Examination of Worcestershire County Council’s Waste Core Strategy

The Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy Development Plan Document was submitted to the Secretary of State on 28^th November 2011.

• The Inspector
• The Programme Officer
• Venue and Timetable
• Written Statements and Statements of Common Ground 
• Schedule of Proposed Changes 
• Consolidated version of the Waste Core Strategy

The Inspector

The Secretary of State has appointed Andrew S Freeman BSc(Hons), DipTP, DipEM, FRTPI, FIHT, MIEnvSc to undertake an independent examination into the soundness of the Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy.

The role of the Inspector is to consider whether the document

a)      is legally compliant (i.e. meets the requirements of the Planning Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and associated Regulations) and

b)      satisfies the criteria for soundness (i.e. whether it is justified, effective and consistent with national policy).

The Inspector will take into account the representations submitted on the Core Strategy and it is likely that a number of informal debates will take place on the principal matters identified by the Inspector, these are termed Hearing Sessions.

Following the closure of the Examination, the Inspector will prepare a report with precise recommendations which will be binding on the Council.

Guidance Notes have been prepared by the Inspector to help people understand the process. Any queries people may have regarding the Examination process should be directed to the Programme Officer who will be happy to assist.

The Programme Officer

The Programme Officer, Ian Kemp, will act as the contact point for any person who has made representations at the submission stage, and as a liaison between the Inspector, the Council and Representors.

He acts independently on behalf of the Inspector to organise and manage the administrative and procedural matters of the Examination process and is the first point of contact for any questions relating to timetabling or procedural matters. All statements will also be submitted through him.

Any matters that anyone wishes to raise with the Inspector should be submitted via the Programme Officer.

Contact details:

Ian Kemp,
49 All Saints Place
Bromsgrove
Worcestershire
B61 0AX

Telephone:       01527 837 920

Mobile:            07723 009 166

Email:              idkemp@sky.com

Venue, Programme and Issues for Discussion

Hearing Sessions were held from Tuesday 13th March 2012 to Friday 16^th March 2012 in the Kidderminster Room of County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester, WR5 2NP. The Programme Officer contacted all representors with details of the Sessions and the Issues to be discussed, relevant correspondence can be found below:

• Introductory Letter (355 KB)
• Guidance Notes (152 KB)
• Programme, Issues and Questions
  (Version 5, 2nd March 2012.) (258 KB)

Written Statements and Statements of Common Ground

The following statements were submitted to the Programme Officer in response to the Inspector's issues and questions.

• Worcestershire County Council Hearing Statement
  (258 KB)
  (this is also available in the document library, reference WRS 1)
• Please note that in preparing the Schedule of Proposed Changes, errors have been identified in the Council's Hearing Statement  (258 KB)  (document library reference WRS 1a). These are shown correctly in the Schedule of Proposed Changes.
• Worcestershire County Council's response to the Inspector's supplementary question – 29^th February 2012  (258 KB)  

  (this is also available in the document library, reference WRS 1b)

   

• Mrs Louise Brookes Written Statement (175 KB)
  Appendix 1  (2.4MB) and Appendix 2  (2.4MB)
  (this is also available in the document library, reference WRS 2 )
• Statement of Common Ground between Mercia Waste Management (represented by Axis) and Worcestershire County Council  (218 KB) (this is also available in the document library reference  SCG 1)
• Statement of Common Ground between English Heritage, Natural England and Worcestershire County Council  (218 KB)
  (this is also available in the document library, reference SCG 2)

Schedule of Proposed Changes

In response to the Inspector's questions and the debate in the hearing sessions, the Council is consulting on a number of changes it would like to propose to the Waste Core Strategy. These changes are set out in the Schedule of Proposed changes:

• Schedule of Proposed Changes 
  (5^th April 2012)   (2MB)
  (this is also available in the document library, reference PC 8)

For further information on the consultation, please see the Council's Waste Core Strategy web page.

Consolidated version of the Waste Core Strategy

The submitted Waste Core Strategy is formed of two documents – the Submission Document and the Addendum to the Submission Document (SUB 1 and SUB 2 in the document library).

A version of the Waste Core Strategy has been prepared which consolidates the two documents. This document is for information only and has not been formatted for publication. This means that page numbers differ, but paragraph and figure numbering is consistent with the Submission Document (or Addendum where additions are made).

The Council has provided this for clarity and ease of reference. Where there is any difference between this document and the submitted documents, the submitted documents should be viewed as correct.

• Consolidated Waste Core Strategy showing Submission Document incorporating the Addendum to the Submission Document – October 2011  (3.2 MB) (This is also available in the document library, reference CCS 1)

A further document has been prepared which also incorporates the proposed changes. This is not part of the consultation on the Proposed Changes but may help you to see how the changes fit into the document as a whole:

• Consolidated Waste Core Strategy showing Submission Document incorporating the Addendum to the Submission Document and Proposed Changes – 5^th April 2012  (3 MB)
  This is also available in the document library, reference CCS 3.