-street car parking and economic development, transferred to the Council on 1 April 2015. An update on these is below. Council’s Planning Service How does the Planning system work? The transfer of the planning function to local councils put decision-making in the hands of those with local knowledge. Planning applications are categorised as local, major and regionally significant and the Council is responsible for determining all local and most major applications. The vast majority of local applications are determined by experienced Planning Officials, in accordance with our Scheme of Delegation, which is available to view on our website. The Council has also established a Planning Committee, made up of 13 Council Members, to consider and decide on planning applications that are not delegated to the Council’s Planning Officials. What has been achieved to date? The Council has: • Processed 1,235 planning applications, with an average approval rate of 92% • Met the processing target for local applications at 14 weeks (target 15 weeks) • Published our Statement of Community Involvement which sets out how the Council will consult on all planning matters and how you can get involved in the planning system • Published our Local Development Plan timetable which sets out the time frame for each stage of the Plan process • Consulted on the Local Development Plan Preferred Options Paper (see page 13) • Published a number of Position Papers which contain detailed information on a range of topics, such as housing, economic development and renewable energy, all of which will inform the Local Development Plan • Held 3 workshops with planning agents and produced a protocol for applicants and agents. The protocol sets out the Council’s commitment to the efficient processing of applications and explains what applicants and agents need to do to ensure planning applications contain all the necessary information. The protocol is available on the Council website and will be implemented from 1 December 2016 Community Planning is a new local government function in Northern Ireland. The Community Plan for the Fermanagh and Omagh district will set the strategic framework for developing public services into the future, to improve service delivery for the benefit of all our residents. The first ever Community Plan for the area ‘Fermanagh and Omagh 2030’ was launched on 3 October 2016 for an 8-week consultation period through participative engagement. ‘What have we got right?’, the title of the engagement, has been discussed at 13 public workshops throughout the district with at least one event occurring in each District Electoral Area (DEA). In addition, 12 other workshops also took place with targeted groups. An online engagement survey gave those that could not attend an event the opportunity to get involved. There was an excellent response to the public engagement and a consolidated report will be available to download at www.fermanaghomagh.com/ communityplanning in late December. The Final Fermanagh and Omagh 2030 Community Plan will be published in April 2017. New Local Development Plan for the Fermanagh and Omagh district The Local Development Plan (LDP) is a significant project which, when complete, will set out the strategy for the future planning and sustainable development of the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area up until 2030. It is based on a shared vision with the district’s Community Plan, “of a vibrant, living place where people enjoy improved wellbeing and prosperity in a safe, shared, connected and sustainable environment”. The Preferred Options Paper (POP) which was the first stage in the preparation of the Local Development Plan was launched on 3 October 2016 for an 8-week period of consultation. It set out the key planning issues for the district, identified a range of options to address them and indicated the preferred options of the Council. The outcome of the public consultation on the POP will be published in the new year. A draft Local Development Plan Strategy will be brought forward in Summer 2017, when there will be a further 8-week public consultation for you to have your say and get involved in shaping the final Plan. Off-street car parking The Council is responsible for the management and maintenance of 39 off-street car parks across the district. Enforcement of car park regulations, including the issuing of penalty charge notices, is carried out on behalf of the Council by a company called NSL. NSL will continue to carry this out for the Council for the next three years. During this time the Council will develop a strategy for the car parking function, with a view to developing a new service model for the future delivery of off-street car parking. For general enquiries relating to car park enforcement please contact NSL Customer Services Department on 0845 603 9337. Please note that the NSL phone number for Season Ticket applications is 03300 088770 . Economic Development Responsibility for promoting business start-up provision transferred to councils on 1 April 2015. From that date the Council’s ‘Regional Start Initiative’ was delivered throughout the district by Enterprise Northern Ireland. The Regional Start Initiative provided guidance and advice from initial business idea generation right through to the time when the business is established and successfully trading in the domestic market. In the first year of the programme the Council exceeded targeted outputs by more than 50%. Invest NI continues to provide direct support to businesses which seek to sell in export markets. From 22 October this year Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s new Business Start Up Programme is also being delivered in conjunction with Enterprise Northern Ireland and Omagh Enterprise Company and Fermanagh Enterprise Ltd. For further information on the new Business Start Up Programme, please contact Kevin McShane on 0300 303 1777 or email kevin.mcshane@fermanaghomagh.com