Forum topic: 'Unfair, unreasonable and undemocratic': Council accused of reneging on local plan consultation promise

Statement issued by Action for Enfield's Future on 7th February 2024

Enfield, a borough with a rich history and a vibrant community, is at a pivotal moment. The decisions made today will reverberate for generations. Enter the New Local Plan, a blueprint that will guide Enfield’s development, housing, and environment until 2041.

Enfield stands at a crossroads. Let’s ensure that our legacy is one of foresight, compassion, and sustainable growth. Together, we’ll build a future that honours our past and embraces the promise of tomorrow.

Enfield’s residents are entitled to, and will, hold different views of the Council’s proposals for the future of its citizens revealed in the New Local Plan.

But they are equally entitled to honest and transparent engagement on these proposals by their elected members. This is being denied.

The new Local Plan is long and unfeasibly complex for the average resident. Perhaps even for the average councillor.

Regrettably, despite unanimous councillor support for our petition calling for 12 weeks meaningful debate and a statement that "Councillors will communicate with their constituents, discussing aspirations for homes and their environment" the promise to “engage with their constituents on key Local Plan themes and issues before the Full Council meeting” remains unfulfilled by the majority of ward councillors of both parties.

Honourable exceptions are the councillors for Highfields, Palmers Green, Ridgeway, Whitewebbs and Winchmore Hill.

Adding insult to injury, the council is refusing to publish the evidence base underpinning its proposals, despite specific Government guidance to do so. We have tried FOI (Freedom of information), a Member’s Enquiry and an Open Letter to Council leaders cc to all councillors. But the Council is refusing to publish on the grounds that

“The period between the release of the draft Local Plan and the Full Council meeting is not a formal component of the Plan-making process. Its core purpose is to provide Councillors with time to review, consider and discuss the content of the Local Plan, and engage with their constituents on key Local Plan themes and issues before the Full Council meeting” but not, it seems, to see the evidence.

So, for instance, to understand the impact of the Local Plan on the natural environment we need something called the Recreation Mitigation Strategy; it's not there.

Neither are these evidence reports, also referred to:

• ‘Site selection methodology paper’ (Ref p. 223)
• 'Housing Topic Paper' 2023 (Ref p. 32, p. 229, p. 230 and p. 236)
• ‘Exceptional Circumstances Topic Paper’ (Ref p. 31 and p. 229)
• 'Strategy Topic Paper.’ (Ref p. 31)
• ‘Employment Land Review’ 2020 (Ref p. 252)

Enfield Council has reneged on the spirit of what was agreed on October 2022.

We will need 12 weeks for the formal Reg 19 consultation because there is a mountain of unpublished technical information coming our way. It is unfair, unreasonable, and undemocratic to expect non expert residents to engage meaningfully with this consultation in the absence of evidence and ward specific discussion with their elected members.

Links

'Time is running out for meaningful discussions' of Enfield Local Plan (Palmers Green Community 31 January 2024)

List of links to information about the Enfield Local Plan