37Community planning
(1)A local authority must—
(a)initiate; and
(b)having done so, maintain, facilitate and participate in,
community planning for its area.
(2)Community planning for a local authority’s area is a process by which the authority and its community planning partners—
(a)identify long-term objectives for improving—
(i)the social well-being of the area;
(ii)the economic well-being of the area; and
(iii)the environmental well-being of the area;
(b)identify long-term objectives in relation to the area for contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and
(c)identify actions to be performed and functions to be exercised by the local authority and its community planning partners for the purpose of meeting the objectives identified under paragraphs (a) and (b).
(3)Every community planning partner of a local authority—
(a)must participate in community planning for the authority’s area to the extent that such planning is connected with the partner’s functions; and
(b)must assist the authority in the discharge of its duties under subsection (1).
(4)For the purposes of this section, a reference to an action to be performed or a function to be exercised by a local authority or one of its community planning partners is a reference to an action or function which is within the powers of the authority or partner.