Agenda item

The Strategic Planning and Conservation Manager provided a briefing update, which set out the progress to date in creating the Local Heritage List (LHL) and showed the proposed action plan for completion of the LHL in 18 months.

It was reported that four the parishes – Alvechurch, Belbroughton, Beoley, and Dodford – had been surveyed and draft LHL’s for these areas had now been compiled. 129 buildings and structures were being proposed for the LHL from these parishes. Draft lists for these parishes were ready to be consulted on in late spring 2024. Areas currently being surveyed included Bromsgrove Town, Lickey and Blackwell Parish, and Wythall Parish.

It was noted that at the previous meeting of Overview and Scrutiny a recommendation was (subsequently agreed by Cabinet) that the final Local Heritage List (LHL) for Bromsgrove District be completed within 18 months. This provided a target date for completion of LHL of September 2025. The works on compiling a list for parishes / areas would be carried out in alphabetical order. It was highlighted that Officers could not be certain how much work was required in each area until a survey for a given area was carried out. As the work progressed, Officers would be providing quarterly updates on progress to the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

The Strategic Planning and Conservation Manager reported that during the process of creating LHL for their areas/wards, Ward Members would be contacted a minimum of three times: (1) when officers begin surveying; (2) on completion of the draft LHL for the Ward; (3) prior to adoption of the list for the area. It was highlighted that for parishes where survey work had been undertaken already, Ward Members would be contacted imminently to update on progress. This would also be the case for the three areas where survey work was being carried out at the moment.

Following the update, a Member thanked Officers for providing this briefing which set out a plan for completion of LHL and which included details of Member involvement in the process. A question was asked regarding whether submissions of proposals for inclusion on the LHL could still be made in respect of Lickey and Blackwell Parish. It was responded that the list creation was a continuous and iterative process and proposals for addition to the list could be submitted at any time.

In response to a question, it was noted that in areas which had parishes, Officers worked on the basis of parish boundaries rather than ward boundaries in respect of creating LHLs. A Member requested that it be highlighted and corrected in future documents that the correct name for  Belbroughton Parish was Belbroughton and Fairfield Parish Council – the  area covered by this Parish being the villages of Belbroughton and Fairfield (rather than only Belbroughton).

With respect to publicity for LHL consultations in each area, it was noted that Officers would be in contact with the Parish Councils. The LHL consultations would also be publicised at events in each local area. Members were asked to liaise with Officers if they were aware of local events at which the Council could promote the LHL consultations.

Members requested that future briefings include a table setting out dates for completion of LHL at each area alongside a work programme outlining tasks to be undertaken in each area and progress in their completion. The Strategic Planning and Conservation Manager responded that detail would be added to the action plan table for the next update report.

RESOLVED that the update be noted.