Issue - meetings

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Ann-Marie Barker, introduced the recommendations of the Standards and Audit Committee which proposed amendments to the Constitution relating to Public Speaking at Planning Committee.  The main changes proposed included the reduction of the threshold for public speaking from ten to five objections and the inclusion of supporters of applications in meeting the threshold.  It was noted that the proposals had been considered by the Corporate Governance Working Group, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Planning Committee before being discussed by the Standards and Audit Committee.

The Councillors welcomed the changes to the public speaking process and supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the amended Public Speaking at Planning Committee section of the Constitution (Appendix 2 to the report) be adopted, as amended by the Standards and Audit Committee in relation to paragraph 4.10;

          (ii)   the authority delegated to the Monitoring Officer to make minor amendments to the Constitution be noted, including amendments to references within the document and section numbering; and

          (iii)  the Monitoring Officer be instructed to make the agreedchanges to the Constitution.

Reporting Persons – Beverley Kuchar / Thomas James

The Committee received the first of a series of recommendations from the Corporate Governance Working Group regarding amendments to the Council’s Constitution, relating to Public Speaking at Planning Committee, which also incorporated changes proposed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Planning Committee at their respective meetings.

Tom James, Development Manager, introduced the paper and advised that the main changes proposed were be reduce the threshold for public speaking from ten to five objections and to also include supporters of applications.  Following a discussion with Councillor Andy Caulfield a further change had been proposed with the aim of ensuring local residents held an equal voice at meetings of the Planning Committee.  The amendment was to alter the wording of paragraph 4.10 from:

‘Councillors will have the opportunity of asking further questions of the Officers and, if necessary, ask Officers to make a brief summary of the planning issues, at the end of the debate.’

to:

‘Councillors will have the opportunity of asking further questions of the Officers and with the permission of the Chair, this can include the Ward Councillors.  If necessary, the Chair can ask Officers to make a brief summary of the planning issues, at the end of the debate.’

The Committee supported the amendment.

Following a question, Tom clarified that the reason for a petition being counted as a single objection was that Planning Services encouraged residents to submit a written letter setting out their views on a planning application rather than signing a petition handed to them.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL That

(i)        the amended Public Speaking at Planning Committee section of the Constitution (Appendix 2 to the report) be adopted, as amended by the Standards and Audit Committee in relation to paragraph 4.10;

(ii)       the authority delegated to the Monitoring Officer to make minor amendments to the Constitution be noted, including amendments to references within the document and section numbering; and

(iii)     the Monitoring Officer be instructed to make the agreed changes to the Constitution.