Issue - meetings

(Monitoring Officer) Officers will shortly be undertaking a review of the attached Planning Protocol. The Committee is invited to express initial views for incorporation into a revised draft document which will be submitted to a future meeting.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer referred to the Local Government Association/Planning Advisory Service document considered at the last meeting as a basis for a new Planning Protocol.  He advised that officers would shortly be undertaking a review of the Council’s current Planning Protocol and invited the Committee to express initial views for incorporation into a revised draft document.

The Committee noted that the existing Planning Protocol had been drawn up with the principal aim of protecting members from potential conflicts of interest.  The Deputy Monitoring Officer advised that whilst this aspect still needed to be addressed in the protocol the main aim of the protocol now should be to protect the Council’s planning decisions from challenge.  He also drew attention to the need for the protocol to reflect the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 in relation to predisposition, predetermination or bias.  Attention was drawn to the Council’s recently adopted procedure for site visits which needed to be incorporated into the protocol.

The Committee considered the need for the section on Cabinet Members - Conflicts of Interest on Planning Matters to cover the issue of Cabinet members and ward members involved in the identification of sites for the Council’s House Building Programme.  Consideration was also given to the need to cover the position of Portfolio Holder Assistants.

The Committee considered the need for a similar protocol in relation to the Council’s Licensing functions.

            RESOLVED:

            (1)        That the initial views of the Committee be incorporated into a revised Planning Protocol;

            (2)        That the Monitoring Officer seek views from the following on possible revisions to the Planning Protocol:

            (a)        all District Councillors;

            (b)        Independent Persons;

            (c)        all parish and town councils within the District;

            (d)        the public via the Council’s website;

            (e)        planning agents;

            (3)        That the Monitoring Officer submit to the next meeting of the Committee a report on the outcome of the consultation exercise and a proposed revised Planning Protocol for consideration and recommendation to the District Council for adoption; and

            (4)        That a report be submitted to a future meeting on a proposed protocol in relation to the Council’s Licensing functions.