To receive a report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration requesting Members approve Planning Committee Procedures in light of issues that have arisen and following visits to other Local Planning Authorities undertaken in 2012/13 (Appendix 6 contains recommendations from the Planning Committee and appendix 7 contains a further recommendation following a review of the procedures by the Scrutiny Committee).
Minutes:
The Committee had before it a report * from the Head of Planning and Regeneration requesting that Members approve Planning Committee Procedures in light of issues that had arisen and following visits to other Local Planning Authorities undertaken in 2012/13 (Appendix 6 contained recommendations from the Planning Committee and appendix 7 contained a further recommendation following a review of the procedures by the Scrutiny Committee).
The Chairman of the Planning Committee provided some background to the report and explained that several areas highlighted within the report had already been implemented by the Planning Committee but other areas would only be implemented following approval from Council.
Discussion took place regarding:
· Recommendations that had been submitted to the working group from the Scrutiny Committee and had not been taken forward;
· The length of time that Ward Members were allowed to speak;
· Annual visits to review planning decisions and the recording of these trips.
The Committee worked through each recommendation in turn:
It was RECOMMENDED to Council:
a) That a clear guide to Planning Committee procedures be produced to inform the public and other participants together with a parallel guide on the planning system to address any misinformation and misconceptions.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
b) That Legal advice for the Council as decision maker was available to assist Planning Committee with legal input as required on a case by case basis and a legal officer be ‘on call’ to assist in person during the meetings if requested.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
c) That who speaks, when, the number of speakers, length of speaking and order remain as existing with an alteration to the order of speaking so that the supporter speaks after the objector;
(Proposed by Cllr Mrs N Woollatt and seconded by Cllr L Taylor)
d) That the questioning of speakers for reasons of clarification be allowed through the Chairman and apply to the applicant and objector only;
(Proposed by the Chairman)
e) That clear written procedures be put in place regarding voting, that the item description, address and proposition be announced, Members clearly indicate their vote, that the vote was counted out loud and the outcome of the vote be announced.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
f) That full committee and Planning Working Group site visits continue as existing, but that clearer written procedures for both be put in place.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
g) That the protocol for making decisions that are not in accordance with officer recommendation be amended to apply to situations only when Members wish to refuse permission against officer advice.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
h) That annual review of selected planning decisions be undertaken via a planning committee site visit and that a video be produced and trialled. That the constitution be amended to remove reference to the referral of the findings of the review to Scrutiny Committee and that all Members be invited to put forward sites and suggestions for the annual review and Members be encouraged to participate in the process.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
i) That the Local Government Associations’ ‘Probity in Planning for Councillors and Officers 2013 (or subsequent amendments) be adopted as best policy;
(Proposed by the Chairman)
j) That final recommendations 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 relating to venue layout, attendance and advice, agenda format and order, report format and contents and officer presentations be agreed.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
k) That subject to this service continuing to be offered, the Planning Advisory Service be requested to work with the Council in undertaking a peer review of Planning Committee and a further report be presented to Planning Committee following the receipt of recommendations from the Peer Review. The report to approve an action plan incorporating Planning Committee procedure issues.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
The following item was deferred for further information:
Photographs and the PowerPoint presentations and whether it was practicable for them to be posted on the website (Public Access) in advance of the meeting.
Note: - Report previously circulated and attached to the Minutes.
Supporting documents: