Memorandum of Understanding

It is agreed that Runnymede Borough and Slough Borough lie in separate Housing Market Areas and Functional Economic Market Areas.

Schedule : Objectively Assessed Needs (OAN) for Housing and Employment

Slough Borough Council

1. joint SHMA with the Berkshire authorities showed that Slough has an OAN of 927 dwellings per year from 2013-2036.
    
2. joint East Berkshire EDNA identified the labour supply led gross employment land requirements for industrial uses as 180 ha.

Runnymede Borough Council

1. In January 2018, Runnymede published partial update to the 2015 Runnymede­ Spelthorne SHMA which concludes that Runnymede's proportion of the OAN for the wider HMA is 498dpa up to 2030.This figure includes the provision of affordable homes.
    
2. In January 2018, Runnymede published an update to its employment land forecasts. This shows that up to 2030 Runnymede has need to provide between 62,424sqm (6.8ha) and 79,171sam (8.6ha) of office (B1a/) floorspace, and between 20,209 (5.1ha) and 27,464sqm (6.9ha) of industrial (B1c, B2 and B8) floorspace.

Agreement

Slough Borough Council and Runnymede Borough Council will keep each other informed of any changes to their respective OANs for housing, employment

Schedule : Unmet Housing Need

Slough Borough Council

1. Slough Borough Council is unable to meet its full objectively assessed housing need of 927 dwellings per year from 2013-2036. The Issues and Options document (January 2017) identified potential shortfall of 6,000-8,000 dwellings.

Runnymede Borough Council

1. The Runnymede draft Local Plan sets out that it anticipates being able to meet its identified needs over the first five year period of the Local Plan. The draft Local Plan sets out that over the period of the Plan there is estimated to be shortfall of 27 units.

Agreement

The authorities will keep each other informed of the proportion of any unmet need in housing required in the plan period. At this stage Runnymede and Slough are unlikely to be able to take any of each other's unmet need

Schedule : Unmet Need for Employment Floorspace

Slough Borough Council

1. Slough Borough Council is not able to provide the labour supply led gross employment land requirements for industrial uses (180 ha) identified in the East Berkshire EDNA.
    
2. Slough Borough Council will seek to meet its need for jobs to allow Slough to maintain its economic position in the sub-region.
    
3. The final provision of employment growth will in part depend on decisions about Heathrow.

Runnymede Borough Council

1. The draft Local Plan sets out that Runnymede currently has pipeline supply of estimated supply of 80,260sqm in its Strategic Employment Areas and on its proposed employment allocation. This would meet approximately 97% of the Council's identified needs. The Council continues to analyse its pipeline supply across the remainder of the Borough but remains confident of meeting needs in full.
    
2. The final provision of employment growth will in part depend on decisions about Heathrow.

Agreement

The authorities will keep each other informed of the proportion of any unmet need in employment required in the plan period. At this stage Runnymede and Slough are unlikely to be able to take any of each other's unmet need.

Schedule : Green Belt

Slough Borough Council

1. Slough Borough Council Issues and Options document includes an option for releasing Green Belt land for housing.

Runnymede Borough Council

2. Runnymede Borough Council's draft Local Plan proposes to release Green Belt land to meet identified development needs.

Agreement

The authorities will keep each other informed of the approach to Green Belt. Schedule : Provision for Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople (GTTS) Slough Borough Council

1. Slough Borough Council has yet to commission Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment.

Runnymede Borough Council published its updated Gypsy, Traveller Accommodation Assessment in January 2018. Need for 112 gypsy pitches and 19 travelling showmen plots has been identified up to 2030. The Council proposes to allocate 35 pitches in the emerging Local Plan and return further 48 pitches which are authorised for occupation for gypsies and travellers but which are not currently being used for this purpose back into use for gypsies and travellers. The Council is currently carrying out separate piece of work which seeks to identify how the remaining 48 pitches and plots will be met in the Borough over the period of the Local Plan. It is not yet known if Runnymede will be able to meet its identified needs in full.

Agreement

Neither authority is currently requesting the other authority to accommodate unmet needs for travellers. However this will be kept under review once the evidence has been produced.

This Memorandum of Understanding provides framework for joint working between Slough Borough Council and Runnymede Borough Council. This document will be reviewed at joint Duty to Cooperate meeting held in April each year. Until otherwise agreed Runnymede will act as the secretariat for this meeting.

Where either of the parties to this Statement is undertaking Regulation 18 consultation, Regulation 19 publication or submitting plan it will be the responsibility of that party to coordinate the review and updating of this Memorandum of Understanding for that event as necessary.