Derbyshire councillors raise concerns for the future of Neighbourhood Plans after Government withdraws funding support

Council Leader Nigel Barker, of Labour-controlled NE Derbyshire District Council, made the announcement in response to questions from Conservative district councillor Stephen Clough who is concerned for the future of Killamarsh Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan which only recently underwent a public consultation with villagers on its latest draft.

The council leader was asked by Cllr Clough at a recent meeting if he would be writing to the Government’s relevant Secretary of State, Angela Rayner, to ask her to reconsider the decision to withdraw support for Neighbourhood Plans and if the district council would still be willing to work with parishes on their Neighbourhood Plans, and whether this might be at a cost?

Cllr Barker said: “I have no intention of writing to the Secretary of State but if you want to you can so I would recommend that is what you do, Stephen.”

In response to whether the council would still work with the parishes’ Neighbourhood Plans, Cllr Barker added: “I think legally… that we would and there would be a cost because in the past we have reclaimed, or the parishes have reclaimed, some of that from the Government.

“It’s the Government that is stopping it, so if everybody goes for a Neighbourhood Plan now I can imagine the parish council would pick the bill up but officer time from here would have to be committed to as well to make sure it fits with [the district council’s] Local Plan.”

Cllr Barker also told Cllr Clough, whose ward is Killamarsh West, that Neighbourhood Plans are a good idea but they have also got to link into the district council’s Local Plan which the district council is currently compiling.

He added: “I do not think we cannot support you with professional advice but there might be a cost to that.”

Neighbourhood Plans were originally introduced by the Government to give smaller areas more say in shaping their communities at parish and town council levels on issues including locations for new housing and business developments, what new buildings and extensions should look like, and which areas of land should be protected from development.

Wider District and borough councils’ Local Plans continue to outline long-term, regional development strategies for housing, employment, shopping and infrastructure.

Killamarsh Parish Council has stated key issues facing the parish, which have been highlighted through its consultation, include concerns about the need to protect and enhance the natural environment, important community facilities and heritage as well as its sense of identity, the quality and long-term viability of the town centre, and its often ‘inadequate transport infrastructure’.

People have also raised concerns about the amount of development, especially housing, that has taken place or is planned in the parish and the surrounding area and its impact on the village’s character and infrastructure including roads, schools, medical needs and affordable housing.

But Killamarsh’s Neighbourhood Plan has so far recognised a need to be able to ensure the right mix and type of housing as well as providing affordable housing for the village.

The Government’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government decided this year to stop both technical support and grant funding for the Neighbourhood Planning Support Programme and it will not be proceeding with commissioning for new Neighbourhood Planning support services for 2025 onwards.

However, Locality – a membership organisation commissioned by the ministry, has said it will be able to complete all technical support packages already subject to agreements made before the end of March and it has been given until the end of March, 2026, to do so.

The National Association of Local Councils has stated the Government decision creates a ‘significant setback’ for localism and for this once ‘highly successful neighbourhood planning initiative’ with parish councils, town councils and communities launching over 2,400 plans with over 1,000 having been successfully approved for the benefit of towns and parishes.

Locality stated: “We know it will be difficult for some groups to progress their plans in light of this news and, unfortunately, we are not able to support the Champions Network and other learning and development opportunities from now on.”

NALC has also stated that it is engaging with Locality and other organisations and that it will continue to make representations to the Government concerning Neighbourhood Plans.

The Government has been focusing on meeting national housing targets and speeding up developments and it is conceivable that a reduction in Neighbourhood Plans may help to streamline this process.

Some also fear that without Government grants and expert guidance many parish and town councils may struggle to progress or initiate their existing and current Neighbourhood Plans.

Conservative NE Derbyshire District Cllr Charlotte Cupit has stated it is not clear what impact the Government’s decision to withdraw support for new Neighbourhood Plans will have on current ones.

Cllr Cupit added this has been ‘particularly frustrating’ in areas like Shirland, in her ward, which had a Neighbourhood Plan adopted only last year.

Another consideration is that with the Government focusing on meeting national housing targets and wanting to speed up developments a reduction in the number of Neighbourhood Plans may help to streamline this process.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has stated that due to the outcomes of a Spending Review it has been unable to proceed with commissioning new neighbourhood planning support services from March, 2025, onwards.

The future of Neighbourhood Plans could also rest on the outcome of the Government’s Local Government Reorganisation Plans to replace two-tier local authority areas – which currently operate with district and county councils – with a single unitary council.

Critics have raised concerns that a new unitary council could pose a risk of greater Government control and the removal of local decision-making which the Neighbourhood Plans embody, although parish and town councils are to stay in place.

Killamarsh Parish Council and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have both been invited to comment further on the concerns surrounding the future of Neighbourhood Plans.