Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014

Review of community plan

70.—(1) This section sets out the process by which a community plan must be reviewed.

(2) A council and, subject to subsection (3), its community planning partners must—

(a) taking into account any statement published under section 71(3) since the community plan was produced or (as the case may be) its last review was completed, consider the extent to which—

(i) the community plan objectives contained in the plan have been met; and

(ii) if an objective has not been met, progress has been made towards meeting the objective;

(b) in the light of the consideration under paragraph (a) and any other factors which the council or a partner thinks appropriate, consider—

(i) whether the community plan objectives should be modified;

(ii) whether new objectives should be set;

(iii) whether the plan’s description of the actions to be taken and functions to be exercised for the purpose of achieving a community plan objective should be modified (whether in the light of a modification of an objective or for any other reason);

(iv) where the council or partner considers that a new objective should be set, which actions should be taken and which functions exercised for the purpose of achieving the objective.

(3) A community planning partner’s duty under subsection (2) extends only to matters connected with its functions.

(4) If the requirement in subsection (5) is met a council must, following the consideration required by subsection (2), amend the community plan for its district by doing all or any of the following—

(a) modifying the community plan objectives;

(b) setting new objectives;

(c) modifying the actions to be taken and functions to be exercised for the purpose of achieving a community plan objective;

(d) describing the actions to be taken and functions to be exercised for the purpose of achieving a new objective.

(5) The requirement is that, in relation to a proposed amendment, the council is of the opinion that the degree of consensus amongst the community planning partners and the council in relation to the amendment is such that it is appropriate to make the amendment.

(6) The council must, as soon as is reasonably practicable after becoming subject to the duty under subsection (4), publish an amended community plan.