Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report which set out proposed revisions to the current protocols and Scheme of Delegation relating to the operation of the Planning Committee, for subsequent approval by Full Council.

This work had been undertaken following a formal request by the Governance and Audit Committee at their meeting on 17 January 2017 and a commitment given at Annual Council in May 2016.   Members of both the Governance and Audit Committee and the Planning Committee had been engaged via a workshop.

The purpose of the workshop had been to explore the current arrangements and to discuss where potential amendments were needed, to either;

a)      capture any working practises that were not currently set out within either the Council’s Constitution or within existing Protocols, and;

b)      identify any parts of the Constitution or Protocols that needed to be reviewed to bring them up-to-date since the last comprehensive review was undertaken in 2011.

A Summary of proposed changes to the ‘Local Code of Conduct for Councillors and Officers dealing with Planning Matters’ protocol was detailed in Table 1 (Section 3.3 of the report).

A summary of the recommended additions to the guidance ‘Public Participation at Planning Committee Meetings’ was detailed in Table 2 (Section 4.5 of the report)

The report also recommended a Constitutional Amendment to the Scheme of Delegation, to reflect the introduction of Neighbourhood Plans (at either an official draft stage or “made” as a consideration.

Debate ensued and in response to a question from the Visiting Member, it was confirmed that paragraph 6.5 of the Local Code of Conduct for Councillors and Officers dealing with Planning Matters, did not refer or relate to Neighbourhood Plans.

Regarding public participation dual hatters, would not be permitted additional time and would need to make the capacity in which they were attending clear at registration.

The External Auditor suggested that any references to the Audit Commission within the document should be amended in light of the organisation’s demise.

On that basis it was

RESOLVED to RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL that the updates and revisions to the protocols for operation of the Planning Committee (including revisions to the delegation arrangements set out in the Constitution) set out in in report GA.55 16/17 be approved,  including:

1)    The two additions to the Local ‘Code of Conduct’ Protocol, set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report, to add clarity to the role of Members in certain planning appeals and to reflect Member involvement in pre-application advice.

2)    The five recommended additions to the ‘Public participation at Planning Committee Meetings’ protocol, as set out in paragraph 4.5 of the report. These propose setting a maximum time limit for all speakers at Planning Committee of five minutes, a requirement for all speakers to follow the same process for registering in advance to speak, and to make clear in what capacity a visiting member is speaking (Parish Councillor (or on behalf of the Parish Council), Ward Member or County Councillor).

3)    The proposed addition to the Council’s Constitution to take account of any conflicts with draft and made (adopted) Neighbourhood Plans in determining planning applications, as set out at paragraph 3.7 of the report.