1. Our commitments
We will apply the following principles to all of our planning consultations. We will also encourage the consultations done by others (for example developers, site promotors and Neighbourhood Planning Groups) to apply the principles too.
- Involvement will be open to all, regardless of age, sex, marital status, disability, religion or belief, gender reassignment or sexual orientation and with measures to encourage responses from under represented groups.
- We will seek views from interested and affected parties early in the process when comments can have greatest influence.
- Our level of consultation will reflect the level of influence or control we have over the outcome, i.e. we will focus our consultation over things we have the ability to change.
- Consultation publications will be clear and concise and will not include avoidable “jargon”, without understating the complexities of any decision.
- We will give sufficient information and reasoning to allow for an informed response and we will give sufficient time for responses to be made, taking into account any statutory time requirements.
- All responses will be considered conscientiously.
- Anyone who asks us to do so will be kept informed of and consulted on emerging plans in accordance with data protection principles.
- We will make sure you can see how and why decisions are being made.