Issue - meetings

To consider the report on Public Party Participation at Planning Committee Meetings.

The Chair of the Governance, Audit and Performance Committee gave a summary of the report, which said the Planning Committee had been trialling changes to enhance public participation at the Committee since 21 August 2019, and had decided it wished to implement the changes on a permanent basis.

RESOLVED to

a. Adopt the changes to Planning Committee procedure identified in paragraph 8 of this report subject to the inclusion of reference to district and county councillors in paragraph 8 (e) of the report.

b. Authorise the Assistant Director, Governance and Legal to amend the text of the Constitution to reflect the changes agreed.

To consider public participation at Planning Committee meetings.

The Assistant Director – Governance and Legal gave a summary of the report which detailed proposals made by a Working Group to enhance public participation at Planning Committee meetings which had been trialled since 21 August 2019. Public participation rights formed part of the Council’s Constitution and changes to the Constitution were reserved for full Council on recommendation of this Committee. The report asked the Committee to recommend that the Council implemented the changes on a permanent basis.

Members suggested that the proposal to allow town/ parish council representatives to comment on statements of fact made by applicants/ agents should be extended to ward councillors (District and County). However, members were hesitant about making changes to the proposals developed by the Working Group.

The Assistant Director – Governance and Legal suggested that he consult Planning Committee members about the proposed change and report any reservations to Council when it considered the Committee’s recommendations. This course of action was supported.

               RESOLVED  that the Committee recommends Full Council to:

a. Adopt the changes to Planning Committee procedure identified in paragraph 8 of this report, together with an addition to paragraph 8e that the invitation to comment on statements of fact be extended to ward Councillors (District and County) who are present.

b. Authorise the Assistant Director, Governance and Legal to amend the text of the Constitution to reflect the changes agreed.