[Ed Hammond]

Happy to offer some (generic) views on this as no-one else has commented.

While most councils have reviewed their Core Strategy, not many have taken the step of detailed analysis of DPDs. Where councils have neighbourhood/area forums, or are parished, those places tend to be the best ones to take neighbourhood plans, area action plans, and other more locally specific DPDs. Borough-wide DPDs tend to be more technical in nature and members may feel that there's not a huge amount they can add to the process. However, if you've had success in looking at SPDs where you are, your members may feel that they have more confidence in that approach.

If you do want to look at DPDs, I'd suggest that you speak to the planning service about building scrutiny in to the process. If you ask late-on, the opportunity for exerting influence, and bringing about change, may be reduced.

In that context, from personal experience I'd recommend keeping scrutiny to the Core Strategy. The statutory consultation process on other DPDs is pretty comprehensive and unless there's anything in them that jumps out to you as requiring members' input, I wouldn't bother - there shouldn't be an automatic presumption that everything will go to committee.