NORTH LONDON STRATEGIC ALLIANCE RESPONSE TO NORTH ...

Closer workingA key element for the SRDF process is to develop a shared vision between the Mayor,sub-regional partnerships, Boroughs and others partners, to present to Government thecase for transport and social infrastructure investment. The SRDF, specifically sectionone, has been partially successful in achieving this. As North London represents amajor area of growth and change for London we believe that senior representation isrequired to ensure that we can develop a stronger compact with which to lobbyGovernment for the resources to deliver our joint objectives.Action PointsThe draft SRDF contains too many actions. At the same time it is hard to draw out fromthem tangible outputs from these actions. Many of them reiterate London Plan policiesthat the boroughs when drawing up their LDFs must conform generally with andtherefore do not need restating. Clearly other actions are only for the consultationprocess and will be lost. It would be better to focus on the overall purpose of the SRDF.We would welcome a rigorous re-examination of the actions so that only those dealingwith clear strategic matters and / or those of sub-regional significance are retained.There needs to be ownership and a clear lead for these actions. The NLSA would behappy to discuss our role in the delivery of the final actions.MonitoringThought needs to be given to how the actions and the outcomes of the SRDF will bemonitored and how this relates to the forthcoming London Plan Review process.Unless there is a commitment to undertake some form of monitoring the actions mayremain as mere aspirations. Sub-regional performance measurements, sources ofinformation and indicators need to be clarified if the activity is to be meaningful.However consideration needs to be given to producing yet more demands on alreadystretched borough planning departments.The only reference to monitoring is in the last bullet point of the Core Actions in PartOne; it is not covered in the Part Two Actions. In the current situation, the final SRDFshould clarify how definition of sub-regional monitoring indicators should proceed. Anydiscussion on this point should be in tandem with the other London sub-regions whohave made similar points.Matters for the Review of the London PlanIt has become clear in preparing this response that the most critical issues we raisecannot be resolved through the SRDF, given its non-statutory, non-policy-makingnature. They will need to be carried forward to next year’s London Plan Review, notingthat it will have an extended horizon beyond 2016, to 2025.Key among these issues are:-16