Proposed venue: THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, PATHFINDER HOUSE, ST MARYS STREET, HUNTINGDON
Contact: A Roberts, Democratic Services Officer, Tel No 01480 388009/e-mail: Anthony.Roberts@huntsdc.gov.uk
No. | Item |
---|---|
MINUTES Contact: A Roberts 388009 Minutes: Subject to the inclusion of “actions” at the end of the penultimate sentence in paragraph 2 of Minute No. 18, the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 27th September 2006 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
|
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Minutes: No declarations were received. |
|
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PROCESS Minutes: Consideration was given to a joint report by the Head of Planning Services and the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Service Support) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the outcome of a review of Member involvement and the procedures for the determination of development control applications. Members were acquainted with the deliberations of the Development Control Panel on the report and discussed each of the recommendations. With regard to public speaking at Development Control Panel meetings, it was noted that the order of speakers and the procedure for applications in multi-member wards would be subject to the discretion of the Chairman and reviewed in due course.
The Panel discussed the determination of applications by full Council. Having been acquainted with the views of the Development Control Panel in this respect, the Panel concluded that a recommendation on the presentation of reports and public speaking at full Council meetings should be endorsed. The intention to clarify the criteria for determining which planning applications were submitted to full Council as part of a forthcoming review of the Constitution was noted.
Having considered further recommendations in relation to training, site visits, consultation with neighbouring authorities, advance notification of applications and the Scheme of Delegation, it was
RESOLVED
(1) that the Council be RECOMMENDED to
(a) adopt the principle of public speaking at meetings of the Development Control Panel and the procedure and public information leaflet appended to the report now submitted;
(b) permit Members representing wards in neighbouring authorities and neighbouring parish councils affected by development proposals to address the District Council’s Development Control Panel;
(c) permit, in those instances when a planning application is to be determined by full Council, the Council’s Head of Planning Services or his representative and other relevant officers to present reports to the Council and apply the public speaking process adopted by the Development Control Panel, subject to the amendments referred to above;
(d) review the processes referred to in (a)-(c) above after a twelve months trial period; and
(e) extend training on planning matters to all Members of the Council; and
(f) make the necessary changes to the Council Procedure Rules contained in the constitution.
(2) that Ward Councillors (and neighbouring Ward Councillors in appropriate circumstances) be invited to attend formal site visits organised for Members of the Development Control Panel; and
(3) that the Scheme of Delegation be amended so that any Member may request in writing to the Head of Planning Services that within 21 days of the publication of the weekly planning list or such longer period as may be determined by the Head of Planning Services, an application should be submitted to the Development Control Panel for determination.
|